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Amid a challenging season full of injuries, the Arizona women's basketball program announced open walk-on tryouts in an attempt to bolster its depleted roster.
The team made the announcement on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.
We are holding Walk On Tryouts for full-time students interested in participating for the remainder of the 2023-24 season.
If interested, please contact Lauren Flaum (lflaum@arizona.edu) for specific information#MadeForIt x #LeaveALegacy pic.twitter.com/gPMCAVsn0X
— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaWBB) February 1, 2024
The Wildcats have been navigating recent games with just seven players, a situation that coach Adia Barnes did not anticipate when she deliberately kept the roster short to ensure playing time for her less experienced players.
The decision to hold open tryouts is a proactive approach by the Wildcats to address the situation. Coach Barnes noted at the beginning of the season that a smaller team could potentially reduce transfers due to increased playing time for all. However, the Wildcats could not foresee the string of injuries that would test their roster depth. Players like Montaya Dew, Salimatou Kourouma, Erin Tack and Maya Nnaji have all been sidelined due to various medical reasons, further straining the team's resources. The status of Kailyn Gilbert, who missed recent games, remains uncertain.
“We’re probably gonna have seven players for a while and possibly the rest of the season,” Barnes said, via Devin Homer of Arizona Desert Swarm.
“She’s not available right now,” Barnes added.
Barnes has expressed pride in the determination of her team, despite the heavy minutes they are shouldering. The smaller group has developed a cohesiveness that Barnes believes will be foundational as they continue the rest of the season.
“Now our team is united,” Barnes said. “I know our team has each others’ backs. I know they’re cohesive, that group of seven, and I’m going to build off that and we’re gonna be better.”
Arizona is not the only team who has had to resort to walk-on tryouts. TCU women's basketball was forced to forfeit two games due to being unable to field a full team.
The Wildcats will be tested once more in their upcoming home game on Feb. 4 against in-state rivals, ASU.
