New Coach Cuts Entire College Volleyball Team After Just Three Practices

Grambling State University, a historically black university located in Grambling, ⚜️Louisiana, hired Chelsey Lucas in February as the head coach of its women’s volleyball team. Clearly unhappy with her players’ performance after three practices, she took the unprecedented step of cutting the entire team last week.

GSU Athletics Communications Director Brian Howard told KSLA-TV that athletic department leaders were aware Lucas planned on “making some changes to the roster,” but were surprised to learn the whole team had been dismissed.

KSLA reported that players told the station that Lucas had called team members in for individual meetings to tell them their scholarships would not be renewed.

“The decision, it’s her decision to make and she’s got some quality players coming on board,” Howard said. “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.

“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,” he added.

GSU Athletic Director Dr. Trayveon Scott said in a statement: “Just as the transfer portal empowers student-athletes, our coaches are also empowered to make the decisions they deem necessary to advance their programs.”

Junior Maurisa Harris, in her third year on the team, told KSLA that Lucas’ action “has left many of her teammates scrambling to find another program to transfer to late in the off-season,” the station reported.