Erickson Is Released From Scholarship at Purdue

Nicole Erickson, a sophomore basketball player at Purdue, was freed from her athletic scholarship Monday. She applied for a release last week after Purdue fired its coach, Linn Dunn.

Erickson was among four players granted their release. She and 6-foot-6 sophomore Michele Van Gorp hope to attend the same top-25 program, though they will be ineligible for the 1996-97 season.

“None of us agreed with the decision that was made, and felt the way it was handled was improper and disrespectful,” Erickson said by phone. “It’s hard for me to feel very secure with people I don’t trust very well.”

Erickson’s Brea Olinda teams won four state championships and she was a two-time Times Orange County player of the year. Brea went 135-5 during her four years.

She emerged as a starting guard the second half of this season, but said this most recent episode left a bad taste in her mouth.

“[The administration] said one of the reasons [Dunn was fired] was current player unhappiness, but I was never asked and neither were any of these other [four returning] players,” she said.