Matador Athlete Improved : Assault: Volleyball recruit Hemenover was in critical condition after being hit with crowbar.

NORTHRIDGE —  James Hemenover, a freshman walk-on with the Cal State Northridge volleyball team, is expected to be released from Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills today as he recovers from an attack with a tire iron that nearly killed him.

Hemenover’s skull was fractured when he was struck twice on the head during an attack and robbery last Thursday in Panorama City. After the attack, he managed to walk half a block to a friend’s house where paramedics were summoned.

He was rushed to Holy Cross in critical condition where surgery was performed to stop bleeding in the brain area. Gari Reed, supervisor of nurses, said that he also broke his left middle finger.

Hemenover, a 6-foot-10 middle blocker who played at Valley Alternative, was riding his bike to meet a friend to study. He said a car pulled up and blocked his path, and four males and a female jumped out, grabbed him and threw him to the ground.

The assailants demanded his house keys, then struck him before he could comply with their orders, according to Hemenover.

Witnesses helped break up the attack by yelling and running to the scene. According to police records Hemenover’s book bag and pager were stolen.

“This whole thing happened so fast,” Hemenover said from his hospital room. “They came from nowhere and then started hitting me with the tire iron.

“Of course I’m happy to be alive but the whole thing is disappointing. For the next month I have physical therapy and who knows when I can play volleyball again?”

Added Reed: “Once the pressure is released from his brain, a patient usually improves. He didn’t have any complications with his head trauma.”

Hemenover only recently moved from the neighborhood where he was attacked, according to John Price, Northridge’s coach.

“The guy had lived there for something like eight years, moves away and then when he returns three months later this happens.

“James is awesome. Of the all jerks out there they had to pick out one of the nicest guys around.”

Hemenover attracted the attention of Price while attending summer volleyball camps when he was a sophomore and junior at Valley Alternative. He was an invited walk-on and was likely to redshirt his first season.