NMSU fires coach Heiar in wake of hazing claims

New Mexico State fired first-year men’s basketball coach Greg Heiar on Tuesday, days after the school canceled the remainder of the Aggies’ season upon knowing of hazing claims involving players on the team.Dan Arvizu, the chancellor of the New Mexico State University system, made the statement in a letter resolved to the school community. Arvizu said athletic director Mario Moccia notified Heiar of the choice Tuesday afternoon. “As I have actually specified previously, hazing has no put on

our school, and those discovered responsible will be held responsible for their actions,”Arvizu composed in the letter. “I am dedicated to the security and wellness of all members of our school community, along with to the stability of our university.”Arvizu said the university “will work to guarantee we

fully comprehend what took place here “through an”expansive review and full examination. “”We will also guarantee that support group are in place

to avoid this from happening once again, “Arvizu continued.The chancellor said choices about the rest of the training personnel will be made after additional investigation.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated Heiar, 47, and his coaching staff had been placed on paid administrative leave Friday, when the university first announced that the Aggies’ game Saturday at Cal Baptist had been canceled and the season had been suspended.Arvizu then shut down the program for the season Sunday, after examining a school cops report that cited 3 players for false imprisonment, harassment and counts of criminal sexual contact against a teammate.The school authorities report, gotten by numerous outlets including ESPN, edited the names of the players involved. The report detailed the victim informing detectives that on Feb. 6 three members of the team held him down,”eliminated his clothing exposing his buttocks and began to’slap his [butts]'”He went on to state that they also touched his scrotum.The victim said other incidents had actually been taking place because last July or August, including improper physical and sexual touching by teammates in the locker room and on road trips.The report said the victim went to campus police Friday to report a possible assault however did not want to push criminal charges for the time being.Heiar’s firing comes three months after NMSU forward Mike Peake shot and killed a University of New Mexico student in what cops called self-defense. Both the school and the Albuquerque district attorney have actually introduced different investigations after coaches and staffers were discovered to be in possession of numerous pieces of potential evidence in the shooting, consisting of the weapon, after the incident.Heiar instructed his group to leave town after the shooting and return to school, according to investigators, despite the fact that regional authorities had actually asked to consult with 3 NMSU players who were with Peake, who was required to the health center with leg wounds.Peake was suspended from the team indefinitely while authorities investigate. He has not been charged with a crime.New Mexico State was 9-15 and 2-10 in the Western Athletic Conference under Heiar, who spent time previously in his profession as an assistant for previous Aggies coach Chris Jans, who left after last season to coach Mississippi State.Last season, Heiar was at Northwest Florida State, where he helped the Raiders win the junior college nationwide title. He brought two highly ranked players with him from the juco ranks, Issa Muhammad and Deshawndre Washington( another player, Marchelus Avery, had moved over from Northwest Florida the season before). The WAC is counting New Mexico State’s final 6 games as forfeits. The group is set to move into the larger, higher-profile Conference USA next season. New Mexico State has made 26 trips to the NCAA tournament and

reached the Sugary food 16 five times.Information from The Associated Press was included in this report.