TCU women’s basketball has been forced to hold open tryouts as the team has been plagued with numerous injuries. Due to the many injuries, TCU has been forced to forfeit games against Kansas State and Iowa State.[1] The Horned Frogs were off to their best start in program history as the team was 14-0 to start the season and ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time since February 24, 2020.[2] These defeats drop TCU to 1-6 in the conference, which is a huge blow.
Star center Sedona Prince suffered a broken finger during the game against Baylor on January 3rd.[3] Then, graduate student Jaden Owens suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in a non-contact injury during the game against Houston on January 13th,, causing her to be out for the season.[4] DaiJa Turner also suffered a season ending injury to her ankle. These season ending injuries, coupled with other minor and health injuries on the team, have landed the team with only 6 healthy players, which is not enough available players to be able to compete in a game. Hence the need for open tryouts. The team posted on Twitter that it will be hosting open tryouts January 18th and 19th. The requirements are you need to be a full-time student at TCU, must have high-school basketball experience, and must have a physical from the health center.[5]
Per NCAA rules, teams are allowed to hold open tryouts for various reasons either before the start of the season or during the season. Bylaw 17.02.15 Tryouts goes over the legal regulations for an Enrolled Student.[6] The general bylaw states, “A member institution may conduct a tryout of a full-time student currently enrolled at the institution only on its campus or at a site at which the institution normally conducts practice or competition during the regular academic year.” TCU abided by this regulation by holding the tryouts in the workout gym. The rest of the bylaw states:
(a) One-Tryout Limitation. Not more than one tryout per student per sport shall be permitted during any academic year;
(b) Health and Safety Requirements — Medical Examination and Sickle Cell Solubility Test (SST). Prior to participation in a tryout, a student is required to undergo a medical examination or evaluation administered or supervised by a physician (e.g., family physician, team physician). The examination or evaluation shall include a sickle cell solubility test (SST) unless documented results of a prior test are provided to the institution. The examination or evaluation must be administered within six months prior to participation in the tryout. The medical examination or evaluation may be conducted by an institution’s regular team physician or other designated physician as a part of the tryout;
(c) Length of Tryout. The time of the tryout activities (other than the physical examination) shall be limited to 14 consecutive calendar days from the first date the student engages in countable athletically related activities;
(d) Time Limits for Tryout. During the 14-consecutive-calendar-day period of a tryout, an enrolled student shall not exceed the daily and weekly hour limitations as set forth in Bylaws 17.1.6.1 and 17.1.6.3;
(e) Competition During Tryout. Competition against the member institution’s team (e.g., scrimmage) is permissible, provided such competition occurs during the academic year and is considered a countable athletically related activity per Bylaw 17.02.1; and
(f) Issuance of Equipment and Clothing. The institution may provide equipment and clothing on an issuance-and-retrieval basis to a student during the period of the tryout.
TCU abided by all of the rules applicable as they had a clear start and end time to the tryouts listed on the flyers that were posted. The team also required the girls to obtain a physical prior to trying out for the team, and the tryouts were only to be held one time. The players that made the team from these tryouts were given team clothing to wear. It is unclear how successful the team will be for the remainder of the season as they have a new roster to adjust to, but it will be interesting to see how it all plays out.
[1] TCU to host open tryouts as numerous injuries force team to forfeit games against Kansas State, Iowa State – CBSSports.com
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4] Id.
[5] Id.
[6] https://web3.ncaa.org/lsdbi/search/bylawView?id=8932
Leave a Reply