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Dave Wilson
Tarleton State has reinstated men’s basketball coach Billy Gillispie, who was placed on temporary administrative leave Friday following an investigation into an anonymous complaint.
“We’re thankful to the Texas A&M system for working expeditiously in addressing this anonymous complaint,” Tarleton State athletic director Steve Uryasz said in a statement Monday. “The welfare of our student-athletes is of the utmost importance to Tarleton State University and the Texas A&M System. We look forward to the start of the Texan men’s basketball season.”
No details as to the nature of the complaint were made available. Associate head coach Glynn Cyprien served as acting head coach amid the investigation.
Gillispie is known for his tough practices, something he says he tells prospective recruits in his program.
Gillispie faced allegations of player mistreatment while he was the coach at Texas Tech in 2011 and 2012. He resigned as the Red Raiders coach — citing health concerns — in September 2012. The resignation came about a month after the school said it was investigating the claims, which stemmed from Texas Tech players expressing concerns about the way they were being treated by Gillispie.
Questions about Gillispie’s coaching style also were raised during his time at Kentucky, including the treatment of players and staff in the athletic department. He was fired in 2009, with Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart saying Gillispie “wasn’t the right fit for the program.” A $3 million settlement over his firing was reached later that year.
Gillispie, 65, is in his sixth season at Tarleton State, the longest of his five Division I head coaching stints, which also include time at UTEP and Texas A&M.
Gillispie is 78-74 at Tarleton State, including a 25-10 record in 2023-24 and a CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) appearance. He has a 226-182 record in 13 seasons as a head coach with four NCAA tournament appearances.
