Jose Figueroa ’27

Chicone was averaging 18 points and 4.7 assists before the injury.

JCU’s star point guard Luke Chicone ‘26 suffered a broken foot in the loss against John Hopkins University on Nov. 22. He is expected to undergo surgery within the next few days. As of right now, there is no timetable for his return. However, Head Coach Pete Moran is not worried about how his team will compete.

“We ultimately have guys that have competed and won at a high level. I’m fully confident their competitive spirits will not change,” Moran said.

Chicone was averaging 18 points and 4.7 assists before the injury. Chase Toppin ‘24G started at point guard and Aiden Fitzgerald ‘27 stepped into Chicone’s starting spot against Emory University. At this time, it is unknown if Fitzgerald will start permanently.

Even with all of the uncertainty, there are a few players who may take on bigger roles. One of those may be Toppin, who has consistently averaged double-digits in points. Before getting injured in the 2021-2022 season, he averaged 18.8 points and 4.8 assists in games played. He’s currently averaging nine points but with more scoring opportunities, that figure most likely increase.

Fitzgerald also has an opportunity to step up in Chicone’s absence. He appeared in 22 games as a freshman and provided much-needed floor spacing for scorers like Chicone, Will Yontek ‘25 and Luke Frazier ‘26. If Head Coach Pete Moran decides to keep him as a starter his three-point shooting and size could prove to be beneficial for the lineup.

JCU’s first OAC regular season game is on Dec. 4 at home versus Mount Union University. They will certainly need players to step up.