Almost three months after men’s basketball head coach Kevin Reynolds was placed on administrative leave by the university on Nov. 2, SRU athletic director Paul Lueken has announced that the university has ended its contractual relationship with Reynolds while also buying out his contract, according to an article published on Friday by SRU’s office of Athletic Communication.
Ian Grady, who has been serving as the team’s acting head coach since Nov. 2, will continue to serve in that position for the remainder of the season.
Under Reynolds’ tutelage, The Rock had seen a great deal of success; compiling an overall record of 188-109 while finishing under .500 (14-15) during just one season (2016-2017). Reynolds finished his career at SRU as the team’s second-winningest head coach, behind long-time head coach N. Kerr Thompson.
An article published by The Rocket on Nov. 8 called for the university to move on from Reynolds, citing that the team deserves better leadership.
Reynolds’ contract was renewed less than a year ago on April 24 by the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The contract, which would pay Reynolds an annual salary of $104,828, was guaranteed until June 4, 2021. In order to sever ties with Reynolds, SRU must buy out the remaining portion of his contract, totaling over $250,000. The university must also include medical and supplemental benefits, retirements contributions and life insurance premiums, according to SRU’s office of Athletic Communication.
So far this season, the men’s basketball team has proven that they are more than capable to compete without Reynolds. They are currently tied for first place with school rival Indiana University (Pa.), each with 11 wins and one loss. The Rock currently ranks third in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) in total points with 1,590, averaging 83.7 points per game.
The Rock will look for their thirteenth win in a row on Wednesday as they head to Gannon University to take on the Golden Knights in a PSAC-West matchup. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.
