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WVU Athletics Releases Statement in Response to Bob Huggins’ Comments

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As a response to the comments made by WVU men’s basketball head coach Bob Huggins, a statement has been released by WVU Athletics.

“Coach Huggins’ remarks today on a Cincinnati radio show were insensitive, offensive and do not represent our University values. Coach Huggins has since apologized. West Virginia University does not condone the use of such language and takes such actions very seriously. The situation is under review and will be addressed by the University and its athletics department.”

WVU head coach Bob Huggins joined Bill Cunningham on 700 WLW on Monday afternoon on the radio, and the conversation took an unexpected turn with Huggins and Cunningham talked about his old rivalry with Xavier as the Cincinnati head coach.

Huggins stated that the Xavier fans threw “rubber penises” on the floor during a game between the schools, and then used an anti-gay slur to describe the scene.

“It was the Crosstown Shootout,” Huggins said in a recording of the interview posted by Awful Announcing. “Yeah, no, what is was, was all those f–s. Those Catholic f–s, I think is what it was. They were envious they didn’t have one.”

Prior to the statement from WVU, Huggins issued an apology.

“Earlier today on a Cincinnati radio program, I was asked about the rivalry between my former employer, the University of Cincinnati, and its crosstown rival, Xavier University. During the conversation, I used a completely insensitive and abhorrent phrase that there is simply no excuse for — and I won’t try to make one here,” said Huggins.

“I deeply apologize to the individuals I have offended, as well as to the Xavier University community, the University of Cincinnati and West Virginia University. As I have shared with my players over my 40 years of coaching, there are consequences for our words and actions and I will fully accept any coming my way. I am ashamed and embarrassed and heartbroken for those I have hurt. I must do better, and I will.”

Huggins has won 934 career games spanning five coaching tenures at Walsh College, Akron, Cincinnati, Kansas State, and West Virginia. Huggins left Cincinnati in 2005, when he was told to resign or be fired after a DUI arrest and several high-profile player infractions.

The Morgantown native returned to his alma mater West Virginia in 2007, taking the Mountaineers to their second Final Four in school history in 2010. Huggins is the second in all-time coaching wins at WVU, with 345 wins.

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