COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Former University of Connecticut Women's Basketball star Katie Lou Samuelson is out of the Olympics after contracting COVID-19, she announced Monday.
She said in an Instagram post, "I am devastated to share that after getting sick with COVID-19, I will not be able to go and compete in Tokyo. Competing in the Olympics has been a dream of mins since I was a little girl and I hope some day soon, I can come back to realize that dream."
Katie went on to say she was especially heartbroken as she was fully vaccinated and took every precaution. "I know everything will work out the way it's supposed to. "
USA Basketball announced that Samuelson was placed under their health and safety protocols Saturday.
She also wished the best to her USAB teammates and told them to go out there and crush it. "I'll be cheering you on, every step of the way. "
The UConn Women's Basketball program posted a tweet following Katie's announcement.
"We love you, Lou," they wrote. "Get well soon."
Kelsey Plum, Stefanie Dolson, Allisha Gray and Samuelson were to represent the United States in the inaugural Olympic 3x3 competition in women's basketball. The quartet helped the U.S. qualify for the Olympics. Samuelson and the others are WNBA players and would have been competing in their first Olympics. Plum plays for the Las Vegas Aces, Dolson for the Chicago Sky, Gray for the Dallas Wings and Samuelson for the Seattle Storm. All four were in the U.S. 5-on-5 national team pool, but were chosen instead for the new Olympic discipline.
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