Hocutt said it would be premature to discuss the circumstances around Stollings' dismissalGETTY IMAGES
Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec said that the school "will thoroughly review" the allegations of an abusive culture surrounding the women's basketball program, including AD Kirby Hocutt's response, according to Matt Dotray of the LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL. Texas Tech elected to terminate women's basketball coach Marlene Stollings on Aug. 6 "amid the allegations of abuse within the program." Assistant coach Nikita Lowry Dawkins also was fired and strength & conditioning coach Ralph Petrella "resigned after the season in March." Schovanec on Hocutt's role said, "We'll have more to say about that as we go forward. Don't think we haven't reflected on that to a great deal." He added, "I just feel like now would be a bit premature to elaborate on that aspect of what happened." During a news conference after the firings, Hocutt said that he "apologized to players for failing to address concerns they had reported via meetings with administrators, season-ending surveys, NCAA waiver letters, and a complaint with the school's Title IX office." Hocutt has led the Texas Tech athletics department since '11 and is one of the nation's highest-paid ADs. Schovanec: "I do want to emphasize that Kirby Hocutt is a person that does not let things slide. It wasn't a case that somebody was asleep at the wheel. There was ongoing discussion and review and communication" (LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL, 8/19).
