Regardless of the violation Joyner committed, there will be plenty of obstacles to overcome for both Joyner and the team. While I'm sure there are different "exceptions" for athletes, a student who leaves the university for a semester or two has to either re-apply or follow transfer guidelines to be re-admitted.
- Joyner was not enrolled in the first summer session; hopefully, she took a class or two at a community college which will transfer to UT. With her commitment to USA basketball, doesn't seem like she would be taking any classes for the second summer session.
- Joyner won't be enrolled at Texas in the Fall. So, hopefully, she will take 3 or 4 classes at a community college which will transfer to UT. Unfortunately, she won't have the benefit of tutors and advisors like she would if she were at student-athlete at UT; so, it all falls on her and her time management.
- By the time her exams are completed in mid-December, I'm sure the red-tape of certifying her transfer hours has to be completed by UT. So, perhaps that gets expedited as her return is for late December instead of mid-January.
- I believe Joyner enrolled for summer classes at UT last summer (2016). Hopefully, she has those "extra" class hours which will help her with maintaining her status as a college sophomore, and then as a college Junior.
- She won't get any practice time with her teammates; that hurts in a lot of ways, especially if there are new parts of the offense. And, no conditioning/training with our strength trainer. Everything she does for the next 4-5 months will be at an individual level at her discretion.
- The team has to go on without her with practices and non-conference games. In some ways, it's no different than if she were rehabbing from injury, I guess, and unavailable to practice all Fall semester. Still, her absence does put a burden on the rest of the team and coaching staff.
- From the photos we saw of her with USA basketball, she looks to be taking care of her physique. She will have to maintain that effort the next few months on her own, but looks like she's been doing a good job of that the last couple of months. I'm glad that she has the opportunity to play and compete with USA basketball as that is the only "team" structure she will have 'til December.
Fingers crossed that she can take care of the academic side on her own.
Last edited: Jul 16, 2017