Oregon Ducks women's basketball player Sedona Prince has a torn ligament in her elbow that requires surgery, and she will not continue her college career. The redshirt senior forward graduated in May and will focus on recovery with the hope of playing professionally.
"I'm heartbroken," Prince said in a statement released by Oregon on Friday. "I truly felt that this was the year I could showcase my work ethic and skills on the court, but also my self-growth and leadership ability."
The 6-foot-7 forward said she tried to push through the injury to play this season, but after extensive medical evaluation, she decided it was best to prepare for the future.
"I know that I have to take care my elbow now in order to ensure long-term health and a sustained professional career," Prince said. "Not being able to play with my teammates this year is painful and tragic for me. However, I'm so grateful for the entire community of Eugene for their continued support and inspiration to always push forward through adversity."
Prince began her college career at Texas in 2018 but did not play for the Longhorns that season because of a broken leg she suffered while competing in the summer for USA Basketball. Prince spoke to ESPN's Dan Murphy for a February 2021 story about her concerns with the medical care she received at Texas before she transferred to Oregon, where she had to sit out the 2019-2020 season.
In March 2021, Prince's social media videos from San Antonio highlighted the big disparity between weight-room facilities available at the women's NCAA tournament vs. the men's tournament in Indianapolis. It prompted national discussion and changes from the NCAA, including a gender-equity report that investigated disparities in all the NCAA championships.
Prince was limited to 50 games in college, starting 28. Last season, she averaged 9.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in 30 games for the Ducks, who went 20-12 and lost 73-70 in double overtime to Belmont in the NCAA tournament first round.
"We are going to miss Sedona," Oregon coach Kelly Graves said. "She has done so many wonderful things and has been an incredible representative of our program and the university. Her impact on collegiate athletics, especially in the area of gender equity, has been immense and will be felt for generations to come."