The TCU women’s basketball is looking to fill its roster with this week’s walk-on tryouts for players who can help reverse the team’s slide.
The Frogs had a strong start to the season with a 13-0 run but struggled in conference play. As of Wednesday the Frogs were 1-3 in the Big 12.
Under NCAA rules the two forfeitures will not count against their overall record. Had the Frogs taken the court against Kansas State and Iowa State their overall record could have plunged to 1-5.
The team is down three players due to injury and health concerns — center Sedona Prince, forward Daija Turner and point guard Jade Owens.
Prince was the first player to suffer an injury during the initial play against Baylor. Turner filled in at the five position for three games before suffering a season-ending injury at Tuesday afternoon’s practice.
Strong arms DaiJa, we love you
#GoFrogs pic.twitter.com/ylrr06IIg5
— TCU Women’s Basketball (@tcuwbb) January 17, 2024
On Tuesday afternoon, Owens posted a statement on Instagram, revealing that she had sustained a season-ending injury on Saturday against Houston with a torn ACL.
We love you, Uno
#GoFrogs pic.twitter.com/r91fXK24j4
— TCU Women’s Basketball (@tcuwbb) January 16, 2024
Owens was one of the top recruits for head coach Mark Campbell during the offseason and had high hopes that the offense would run through her this season.
The Women’s basketball program has suffered since the pandemic. Before COVID hit the team went 22-7 overall. After, for three consecutive seasons, the team went 24-60 overall. Former head coach Raegan Pebley resigned late in the 2022-23 season.
Wednesday afternoon, hours before their fifth conference matchup against Kansas State, the team took to social media an announcement that both matchups against Kansas State and Iowa State would be canceled due to injuries within the program as well as concerns involving the health and safety of their student-athletes.
Shortly thereafter, the team posted on social media, notifying the TCU community that open tryouts would be held. They presented the opportunity for full-time students to tryout and possibly join the team as walk-ons, seizing the opportunity to complete their roster after forfeiting two crucial games.
This unprecedented situation in NCAA history has left everyone without a clear solution, as there is no handbook guiding how to handle such an occurrence.
The staff and team have yet to comment, but Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati released a statement that still provides no clear indication of what happened.
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