Redshirt senior forward Sam Waardenburg will miss the entire 2020-2021 college basketball season after it was announced he sustained a left foot injury in practice.
Per the UM athletic department, Waardenburg, a key rotation player for the Hurricanes, is expected to be sidelined for approximately six months.
“It is a big blow to us to lose Sam,” head coach Jim Larrañaga said. “We are going to miss his leadership. It’s going to require at least one of our younger, inexperienced guys to step up.”
Waardenburg played in 30 of Miami’s 31 games last season and started 24 games. The 6-10, 225-pound New Zealand native averaged 5.9 points per game and a team best 6.0 rebounds per game. He led Miami with 1.1 blocks per game, good for No. 12 in the ACC. Waardenburg shot 41.2 percent from the field and 25.0 percent from 3-point line.
Despite being a redshirt senior, Waardenburg will be allowed another year of eligibility because of the NCAA’s ruling that allows all winter sport athletes an extra year of eligibility.
This is a developing story, more info to come.