GRAMBLING, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — When Grambling State University hired former Tiger Chelsey Lucas as the head volleyball coach, no one expected her first move to be cutting all 19 players from the team – but she did. Now, a former player is speaking out.
Sheila Borders is a senior at Grambling, but now her academic future is questionable. Following Lucas’ bold coaching move, her athletic scholarship was revoked.
Borders says the decision to cut players and take away their scholarships is causing her emotional stress and an unexpected financial burden. Borders’ mother Tashia Bryce agrees and says she won’t stop speaking until something is done.
“To see another kid from another school that is currently on a scholarship at another school holding her jersey, how painful is that?” Bryce said.
The players who were cut from the Lady Tigers volleyball team were told that if they wanted to continue playing collegiate volleyball they would have to transfer to another school.
“I’m still pretty hurt now, my scholarship is not reinstated there’s really nothing I can do because now I’m a senior, I’m a double major I have so many classes that I can’t transfer over to another school. So I’m pretty much just stuck here,” Borders said.
Bryce says that her daughter scheduled a meeting with Lucas but it was canceled. She doesn’t believe that her daughter and others were treated fairly.
Former players started a petition to have Lucas and other administrators removed from the school and to have their scholarships reinstated.
“I believe that this is wrong and the school needs to do what’s right, and they should never put athletics before education because by taking our spots away they kind of put our education in jeopardy,” Borders said.
Grambling University Athletics has stated that they support Lucas’ decision as the team’s head coach.