Rochester Community and Technical College Cancels Women’s Basketball Season Amid Coaching Transition
Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC) will not have a women's basketball season this year, even with the recent hiring of new coach Sam Barnes. The decision was made in late June, citing a lack of sufficient time to assemble…
Rochester Mason City Austin, MN, November 8, 2026 — Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC) has announced the cancellation of its upcoming women’s basketball season. The decision impacts the current academic year, despite the recent appointment of a new head coach, Sam Barnes.
The college made the determination in late June. A primary reason cited for the cancellation is the insufficient timeframe available to assemble a competitive team following the new coach’s arrival. Coach Barnes was appointed on May 15th. By the time of the decision, it was noted that the majority of prospective players had already committed to other programs, leaving RCTC unable to form a viable roster for the season.
While the current season will not proceed, RCTC plans for the women’s basketball program to resume play in the subsequent academic year. The college is expected to focus on rebuilding the program under Coach Barnes’s leadership during the interim period, aiming to establish a strong team for future competitions.
The absence of a season means the college will not participate in scheduled games or tournaments for the current year. Further details regarding recruitment efforts and program development for the next season were not immediately available.
Story summarized from the original created by Pat Ruff on www.postbulletin.com, see more information here.
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