PARSONS — Injuries to an already depleted roster will force Labette Community College to delay the start of its women’s basketball season.
The Parsons Sun reported Tuesday that the Cardinals are scrapping their women’s hoops schedule through December, and will pick up play when the conference schedule ensues in January.
“What went into the decision was the health and safety of our players,” Labette head coach Kaylena Andersen told the Parsons Sun. “We were sitting at nine players before all this started. Hopefully, we can get back up to that. I feel disappointment for the girls. You can’t always help the way the chips fall. It’s more important to keep them healthy and safe than it would be to take risks, start and not be able to finish.”
The Cardinals are scheduled to play at Allen Community College on Feb. 1, and host the Red Devils on Feb. 26 to wrap up the regular season.
The team’s roster size had been a focus of speculation for weeks leading up to the start of basketball season, the Sun reported. In late September, the team hosted open tryouts with scholarships still open.
THIS marks the second straight year a Jayhawk Conference school has had to skip part or all of its season.
Fort Scott Community College called off its season altogether in 2023-24 — also because of low numbers of players and a coaching change — but has resumed operations this fall.
