Former Boston Celtic forward and assistant coach Walter McCarty finds himself placed on administrative leave for Title IX violations in his role as head coach of the Evansville Men’s Basketball program.
McCarty, an Evansville native, left his position with the Celtics as an assistant coach after last season to coach his hometown Indiana school.
The period of leave was imposed while the school investigates possible misconduct by McCarty related to gender discrimination, sexual harassment or related misconduct.
President of the University of Evansville Christopher Pietruszkiewicz released a statement on the situation, stating (via the Boston Globe):
“The University has received reports of unwelcome conduct by Coach McCarty since his arrival in March 2018. We have counseled him about his behavior.
In the last two weeks, the University received a troubling report about Coach McCarty’s interactions with a member of the campus community. We have placed Coach McCarty on leave while that incident is being investigated.”
The University will make a fair and informed decision on Coach McCarty’s status based on the results of the investigation,” he added, noting “will not tolerate any behavior from any university employee or student that jeopardizes the safety and security of others.”
The news is unsettling, to say the least, and comes on the heels of a successful start to the Kentucky product’s tenure as head coach of the school’s basketball program.
Off to a 9-4 start with a win over the then-No. 1 team, McCarty’s alma mater, what seemed like a perfect match may be turning sour. Details are still forthcoming about the specific substance of the allegations, but it is refreshing to the school taking them seriously.