Report: George Washington fires Mike Lonergan after investigation
Five months after leading George Washington to an NIT championship, Mike Lonergan is no longer the head coach of the Colonials.
George Washington has fired Lonergan, USA Today reported late Friday night. School officials did not immediately return messages from Yahoo Sports seeking confirmation.
Lonergan’s ousting comes two months after George Washington began investigating allegations that the sixth-year coach was verbally and emotionally abusive to his players. Multiple former players and staff members told the Washington Post in July that Lonergan created a toxic environment within the program that contributed to George Washington’s 13 transfers during his tenure.
One player told the Post that Lonergan suggested he transfer to a “transgender league.” Another told the Post he needed therapy to cope with how Lonergan treated him. Lonergan did not return a July text message from Yahoo Sports, but he responded to the Post via statement, calling the anonymous allegations “groundless” and “unfounded.”
The timing of Lonergan’s dismissal suggests George Washington’s investigation uncovered evidence corroborating allegations in the Post story. Otherwise there’s little reason to part ways with Lonergan in mid-September, less than two months before the start of the new season.
Before winning the NIT last April, Lonergan also led George Washington to the 2014 NCAA tournament. Lonergan won at least 22 games each of the past three seasons and had established the Colonials as an upper-echelon Atlantic 10 program.
In the aftermath of the Post story in July, a handful of prominent former George Washington players defended Lonergan on social media. Patricio Garino, Isaiah Armwood and Maurice Creek each admitted that Lonergan is a demanding coach yet insisted that his methods brought out the best in them.
Armwood quickly took to social media once again late Friday night to express his surprise and disappointment at Lonergan’s firing.
They really fired my man at 10pm on a Friday night. I ain't gon say to much about…..I JUST DONT AGREE WITH THAT BULLSHIT.
— Isaiah Armwood (@Zeek_Armwood) September 17, 2016
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!