Mars grad, Xavier guard Wasylson trying to get through latest quarantine
CINCINNATI — Lauren Wasylson is perfecting her culinary skills, attending online classes and playing card games with her roommates.
There's also Netflix and chill.
The Mars graduate and 6-foot junior guard on the Xavier University women's basketball team is finding it hard to truly commit to chilling these days, however.
Wasylson would much rather be on the court for the Musketeers and honing her hoop craft instead of her spaghetti recipe.
But that hasn't been possible because, for the third time already this season, the Xavier women's basketball team is in a COVID-19 shutdown.
“It's mentally fatiguing,” Wasylson said. “We literally cannot leave our rooms. If we do, we can get expelled if we get caught. We can't even take the trash out. We have to leave it outside the door.”
The latest shutdown came about because of a positive COVID test by one of Wasylson's teammates after Xavier lost to Seton Hall on Saturday.Since, several more of her teammates have tested positive.Wasylson has tested negative three times, however.The quarantine is expected to end Sunday with games resuming Feb. 2 — not soon enough for Wasylson.“It's just a very stressful situation,” Wasylson said. “It's tough playing some games and then come back and getting shut down again. You have to be in the right mental state to be able to play in the situation we're in. Everyone is just playing game by game. You can't take a game for granted. Every game you have to think you are blessed to be here.“We've only played nine games this season,” Wasylson added. “We've practiced so much, but we barely play any games. We only have eight more games on the schedule. This week we've had four games canceled.”Wasyslon is staying up-beat the best she can.“I'm trying,” she said, chuckling.It helps she shares a dorm suite with three of her teammates and close friends.It also helps — in an odd way — that they've been through this before.The first shutdown came very early in the season.In late November, a player tested positive an hour before tip-off against Creighton in the Big East opener.Wasylson was the last to know.Her pregame ritual has her on the court two hours before tip, going through the paces of her own workout.When Wasylson returned to the locker room to get ready for the game, she was met with the dispiriting sight of her teammates changing back into street clothes.“I asked, 'Um, what is going on?'” Wasylson recalled.“You didn't hear?” a teammate answered.“No. Someone want to tell me what's happening?” Wasylson asked.That's when they told her the game was off and they were headed to quarantine.A month later, Xavier played Creighton in the make-up of that postponed game.The next day, a Creighton player tested positive, sending Xavier into quarantine again.Wasylson was the first one to know of the latest shutdown. She was in the training room getting treatment when the trainer got word of the positive test.“It's been kind of rapid-fire here. It's been a domino affect,” Wasylson said. “Everyone tracing where they were, who their roommates are. It's scary.”Those who test positive are isolated in Manor House, which has received the rather dubious nickname this year of “The Quarantine House.”“No one wants to be isolated,” Wasylson said.Not all is bleak for Xavier and Wasylson.The NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to all players, so Wasylson will not lose a season of eligibility.“Coming in to this season, we knew it was going to be rocky,” Wasylson said. “We are so grateful to the NCAA to give us an extra year because this season has kind of been torn apart.”Wasylson, though, has used the time wisely.She said he worked extra hard on her game shortly after everything was shut down in March.She's also worked hard through the summer and season.“I think, honestly, it helped me. It helped my game a lot,” said Wasylson, who has started eight of the nine games this season and is averaging 24.7 minutes and 4.6 points per game. “I had a lot of time to prepare, both mentally and physically.”First-year Xavier coach Melanie Moore has been impressed with Wasylson from the start.“Just a worker,” Moore said describing Wasylson, who was a star at Mars and helped the Planets to a state title during her senior season. “A grinder who is always in the gym. A gym rat.”Only now Wasylson has to stay inside her dorm, pining for a chance to shoot a basketball again.“I'm not going to lie — I've done a lot of shopping,” Wasylson said, laughing. “Retail therapy helps.”
