Less than a month after he was suspended without pay, Chris Beard was fired by the Texas Longhorns.
The rest of the season will be run by associate head coach Rodney Terry.
The athletic director of the Longhorns released a statement.
He said that Chris Beard had left the University of Texas. This has been a difficult situation for us to work through. I told Mr. Beard that we were going to fire him immediately.
Coach Terry's leadership on and off the court was exemplary at a time when the team needed it the most. He will continue to be the acting head coach for the rest of the season.
We are proud of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, who have continued to make us proud to be a Longhorn.
Beard was arrested on the morning of December 12 after his fiancée, Randi Trew, accused him of attacking her during a fight. Beard's attorney, Perry Minton, said at the time that Beard "is 100% innocent of these charges" and Trew released a statement in which she denied telling police Beard choked her.
Trew said in her statement that Chris did not choke her. I don't deny that Chris acted in self-defense. I don't think Chris was trying to hurt me.
Trew's statement didn't address why she made the emergency call or why she told officers that she couldn't breathe for five seconds.
Hours before Beard was fired, the district attorney's office issued a statement to Medcalf.
All of the evidence collected by law enforcement is being evaluated by our prosecutors. Our office is committed to working through the unique challenges presented in each case of domestic violence.
Beard spent five seasons at Texas Tech before becoming the head coach of the Texas Longhorns. Beard lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament in his only season in Austin.
Texas was off to a great start. They lost to Kansas State on Tuesday.
Beard's contract was fully guaranteed for seven years. He can be terminated for cause for conduct under his contract.
The AP contributed.
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