Evansville Head Coach Walter McCarty Placed on Leave Amid Title IX Investigation

The University of Evansville has placed men's basketball coach Walter McCarty on administrative leave during a Title IX investigation. 

Chad Lindskog of the Evansville Courier & Press reported the news Friday, noting the school "received reports about McCarty's off-court behavior, including an incident that appeared to violate its Title IX policy."

Evansville president Chris Pietruszkiewicz wrote an internal letter to staff explaining the decision.

"The University has received reports of unwelcome conduct by Coach McCarty since his arrival in March 2018," he wrote. "We have counseled him about his behavior. In the last two weeks, the University received a troubling report about Coach McCarty's interactions with a member of the campus community. We have placed Coach McCarty on leave while that incident is being investigated."

Lindskog noted Pietruszkiewicz's letter linked to the university's sexual harassment and misconduct policy.

Evansville also said it will not release any information on the investigation, which is being conducted by a national law firm, while it is underway.

This is McCarty's second season as the head coach for the Purple Aces. He went 11-21 in his first season and was off to a 9-4 start this season prior to being placed on administrative leave. McCarty also played 10 seasons in the NBA for the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers.

Assistant Bennie Seltzer will be the interim head coach for Evansville, which plays its next game Tuesday at Missouri State.