The SEC announced on Wednesday night that Vanderbilt’s conference opener against No. 23 Texas A&M scheduled for Dec. 30 has been canceled due to COVID-19 complications within the Vanderbilt program.
“Due to a combination of positive tests, contact tracing and subsequent quarantining of individuals within the Vanderbilt women’s basketball program, Thursday’s Vanderbilt at Texas A&M game has been postponed, consistent with Southeastern Conference COVID-19 management requirements,” the press release stated.
The game marks Vanderbilt’s (9-5) first postponement of the 2021-22 season. Head coach Shea Ralph’s team claimed its fourth straight victory on Tuesday night over Alabama State, but did so without De’Mauri Flournoy and Bella LaChance. Ralph confirmed that both of them were absent from the sideline because they were in health and safety protocols. She has said, however, that her entire team is currently vaccinated.
“I am just going hour by hour. I told our team after the game we control what we can control and right now we’re doing everything we can,” Ralph said of her team’s COVID-19 outlook after Tuesday night’s game. “Our whole team is vaccinated and most of them are boosted, our whole staff is vaccinated and boosted, we’re doing everything we can to try to stay safe.”
COVID-19 willing, Vanderbilt will take the court again on Sunday, Jan. 2 against Missouri.
