The legendary player for the University of Arizona women’s basketball team, Maya Nnaji, has publicly parted ways with her group. For the remainder of the season, the Wildcats will only have 10 players due to Nnaji’s absence and the injury to rookie Montague Dew.
At the McKale Center, the sophomore was conspicuously absent from the Wildcats’ 88-75 loss to No. 5 Texas. Nnaji is concentrating on her studies, UA coach Adia Barnes pointed out, keeping the door open for a future return.
The athlete tweeted her appreciation to the Wildcat Nation for their constant support during her time on the squad. She also revealed that she had made the decision to give up basketball in order to pursue her long-held goal of becoming a doctor.
Nnaji is presently enrolled in the Accelerated Pathway to Medical Education (APME) program in Arizona with the goal of improving healthcare in her father’s native Nigeria. Nnaji found it challenging to juggle the demanding schedule of a Power 5 women’s collegiate basketball program with the requirements of the APME program.
Coach Barnes emphasized the value of helping student-athletes meet their academic objectives while acknowledging the challenge of balancing academic and athletic responsibilities. She supported Nnaji’s choice, pointing out that the sophomore required time off to concentrate on her academic and professional objectives.
Nnaji, the highest-ranked recruit in UA history, averaged 10.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while playing in nine games this season.
