A trend of declining numbers over the past few seasons was just more than the program could overcome for the near future. Officials with University Heights Academy have announced that the school will not have a girls basketball team for the 2023-2024 basketball season. Coach Derrick Hickman confirmed to YourSportsEdge.Com early Friday that the decision had been made.
Numbers have been an issue for the program over the past few seasons. The roster had been made up of 6-8 players over much of that time, with the Lady Blazers dressing as few as six players on several occasions. And, with the low numbers, the program had not been able to play junior varsity contests.
Seven players saw action for the Lady Blazers at some point during the 2022-2023 season, with six of those players seeing action in at least 20 games.
In the previous season in 2021-2022, the program appeared to have numbers again trending in the right direction, as 11 players saw action during the season. However, with transfers and other factors, the numbers did not hold into the next season.
In 2020-2021, seven players took to the court for the Lady Blazers.
For the 2019-2020 season, there were ten players to see action in at least 20 games with several others hitting the court during the season.
Speaking with YourSportsEdge.Com Friday morning, UHA Athletic Director Taylor Sparks says there is no current timetable for restarting the program. The school is looking to rebuild the program beginning at the middle school and junior varsity levels. Speaking to YourSportsEdge.Com, Sparks took the time to praise the efforts and the work put in by current head coach Derrick Hickman, who had led the team for the past few seasons.
As for current players who want to play elsewhere, Sparks told YSE that it is expected that the KHSAA will approve any transfer requests from those players. The school is expected to officially notify the KHSAA Friday.
Sparks added that the process to rebuild the program will get underway immediately.
