Bob Huggins says he by no means resigned as West Virginia’s basketball teacher following a drunken-driving arrest and desires his activity again, in step with a letter from his legal professional to the college.
Huggins’ Cleveland-based legal professional, David A. Campbell, wrote to the college Friday that Huggins “never signed a resignation letter and never communicated a resignation to anyone at WVU,” in step with the letter, which was once got via The Related Press on Saturday.
The letter threatens a lawsuit if Huggins isn’t reinstated. Huggins’ calls for have been first reported via West Virginia community MetroNews.
Huggins was once charged with riding beneath the affect in Pittsburgh on June 16. A breath take a look at enthusiastic Huggins’ blood-alcohol content material was once greater than two times the criminal prohibit. His leaving was once introduced via the college refer to evening. A occasion upcoming, worker teacher Josh Eilert was once promoted to intervening time head teacher for the 2023-24 season.
Campbell’s letter mentioned the college introduced Huggins’ leaving “based on a text message from Coach Huggins’ wife” to Steve Uryasz, West Virginia’s deputy athletic director.
The college replied to Campbell in a letter Saturday that learn, partly: “We are frankly confused by the allegations within the letter.”
WVU mentioned Huggins met together with his gamers and participants of the basketball group of workers on June 17 “to announce that he would no longer be coaching the team.” It mentioned Huggins “clearly” communicated his leaving and resignation in writing and that “both parties have reasonably relied on that resignation and retirement notification in a number of ways since then.”
The college equipped The AP with a novel of a understand despatched via Huggins’ spouse, June, that very same month. It learn: “Please accept this correspondence as my formal notice of resignation as WVU Head Basketball Coach and as notice of my retirement from West Virginia University, effective immediately.”
The awareness was once despatched from an electronic mail deal with related to June Huggins, with a signature indicating it was once despatched by the use of iPhone. It was once despatched to Uryasz’s electronic mail deal with and didn’t seem to be a textual content message, as Campbell claimed.
West Virginia athletic director Wren Baker replied an pace upcoming via writing, “We accept your resignation and wish you the best in retirement. We appreciate your many years of dedication to WVU.”
Not up to an pace next that, the college discharged two statements. One introduced Huggins’ leaving.
The alternative was once titled “A Message from Bob Huggins to the WVU Community” and started, “Today, I have submitted a letter to President Gordon Gee and Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker informing them of my resignation and intention to retire as head men’s basketball coach at West Virginia University effective immediately.”
The 69-year-old Huggins was once the third-winningest teacher all-time in Section I with 935 victories, trailing handiest Mike Krzyzewski of Duke (1,202) and Jim Boeheim of Syracuse (1,015), either one of whom are retired.
Not like the others, Huggins didn’t win a countrywide identify. He took Cincinnati to the Ultimate 4 in 1992 and West Virginia in 2010. Huggins entered the Basketball Corridor of Repute latter September. In 41 seasons, his groups went to twenty-five NCAA Tournaments and completed ranked within the AP govern 10 seven occasions. The Mountaineers made 11 NCAA Match appearances beneath Huggins.
