Florida State women’s basketball coach Brooke Wyckoff has been diagnosed with breast cancer, though the school says her long-term prognosis is “excellent.”
The 43-year-old had surgery Tuesday to remove a cancerous mass, the school said. Wyckoff will not coach the 18th-ranked Seminoles in their exhibition game Wednesday against Clayton State but does expect to be on the sideline for Monday’s season opener against Charleston Southern.
Wyckoff was “recovering well” at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, the school said.
“My team of doctors along with the medical staff at TMH and I are very optimistic that this can be successfully dealt with while maintaining a high quality, active lifestyle,” Wyckoff said through the school, making her comments in advance of the surgery. “I am very comfortable with the plan for surgery and post-surgical treatment, and I am looking forward to continuing to lead our women’s basketball program through another successful season.”
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Wyckoff is entering her second season as coach of the Seminoles, though she has spent most of her adult life at the school either as a player — her No. 21 jersey is retired there — or an assistant, associate or interim coach.
She spent eight seasons playing in the WNBA as well.
“Obviously, our utmost concern is for Brooke and her family, and we will be fully supportive in every way as we navigate this situation together,” Florida State athletic director Michael Alford said. “Brooke’s positive attitude and proactive nature is a tremendous asset for her and illuminates the importance of being thorough and aggressive in attacking this illness.”
Associate head coach Bill Ferrara will lead the team in the exhibition game. The Seminoles went 23-10 last season.
Word of Wyckoff’s diagnosis and surgery comes just over a week after Georgetown women’s basketball coach Tasha Butts died after a two-year fight with breast cancer. Butts was 41, and her diagnosis inspired the “Tasha Tough” campaign to raise awareness and money to help women who need financial assistance as they fight the disease.
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