In April, the HBCU community was rocked by the situation involving Grambling State University’s volleyball team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After being hired as the new head coach of the Tigers women’s volleyball team, Chelsey Lucas went scorched earth and, reportedly, cut the entire squad<\/a> (the original number was disputed but the final count, according to the Washington Post<\/a>, was 19; 12 scholarship players and 7 walk-ons).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The shocking decision spread like wide fire across both the HBCU landscape and the entire college sports community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While it’s not unheard of to cut players and\/or rescind scholarships, the number of players affected at once was surprising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Afterward, the program and university went into crisis mode and tried to protect the institution and coach Lucas’ decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then in early July, Grambling fired Lucas, “due to the determination of an internal investigation within the volleyball program,” said the school said in a statement.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Lucas has hired an attorney and is weighing her options against the school as she attempts to clear her name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But in the meantime, many players left behind in the wake of this situation are suffering.<\/p>