The Andrews University women’s basketball team, commonly referred to as the “Lady Cardinals,” has disbanded, leading to the cancellation of their 2024-2025 season.
Kia Williams, head coach of the team, announced the decision in a press release posted to the Lady Cardinals Instagram page (@aucardinalswbb) on Oct. 30.
“While the decision was not made lightly and we understand the disappointment that may come with this news, we see this as a unique opportunity,” she wrote. “We will use this time to focus on building a stronger, more resilient team and investing in each player’s personal growth and development.”
The news shocked some students who last saw the Lady Cardinals win the alumni vs. students basketball game during Alumni Homecoming weekend in September. However, there weren’t enough players to sustain a full roster.
“Nobody wanted to play from the previous season, except for three people; there weren’t enough people,” said Dominique “Dom” Thomas (sophomore, elementary education), a former Lady Cardinal. “Previous players did not want to come back as they felt as if they were not valued and did not get enough playtime,” she said.
Dom was one of the last members who left the team before the season was officially canceled. She also said that there were not many freshmen or new students this year who came to tryouts to be part of the team for this school year.
While the Lady Cardinals knew the unfortunate news before the press release announcement, many other students are just now finding out about the disbandment weeks after it occurred. Adonis Ernest (sophomore, computer engineering) shared that the Lady Cardinals have been a “staple of the sports culture” at Andrews University.
“I have been to three of the basketball games, two of which were the Lady Cardinals. The ones where the Lady Cardinals were playing have been my favorite,” he said when reflecting on the legacy that the Lady Cardinals have had before their disbandment.
Vickie Dhaiti (sophomore, business) was disappointed with how she found out about the season’s cancellation.
“I heard through the grapevine that people had quit and then it was gone,” she said. She was also disappointed that it was announced late and could only see what the guys' team had to bring, not the girls' team.
“Wait, what?” said Nigel Emillaire (senior, digital communications), when told that the women’s basketball season was canceled. “I didn’t even know that it happened,” he said. He also shared that he thinks the girls were not given the full opportunity to play at their greatest.
The Lady Cardinals’ disbandment and cancellation of the 2024-2025 season marks a challenging moment for the sports scene at Andrews University. Although disappointed, Coach Williams’ optimism and clear focus on rebuilding bring hope of a strong comeback for the 2025-2026 season.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.