Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse women’s basketball’s exhibition game Tuesday night represented more than just a breezy win against a Division II opponent.
It also marked the return of head coach Felisha Legette-Jack to the sidelines after stepping away from the team earlier this fall due to an undisclosed medical procedure.
Legette-Jack, answering questions for the first time since the school released the news of her absence on Oct. 12, declined to go into detail regarding the surgery she underwent but said her current condition will require her to change the way she coaches.
“I got to coach the game a little bit differently than I’m comfortable with, which is less passion and none of this overzealous thing that I usually do,” Legette-Jack said. “That’s the hardest thing for me.”
Despite the changes to her style, SU’s coach said she does not expect to miss any more time the rest of the season.
Still, she did not eliminate the possibility.
“I think we’re here for good, as long as my husband can join me and help me through this process. I’ll be with the team as long as — I mean, hopefully the rest of the season,” Legette-Jack said.
Her recovery will continue throughout the season, she said, and appreciates all of those who have supported her.
Dyaisha Fair and Sophie Burrows, two players who addressed reporters after Tuesday night’s 77-53 preseason victory against The College of Saints Rose, showed their support for Legette-Jack and emphasized her importance for the team.
“For me, it means the world, and I know for the rest of us it means just as much,” said Fair, a team co-captain who transferred to Syracuse from Buffalo, where she was previously coached by Legette-Jack.
“It means the world for her to be where she is, sitting with us today.”
Legette-Jack praised her athletes for the way they handled the situation after her procedure. She also praised her coaching staff for continuing to work and prepare for the season during her absence…
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