Billy Gillispie reinstated by Tarleton State after university review of anonymous complaint

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STEPHENVILLE, Texas (AP) — Tarleton State reinstated men’s basketball coach Billy Gillispie on Monday, three days after the school announced that he had been placed on temporary administrative leave following an anonymous complaint.

Steve Uryasz, the school's athletic director, in a statement thanked the Texas A&M system “for working expeditiously in addressing this anonymous complaint.”

The school, which announced the leave on Friday, has not revealed any details or the nature of the complaint that initiated the employee conduct review.

“The welfare of our student-athletes is of the utmost importance to Tarleton State University and the Texas A&M System," Uryasz said Monday. “We look forward to the start of the Texan men's basketball season.”

The former Kentucky coach who also led the programs at Texas A&M and Texas Tech has a 78-74 record in his five seasons at Tarleton State. He turns 66 next month.

Gillispie faced allegations of player mistreatment at Texas Tech, where he spent one season in 2011-12. That was his last Division I job until being hired by Tarleton State before the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season.

While he has spent most of his coaching career in his native Texas, Gillispie took the Kentucky job in 2007 after leading Texas A&M to the NCAA Tournament in consecutive years in 2006-07. The Aggies reached the Sweet 16 in 2007.

Gillispie was fired after two seasons with the Wildcats when they missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 17 years. He took the Texas Tech job after a two-year hiatus that included a stint at John Lucas’ substance-abuse program in Houston following Gillispie’s third arrest for drunken driving in 10 years.

The Red Raiders won just one Big 12 game under Gillispie, who resigned shortly before the start of his second season, citing health concerns amid allegations of player mistreatment. Texas Tech later admitted to violations of practice rules under Gillispie.

Gillispie cited health concerns again when he retired nine years ago while coaching at a Texas junior college. Gillispie has a 226-182 record over 13 Division I seasons. His first head coaching job was at UTEP, where an 18-win improvement in his second season led to an NCAA berth in 2004, and the chance to coach the Aggies.

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