Published: August 22, 2008 12:51 am            

Plumley appears headed to Lamar

Assuming Jenna Plumley will ever again don the crimson and cream appears to be the longest of shots. It was confirmed Thursday by Oklahoma sports information contact Jared Thompson that Plumley was not enrolled for the fall semester.

More than that, late Thursday night, two different officials with programs Plumley had been linked to, told The Transcript she was headed to Lamar, in Beaumont, Texas.

Suspended indefinitely by women’s basketball coach Sherri Coale after an alleged shoplifting incident in which the point guard was accused of attempting to steal $34.65 worth of cosmetics from a Norman Wal-Mart, Plumley retained her scholarship and was in position to return to the team at a later date as long as there were no more problems with her conduct as a student or citizen.

Even had she missed the entirety of the coming season, she still would have had two years of eligibility remaining. Now it appears she will spend those two years in the Southland Conference.

To not be enrolled for the fall semester, Plumley had to do one of two things: never enroll in the first place or withdraw her enrollment. Thompson said Thursday night the program did not know which was the case. But as a student-athlete on scholarship, Plumley should have enrolled no later than June. It appears, she either chose to leave Oklahoma a long time ago or quite recently.

Attempts to reach Plumley were not successful

A cell phone Plumley used to carry is no longer in service.

The phone was answered at her parents’ home in Round Rock, though the person who answered chose not to identify himself, nor did he claim to have any knowledge of Plumley’s situation. Also, while attempting to reach Plumley or her parents, a relative was reached, also at a Red Rock number, who said she learned of Plumley’s not being enrolled at OU for the first time through a Thursday media report.

Coale was traveling to Seattle Thursday and not available for comment.

According to one media report, Plumley had made inquiries to three universities to gauge their interest in her attendance: New Mexico, Lamar and Texas-El Paso. Reached Thursday, sports information officials at all three schools could not confirm her enrollment.

Nonetheless, as The Transcript continued to make inquiries Thursday, two different officials with programs Plumley has been linked to said she was destined for Lamar. Neither could offer additional details, yet both appeared certain.

Plumley began her Sooner career as a third-team point guard behind Britney Brown and Kendra Moore, but was starting by the end of her freshman season in early 2007, brought off the bench by Coale to right a foundering Sooner ship. She did it, averaging 9.3 points and four assists after entering the starting lineup. She struggled as a sophomore, averaging 7.2 points while shooting less than 33 percent from the field.

Her indefinite suspension was a result of several things, not just the alleged shoplifting incident.

“There had been ongoing concerns with Jenna that culminated in a meeting within the last two weeks,” Coale said in a July 18 statement, four days after Plumley’s being charged. “During that meeting a plan was outlined for what our program expected from her. She has not met those expectations.”

As a Cardinal, it appears, she will attempt to meet another program’s expectations.

Clay Horning

366-3526

cfhorning@normantranscript.com

        

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