You have /5 articles left.
Sign up for a free account or log in.

The University of Texas at Austin fired Chris Beard as head men’s basketball coach after he was arrested last month for domestic violence against his fiancée.

Chris Del Conte, the athletic director, said, “The University of Texas has parted ways with Chris Beard. This has been a difficult situation that we've been diligently working through. Today I informed Mr. Beard of our decision to terminate him effective immediately.”

The Texas Tribune reported that Perry Minton, Beard’s lawyer, said in a statement that Beard was “crushed” at the news and said the university had “violated their agreement with the coach.”

“At the outset of Coach Beard’s suspension, the university promised they would conduct an independent investigation surrounding the allegations and make a decision regarding his employment only after they had done so,” Minton said. “They proceeded to terminate Coach Beard without asking a single question of him or his fiancée.”