Oregon's Sedona Prince, who shed light on NCAA tournament gender discrepancies, ends college career

Prince will have elbow surgery and focus on a professional career, rather than return to the Ducks this season

Oregon redshirt senior forward Sedona Prince suffered a torn ligament in her elbow and is undergoing season-ending surgery next month, the program announced Friday. Prince will not use her extra year of NCAA eligibility, and instead will pursue a professional basketball career following the surgery.  

Prince will also leave school to focus on rehabilitation, as she already graduated in May with a degree in general social science.

"I'm heartbroken," said Prince in a statement. "I truly felt that this was the year I could showcase my work ethic and skills on the court, but also my self-growth and leadership ability. I tried to push through the injury and be there for my team, but after extensive evaluation from the best doctors in the world and looking deep inside myself at my passions and goals, I know that I have to take care my elbow now in order to ensure long-term health and a sustained professional career."

"I will always love this challenging program and its ability hold me accountable and to always elevate my game. The Eugene community took this Texas girl in immediately and made me feel like family. I will forever cherish the relationships and experiences I have made here on this journey."

In her three seasons as a Duck, Prince averaged 9.5 points per game while shooting 54.3 percent from the field, in addition to 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks a game. This year, Price was a Pac-12 preseason All-Conference selection for the third consecutive season. She was also named to the Lisa Leslie Award preseason watch list -- an award given to the nation's top center.

Prince is perhaps best known for a video that went viral showing the discrepancies between the men's and women's college basketball amenities during the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Her video brought light to the situation and companies such as Dick's Sporting Goods stepped up to help. 

"We are going to miss Sedona," said head coach Kelly Graves on a statement. "She has done so many wonderful things and has been an incredible representative of our program and the University. Her impact on collegiate athletics, especially in the area of gender equity, has been immense and will be felt for generations to come. I wish her only the best in all of her future endeavors. I cannot wait to see the ways she will continue to positively impact and change our world. Once a Duck, always a Duck."