As allowed by NCAA rules, the women’s basketball team has been inviting men to practice with them.
Inside an empty FAU Arena, the Florida Atlantic women’s basketball team steps onto the practice court as the coaching staff prepares the game plan in preparation for its next opponent. As the sounds of sneakers squeaking start to echo throughout the gymnasium, the main doors open up to reveal the final members of that Jan. 11 practice — six male students.
These practice players, each of whom were recruited by head coach Kellie Lewis-Jay and her team, serve a vital role that has helped the athletes from both genders grow as both players and friends.