Tulane Welcomes Team Home

Count on a big Green Wave of emotion when Tulane’s women’s basketball team tips off at home today.

It’s not just any home game.

The Green Wave hosts Central Connecticut in the first significant sports event in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city on Aug. 29. It’s another small sign that life is returning to the city.

“It’s going to be very different for us to have a home court and see familiar faces,” Tulane Coach Lisa Stockton said. “I hope it’s a more unifying event for our fans. Our fans and our community have probably missed the opportunity to be a part of something like this.”

After the storm, the team found a temporary home at Texas Tech, both in the classroom and on the court. Stockton made the 1,000-mile drive back to Tulane on Monday and her players followed a few days later after taking final exams at the Lubbock, Texas, school.

“Texas Tech has been unbelievable,” Stockton said. “I can’t say enough about the support they gave us, from the president on down.”

The rest of the student body won’t arrive for weeks. Classes resume on Jan. 17 -- another first since the storm. Students return to a much different place, though. The hurricane forced the school to cut back on staff and programs. Earlier this month, the school announced it was dropping several varsity sports.