The newly hired Grambling State University head volleyball coach has decided to cut every player from her team.
Chelsey Lucas was hired in February to lead the Lady Tigers volleyball team at GSU, the Minden Press Herald reported at the time. On April 4, she informed all 19 players on her team that their volleyball careers at GSU were over, according to Black Enterprise. Lucas informed the school’s administration of her decision to make changes to the team, but the firing of all players caught everyone “off-guard,” the outlet continued.
“She said that we weren’t able to practice much, which we weren’t and she said based off of that, she was not able to renew my scholarship so I didn’t really get any time to show what I could do. When I was in there and she told me, my heart completely broke. Of course and I didn’t cry in there, but I did when I left and it just hurts really bad, the fact that it was snatched away so fast,” former Lady Tigers volleyball player Maurisa Harris said of Lucas’s decision, KSLA reported.
Harris, a junior at GSU, had played for the team for three years, KSLA continued. She and her fellow teammates were told of the decision in individual meetings, where they were also informed that their scholarships would not be renewed, according to the outlet. Many players are now rushing to find other programs to transfer to despite it being so late in the off-season, Harris continued. (RELATED: Ex-Football Player Accused In Fatal Shooting Of College Student)
Athletic and academic scholars robbed of their scholarship because of an unethical approach a bogus coach and Southern made AD decided to take leaving Grambling Volleyball Lady Tigers in shambles.
— Grambling State Volleyball Fans (@GramblingVBall) April 5, 2022
“The decision, it’s her decision to make and she’s got some quality players coming on board. I think 14 or 15 coming on board at some point, so in terms of things, I hate to say out with the old, but in with the new a little bit,” GSU Athletics Communications Director Brian Howard told KSLA. “Obviously we don’t want them to be cut or lose their scholarships or whatever that might be or whatever that might look like. At the end of the day, Coach Lucas has a goal, has a vision. We have a goal as an institution and a vision as well to win and that’s first and foremost.”