Sophomore Amber Witherspoon, who played center for the Syracuse women’s basketball team in the 2014-15 season, will be playing volleyball for the Orange in the fall, SU Athletics rep Anthony Prisco confirmed.

“I talked with Amber briefly and she indicated that she just wanted to change sports,” Witherspoon’s high school basketball coach, Larry Washington said. “Amber played volleyball all four years in high school but I never knew she had a passion to play the sport. I guess as long as she is happy and doing well in school that’s all that matters. I wish her well.”

No information is currently listed as to what position Witherspoon will be playing for the volleyball team. She is the 15th player on the 2015 roster.

 

The 6-foot-4 former center averaged five minutes per game during her one season with the Orange and tallied 12 blocks, 10 points and four assists. Witherspoon was a three-star basketball recruit coming out of high school.

“Amber is no longer a member of the women’s basketball program,” SU women’s basketball head coach Quentin Hillsman said in a statement. “She will continue to be a student-athlete at Syracuse University, joining the volleyball team. We wish her the best.”

Also, 6-foot-6 junior center Michelle Van Dyke is medically disqualified and won’t continue her career, per SU Athletics.

Van Dyke originally planned to play volleyball at Syracuse but decided to switch to basketball before her freshman season. Since she was still on a volleyball scholarship she had to sit out her freshman season, she told The Daily Orange in an interview last year.

As a sophomore, Van Dyke played in just three games before missing a large part of the season due to injury. She played a total of three minutes and recorded one rebound.

Published on August 14, 2015 at 4:08 pm

Contact Kevin: kjpacell@syr.edu