March 18, 2014

I grew up in Providence, so I fully know and appreciate that Providence College is a very special place for everyone – students, alumni, faculty and staff. Everything that Providence College stands for is what inspired me to pursue the opportunity to earn the position of men’s basketball coach.

So, naturally I was saddened by this situation. But, this does provide the opportunity to stress that we will not compromise the promise that we’ve made to ourselves, our school, our students and their families to build and run the most respected men’s basketball program in the nation. A program that will expect our student athletes to meet the highest standards, both on and off the court.

This promise was the foundation of my decision in November to suspend the two young men indefinitely for failing to meet the standards expected of student-athletes while the college’s internal disciplinary process took place.

So, while I cannot talk about this situation further, it is a reminder that the privilege of representing Providence College comes with great responsibility for our student-athletes. And any decision I make will be driven by whether it is the right one for Providence College and its students.

I can tell you that I did receive a phone call from Coach Altman. I explained that I could not speak to the details of the suspension but that we were taking the matter very seriously. I cannot speak for that basketball program at another University or why they made the decision they did.