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West Virginia men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins has been arrested for driving under the influence in Pittsburgh on Friday night. Huggins, who has coached at West Virginia since 2007, was charged with DUI after failing a field sobriety test. This is Huggins’ second DUI offense, with the first one dating back to June 2004 when he was the coach at Cincinnati.
The report states that a Robert Huggins of Morgantown, West Virginia, age 69, was observed by police blocking traffic with a black SUV with a flat and shredded tire. The driver’s side door was open, and upon questioning, officers suspected that the male driver was intoxicated. Huggins was then asked to perform standard field sobriety tests, which he failed. He was then placed in custody and later released. Huggins will have a preliminary hearing at a later date.
This is not the first time Huggins has been in trouble. In May 2022, he used anti-LGBTQ slurs on a Cincinnati radio show, referring to “Catholic f—” when discussing Xavier University. He was suspended for three games and docked $1 million in salary but kept his job. The university announced that the athletic department would partner with WVU’s LGBTQ+ Center to develop annual sensitivity training sessions, which Huggins and all other current and future athletics coaching staff will be required to complete.
West Virginia athletic officials have not commented on Huggins’ arrest, but sources have confirmed that they are aware of the situation and are gathering more information. The news of Huggins’ arrest has put pressure on West Virginia officials as there were already signs that the 2023-24 season could be the final one for Huggins. He was essentially given a contract that is guaranteed for only a year, which is a rarity in college sports. Huggins’ arrest could potentially put his future with the program in jeopardy.
Bob Huggins is a Morgantown native who played for the Mountaineers in college. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022 and has guided the Mountaineers to 11 NCAA tournament appearances, including a Final Four in 2010.
In conclusion, this is not the first time that Huggins has been in trouble, and his DUI arrest could potentially put his future with the program in jeopardy. It remains to be seen what action West Virginia athletic officials will take.
References
- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/277/west-virginia-mountaineers
- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/37571594/wvu-reviewing-incident-huggins-uses-anti-gay-slur-air
- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2306/kansas-state-wildcats
- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/2132/cincinnati-bearcats
- https://www.si.com/college/college-basketball/team/west-virginia-mountaineers
- https://pittsburghpa.gov/publicsafety/blotterview/2303
- https://www.fox19.com/story/1936615/bob-huggins-d-u-i/
- https://www.si.com/college/2023/05/08/west-virginia-bob-huggins-anti-lgbtq-slur-xavier-fans
- https://www.si.com/college/2023/05/10/bob-huggins-to-coach-west-virginia-next-season-following-use-of-anti-lgbtq-slur-per-report
- https://www.si.com/college/2023/05/10/west-virginia-releases-statement-discipline-of-bob-huggins-anti-lgbtq-slur
