The women’s basketball team announced the departure of two players on Wednesday, after one was suspended and a second left the team, a team spokesperson said.
Junior center Taylor Robinson left the women’s basketball program on Jan. 28, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson also confirmed freshman guard Deja Reynolds was suspended indefinitely on Feb. 17 for a “violation of team policy.” Further details of the violation were not provided.
Robinson is the second player to leave the team this season. Freshman Chyanna Canada left the program following the completion of the Fall 2015 semester.
Since the start of coach Tonya Cardoza’s tenure in 2008, 15 players have left Temple during their eligibility.
Canada and Robinson are the first players to transfer out of the program since Monaye Merritt transferred to Nova Southeastern University in the summer of 2014. Rateska Brown, who plays at Oklahoma City University, and Jackie Johnson, who plays at Fairleigh Dickinson University, also left the team after the 2014 season.
Leah Horton and Meghan Roxas both left the program after the 2012-13 season and are still competing at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and the University of Maryland Baltimore County, respectively.
Robinson’s last game action came during the team’s 74-51 victory against Cincinnati on Jan. 10, when she scored two points in three minutes.
The junior center started 20 games for the Owls in her career. This year, Robinson played in nine games, totaling 36 minutes and 1.3 points per game.
Reynolds last appeared in the Owls’ 78-48 win against Houston on Feb. 12. The freshman scored 10 total points and appeared in 11 games for the Owls this season.
Canada appeared in in three games this season, scoring two total points in 11 minutes.
Cardoza led the Owls to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances during her first three seasons as head coach. The team last made the tournament in the 2010-11 season.
Mark McCormick and Connor Northrup can be reached at sports@temple-news.com
Imagine if Temple actually paid up to keep Dawn Staley.
Is all this attrition harming Tonya’s ability to recruit? I also wonder if she and her staff are able coach up the players from year to year. Certainly, recruiting post players has been a weakness. Something isn’t right.