Louisiana-based HBCU Grambling State University has fired its head volleyball coach, Chelsey Lucas, who cut the entire team back in April.
Grambling announced, via an official statement on their website, that they terminated Lucas on July 5 due to an internal investigation within the volleyball program.
“The success of student-athletes and their ability to matriculate at Grambling State University is the top priority,” said President of intercollegiate athletics at GSU, Dr. Trayvean Scott. “As we move forward in this transition and commence a national search for the next coach, all volleyball student-athletes who received scholarships for the 2022-23 academic year will keep their scholarships and remain on the team. Walk-ons will also continue to hold their roster spot.”
Lucas, a 2007 Grambling State alum, previously cut all 19 players from the Grambling State Tigers in April, just two months after she was hired as the team’s coach in February. She also boldly told each player that their scholarships would not be renewed.
In a statement to KSLA, she said she asked the university’s administration why she was being fired to no avail.
“I was told today, without notice or any opportunity for discussion, that I was being terminated. When I asked why I was being terminated, the administration was not able to provide me any details about why they decided to fire me,” she said in the statement. “This termination came just days after I had requested and then had a meeting with the President to discuss the way I had been treated in recent weeks by the Athletic Director. The AD[–]without me knowing in advance[–]was invited to this meeting with the President. The AD was visibly upset at my complaints during my meeting with the President, and today I was informed that he was the one who recommended my termination. I will be working with my attorney to prepare a response, and [I] believe that my side of this story will demonstrate that what happened to me today was not right or just.”
She was initially hired at Grambling to replace former Tigers’ coach Demetria Keys-Johnson. Prior to that, Lucas coached the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff‘s volleyball team, the Golden Lions, for three seasons.
GSU has reportedly been searching for a head coach to replace Lucas.
