Sophomore is third player to leave in past
By JOE HETTLER
Sports Editor
For the third time in the past thirteen months, a Notre Dame womens basketball player has decided to leave the team.
Sophomore guard Kelsey Wicks became the latest Irish player to quit, leaving the Irish for personal reasons, according to an assistant sports information director.
Wicks, a native of Gillette, Wy., played in 16 games this season for Notre Dame and averaged 2.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. She started twice during her 45-game career and had a career-high 16 points against Connecticut on Jan, 21, 2001.
"Kelsey is an extremely intelligent and caring individual with a lot to offer," Irish coach Muffet McGraw said. "We're disappointed that she will not be with us any longer, but we all certainly wish her the best. She has a bright and promising future ahead of her."
Wicks did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Wicks follows former Notre Dame players Monique Hernandez and Allison Bustamante who both have left the womens program in the last year.
Hernandez played in Notre Dame's 79-50 victory over DePaul on Dec. 31, 2001, but did not travel with the team to Miami for the Irish Jan. 2, 2002 game against the Huricanes. This season, Hernanadz began practicing with the team, but is still not on the roster.
Bustamante elected to leave before school began this season. She averaged 4.6 points per game last season for Notre Dame, while playing in 24 games and starting two.
As a freshman Wicks played in 29 games and averaged 4.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per contest. Wicks' only start of that season came against Seton Hall, when she scored five points. The sophomore was also named to the 2002 Big East Academic All-Start Team.
Wicks connected on 33.3 percent of her 3-point attempts during her career and was a 72.7 percent free-throw shooter.
During her high school career, Wicks was on six state championship teams and was an all-state selection in three sports. She was Wyoming's Miss Basketball her final prep season, averaging 20.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
All Sports Stories for Tuesday, February 4, 2003
