GRAMBLING – After a long-going investigation of removing an entire roster, Grambling State University has fired volleyball head coach Chelsey Lucas.
GSU announced Lucas' termination around 1:30 pm via a press release on GSUTigers.com. The decision was made by President Rick Gallot and Dr. Trayvean Scott, who serves as Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics.
Lucas' assistant coach LaMonica Peacock was also terminated, per sources.
The decision was made after an internal investigation within the volleyball program at Grambling State after Lucas cut and removed scholarships from 18 student-athletes, including six seniors.
National sources shed national attention on this matter, including ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, who spoke about the situation on First Take.
KSLA News 12 in Shreveport reached out to Lucas, and she responded with this comment on her termination:
"Since I started at Grambling, I have been ordered not to speak to the media. My voice has unfortunately been silenced despite the rumors and accusations about me. As a result, I have not been able to provide my side of the story about the many events that have occurred during my tenure as head volleyball coach at Grambling. I was told today, without notice or any opportunity for discussion, that I was being terminated. When I asked why I was being terminated, the administration was not able to provide me any details about why they decided to fire me.
"This termination came just days after I had requested and then had a meeting with the President to discuss the way I had been treated in recent weeks by the Athletic Director. The AD, without me knowing in advance, was invited to this meeting with the President. The AD was visibly upset at my complaints during my meeting with the President, and today I was informed that he was the one who recommended my termination. I will be working with my attorney to prepare a response and believe that my side of this story will demonstrate that what happened to me today was not right or just."
Before Lucas' "time" as GSU head volleyball coach, she was the head coach at Alcorn State University and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, where she was a SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference) Co-Champion in the Spring 2021 season due to forfeiting the SWAC Championship game against Jackson State due to health and safety protocols.
Just before Lucas made her way to Grambling State, she announced her departure to her former team at UAPB in a 5 am meeting, leaving Arkansas-Pine Bluff volleyball student-athletes clueless and some angry about her decision before cleaning out her office following the meeting.
Shortly after arriving at GSU, several athletes from UAPB entered their names into the transfer portal, allowing their recruitment to open.
Meanwhile, at Grambling State, Lucas would hold 2-to-3 workouts weekly with the GSU volleyball team. Two weeks before national signing day, Lucas cut communication with the team, leaving Peacock as the only way of contact available to the volleyball team, per source.
During Mardi Gras, a Grambling bus was reportedly issued to pick up the UAPB volleyball players who were transferring to GSU to allow them, along with other players who planned to commit to Grambling State, to attend a basketball game. Players were spotted in the stands with backpacks, shoes, and training gear. There were also videos of one player with a game uniform on with the video caption, "#CultureShift."
GSU volleyball signees have been on campus and working out for about two weeks now with Lucas. Per source, some players are "upset" about Lucas losing her position as head coach.
"It is the responsibility of this institution to make sure that student-athletes are afforded opportunities in a manner compliant with all regulatory organizations," said Grambling State President Rick Gallot about the decision to terminate Lucas.
Grambling Athletics announced the search for a new volleyball head coach will begin immediately.
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