The Hartford Hawks are set to take on the Sacred Heart Pioneers in their season-opening game on Tuesday, but they will do so without head coach John Gallagher after a shocking announcement on Monday afternoon.
According to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, Gallagher has resigned as the team’s head coach, citing a number of issues going on within the program as his reasoning for the sudden announcement.
John Gallagher is resigning at Hartford, he told CBS Sports.
The Hawks begin their season tomorrow, hosting Sacred Heart.
Gallagher tried to reverse the school's decision—to no avail—from moving down to D-III in the coming years.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) November 7, 2022
In Gallagher’s resignation letter to Hartford president Greg Woodward, he detailed the removal of scholarships from the university and player-safety concerns for his departure.
He also revealed an injury to a player during a preseason game against Dartmouth that was not treated due to the university not bringing any team trainers to the game, which in his words caused “a longer and more painful recovery” for the player.
Here is Gallagher’s resignation letter to Hartford president Greg Woodward.
Accuses UH of breach of contract on multiple fronts—and details the school neglecting to send a trainer with the team to a recent scrimmage, a situation worsened when a Hartford player was injured. pic.twitter.com/6sbUeWyIqf
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) November 7, 2022
Gallagher further discussed this incident in an interview with Jonah Karp of Fox 61 News,
“After the Dartmouth scrimmage, we didn’t have a trainer. Our player got hurt, he hyper-extended his knee. I got an e-mail for their parent, and it was rightfully so. At that juncture, the student-athlete welfare was more important than anything. I just felt that player safety would be addressed if I left. If I stayed there, things would have gotten worse.”
John Gallagher on his decision to resign as head coach of the Hartford Hawks men's basketball team:
"I just felt that player safety would be addressed if I left. If I stayed there, things would have gotten worse."
The season begins tomorrow. @FOX61News pic.twitter.com/OdiLdliQBK
— Jonah Karp (@JonahKarpTV) November 8, 2022
This is an extremely saddening reason for John Gallagher to be leaving after 12 seasons with the program, but it certainly seems like the university is in the wrong in this situation.
Regardless, his absence will likely be felt deeply on the court when Hartford plays their first game without him.
The university has not named who will serve as the interim head coach this season at this point.
[Matt Norlander on Twitter, Jonah Karp on Twitter]
