Lauren Ware picked 蜜柚直播 so she could play both volleyball and basketball, in that order, during a busy stretch starting in August and ending, hopefully, at the Final Four in early April.
But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the Pac-12 pushed all sports competitions to January at the earliest.
With volleyball and basketball scheduled for the same time, Ware had a decision to make. Last Sunday night, following a call with her parents and 蜜柚直播鈥檚 volleyball and basketball coaches, Ware picked hoops.
It鈥檚 a decision Dave Rubio, the Wildcats鈥 longtime volleyball coach, called 鈥渋nevitable.鈥
Rubio and UA women鈥檚 basketball coach Adia Barnes worked together to recruit Ware, a 6-foot-5-inch North Dakotan who was a five-star basketball recruit and the No. 50 volleyball prospect in the nation. (Ware counts against the basketball team鈥檚 scholarship limit).
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鈥淚 was in full sport of her doing this,鈥 Rubio said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to see her compete in women鈥檚 basketball. She looks terrific. Her (surgically repaired) knee is 100% and she has a real presence, that in my mind stands out. I鈥檓 excited to see her impact on women鈥檚 basketball and volleyball 鈥 no doubt that will happen.鈥
Said Barnes: 鈥淒ave and I took the same approach. Given the circumstance of COVID and now we are all playing in spring, Dave and I agreed that whatever sport you play, you need to focus on that one now. I鈥檓 excited. Every other year (moving forward), she will be with volleyball for the (basketball) offseason, so it鈥檚 good for her to get this foundation from the start. It鈥檚 a chance for her to focus on this one sport after her ACL injury.鈥
Ware initially reported to campus to train with the volleyball team. She joined the basketball team Wednesday.
Rubio said Ware鈥檚 presence, even for a short time, helped.
鈥淗aving Lauren here established a good working relationship. They really connected,鈥 Rubio said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to me and the development of the team, regardless of whether she is playing with us. Her heart and soul is with the team. I don鈥檛 have any concerns with Lauren fitting in with our group and both teams are close.鈥
Barnes has yet to announce Ware鈥檚 decision to the team, though the freshman will be featured on Barnes鈥 鈥淪unday Night Live鈥 Instagram show at 4 p.m. Sunday.
鈥淭here wasn鈥檛 a rush to tell them,鈥 Barnes said. 鈥淥ur players aren鈥檛 all here yet. I was waiting for others to come in. It didn鈥檛 need to be a big announcement. I鈥檓 sure she casually told her friends. They didn鈥檛 know any different. We鈥檝e got so much going on right now.鈥
Rubio still holds some hope that if basketball starts and ends earlier than volleyball, Ware might still get her shot at playing both sports in the spring. The NCAA ruled Friday that all fall sports athletes get to keep their eligibility for this season whether they play or not, meaning Ware has nothing to lose. She could make a cameo with the volleyball team and still be a freshman, eligibility-wise, next fall.
鈥淚t all depends on the calendar,鈥 Rubio said. 鈥淭hat door is certainly open. Until they designate dates for women鈥檚 basketball and volleyball it鈥檚 still a possibility. She could play for us in the later part of the season, without burning a year of eligibility.鈥
For now, Ware is focused on basketball only. Barnes is happy for Ware and for her Wildcats.
鈥淔or us she helps as another big and gives us depth. Off the court she helps as she is a great person and is high-character 鈥 she鈥檚 that total package kid we always talk about. She鈥檚 aligned with who we are and that鈥檚 why she鈥檚 here.鈥
