Updated: Sept. 18, 2016 at 4:36 p.m.
Mike Lonergan’s attorneys said the former men’s basketball head coach will “seek appropriate relief” for his termination following a probe into verbal and emotional abuse allegations.
“[Lonergan] cooperated fully with the University’s Title IX review. The University never identified to the Coach his accuser, much less the details and the substance of the anonymous accusations,” a statement, obtained by the Hatchet Sunday afternoon, said.
“He was denied administrative due process in the form of a hearing as required by his contract and the policies of the University. The University failed and refused to give Coach Lonergan written notice of the outcome of the Title IX review, which is required by the University’s own policy, and the University violated the confidentiality provisions of the policy by issuing a press release about the review,” according to the statement by attorneys Scott Tompsett and John Dowd.
The statement follows the University’s formal announcement on Saturday that Lonergan has been dismissed from the program after an independent investigation concluded he had “engaged in conduct inconsistent with the university’s values.”
The attorneys thanked current and former players, their parents and coaching staff for their support on Lonergan’s behalf and said he “looks forward” to coaching for another university.
“Coach Lonergan has been a college basketball coach for twenty-eight years with a superior, unblemished reputation for inspiring and protecting his players. He has graduated every single player he recruited,” according to the statement.
