Taryn Griffey, the pint-sized guard whose Arizona Wildcats career began with great promise, has medically retired from basketball.
Griffey said a leg injury suffered last year was too much to overcome. She will remain on scholarship while she finishes her general studies degree.
βIt is no secret that over these past few years I have dealt with multiple injuries that have caused me to either sit out a few games or sit out an entire season,β Griffey said in a news release.
βSo with that being said I have decided that itβs best for me and my future health to walk away from the game of basketball. Nothing has changed though, that little girl that fell in love with the game of basketball 19 years ago hasnβt changed, just the circumstances. I will still be a part of this program and will help my teammates in any way I can. One door closes and another one opens. I am forever grateful for where basketball has taken me and I am beyond grateful for the lifelong friendships that I have established throughout my years playing.β
The decision was a difficult and emotional one for Griffey, her teammates and her coach. Griffey, the daughter of baseball legend Ken Griffey Jr. and sister of former UA wide receiver Trey Griffey, arrived at Arizona as one of the top recruits in program history. She played under Niya Butts and, later, Adia Barnes.
βTaryn will be truly missed,β Barnes said. βI wish that I would have had the opportunity to coach her for four years. She has been though a lot of injuries and I know firsthand how difficult that is. Taryn is going to do amazing things in her life and she will always be a part of our family.β
Griffey, who was headed into her redshirt junior year, endured five surgeries in high school and her shortened and collegiate career, sitting three full seasons and missing many other games. She played in only 15 games a year ago and missed weeks at a time, including seven Pac-12 games. She finished the season on the bench.
In her two seasons on the court, Griffey averaged 7.1 points per game, hit 53 3-pointers and grabbed 104 rebounds. Last season, she scored 19 points in 27 minutes against Florida Atlantic and hit four 3-pointers against George Mason.
While Griffey might be remembered for her offense, her teammates will miss her energy. She made her presence known on defense. Despite standing at only 5 feet 7 inches, she could jump against much taller Pac-12 opponents and compete for rebounds.
Griffey is one of a handful of players no longer on the Wildcatsβ roster. Bria Rice has transferred to Long Beach State, and Cherise Holloway has joined Santa Clara as a graduate transfer.
Eugenie Simonet-Keller, like Griffey, will medically retire. Both Griffey and Simonet-Keller will stay involved with the program.
In addition, 2017 recruit Mallory Vaughn will not play for the UA. Barnes let the 6-5 forward from Collinsville, Oklahoma out of her scholarship so she could play closer to home. The departures leave this yearβs team with just three returning players: senior forward JaLea Bennett, sophomore guard Lucia Alonso, and junior forward Destiny Graham. New to the team are graduate transfer forward Kat Wright and four freshmen: guards Sammy Fatkin and Marlee Kyles, and forwards Sam Thomas and Kiana Chew.
The Wildcats open their season Oct. 30 with an exhibition against Eastern New Mexico.
