Skylar Wicks gets NCAA extra year after injury

Skylar Wicks just got a rare second chance at college basketball.

The NCAA granted the 6-foot-10 center from UC Santa Barbara an extra year of eligibility on Monday, allowing her to return for the 2025-26 season after missing nearly all of 2023-24 with a foot injury. The decision comes just weeks after Wicks underwent surgery to repair a Lisfranc ligament tear, a brutal injury that typically ends seasons early. Most athletes in her position never get this lifeline—the NCAA’s medical hardship waiver is strict, requiring proof that an injury cut a career short by more than half.

Wicks wasn’t just benched; she was sidelined for 29 of 30 games last season. Before the injury, she was averaging 11.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game and had emerged as one of the Big West Conference’s top post players. Her return could swing UCSB’s fortunes next year, especially after the Gauchos lost standout guard Amadou Sow to graduation. Coaches and teammates have already praised her leadership—she was team captain before the injury—and her size gives UCSB a physical edge in a league where most teams play small.

The NCAA’s decision hinged on medical records showing Wicks’s injury was severe enough to end her season prematurely. But the path wasn’t easy: she had to prove the timing of her surgery and rehab aligned with the league’s rules. Wicks also had to show she wasn’t just rehabbing for another shot at playing time elsewhere. Her coach, Nancy Doran, called the ruling “a testament to Skylar’s resilience and the support of our medical staff.”

Wicks isn’t just playing for stats anymore. At 23, she’s older than most undergrads, but the extra year buys her a chance to refine her game—maybe even chase a pro career overseas or in the WNBA draft. For UCSB, her presence could mean a deeper run in the Big West tournament. Either way, this isn’t just about basketball. It’s about proving that injuries don’t always write the final chapter.