It’s official: Chris Mack is out as head coach of the University of Louisville men’s basketball team.Speculation on his fate began Tuesday after the school announced that a special meeting would be held Wednesday afternoon between the university board of trustees and the athletic board to discuss “pending litigation” and “personnel matters.”Mack confirmed the reports Wednesday while speaking with reporters outside the athletics facility. He said he has no ill will or bitterness toward UofL.The now former head coach said he wanted to be the first one to tell the players.In the video player below: Hear from Chris Mack”I’m not bitter. You know I love these guys. The university has been great,” Mack said.Mack added that he believes the decision has been building and that overall, he and the university just want what’s best for the team.”I still do. That’s not going to change,” he said.Wearing a Cincinnati Bengals hat, Mack said he recognized the challenge of taking on the head coach role at Louisville. He said he accepted the university’s decision.”I’m humble enough, if I’m not the right person, all good man,” he said. “I just want the best for them. They’re great kids.”The team has struggled in recent weeks, dropping five of its last six games, four of them by double figures, including a 64-52 loss at Virginia Monday night.Louisville’s next game is against No. 9 Duke Saturday at 12 p.m. at the KFC Yum! Center.Assistant coach Mike Pegues will finish out the season. Pegues served as the team’s acting head coach earlier this season, when Mack was serving his suspension. He went 5-1 in those six games.Interim Director of Athletics Josh Heird also spoke about the decision to “mutually part ways” with Mack.”Look, it was sad. You had a guy who gave his heart and soul to this place for four years. And he had built some real relationships with those guys,” Heird said to reporters. “It’s difficult to talk about.”Continuing coverage: Interim athletics director says parting ways with Chris Mack was in best interest of UofLMack’s departure also comes on the heels of two other big vacancies at the university — athletic director and president.Director of Athletics Vince Tyra and President Neeli Bendapudi announced their resignations just hours apart in early December. Currently, Josh Heird is the interim director of athletics and Dr. Lori Gonzales is the interim president at UofL.More on Mack’s tenure in LouisvilleThis was Mack’s fourth year leading the Cards. He took over in 2018 after nine seasons with Xavier University in Cincinnati, where he led the Musketeers to the NCAA Tournament eight times.Mack took the Cardinals to the NCAA tournament in 2019. The team got second place in the ACC in 2020 before the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19. Last season, the Cardinals went 13-7 overall. They did not make the NCAA tournament.Beyond the team’s record, Mack was embroiled in some controversy, with three new alleged NCAA violations under his leadership.He was accused of not promoting an atmosphere for compliance.Some of the issues are those that former coach Dino Gaudio brought up during his attempted extortion of the head coach. Gaudio, himself, told investigators that he brought up the allegations to Mack before he was fired. Read more here. UofL is still awaiting an official ruling from the Independent Accountability Resolution Process regarding the violations.
It’s official: Chris Mack is out as head coach of the University of Louisville men’s basketball team.
Speculation on his fate began Tuesday after the school announced that a special meeting would be held Wednesday afternoon between the university board of trustees and the athletic board to discuss “pending litigation” and “personnel matters.”
Mack confirmed the reports Wednesday while speaking with reporters outside the athletics facility. He said he has no ill will or bitterness toward UofL.
The now former head coach said he wanted to be the first one to tell the players.
In the video player below: Hear from Chris Mack
“I’m not bitter. You know I love these guys. The university has been great,” Mack said.
Mack added that he believes the decision has been building and that overall, he and the university just want what’s best for the team.
“I still do. That’s not going to change,” he said.
Wearing a Cincinnati Bengals hat, Mack said he recognized the challenge of taking on the head coach role at Louisville. He said he accepted the university’s decision.
“I’m humble enough, if I’m not the right person, all good man,” he said. “I just want the best for them. They’re great kids.”
The team has struggled in recent weeks, dropping five of its last six games, four of them by double figures, including a 64-52 loss at Virginia Monday night.
Louisville’s next game is against No. 9 Duke Saturday at 12 p.m. at the KFC Yum! Center.
Assistant coach Mike Pegues will finish out the season. Pegues served as the team’s acting head coach earlier this season, when Mack was serving his suspension. He went 5-1 in those six games.
Interim Director of Athletics Josh Heird also spoke about the decision to “mutually part ways” with Mack.
“Look, it was sad. You had a guy who gave his heart and soul to this place for four years. And he had built some real relationships with those guys,” Heird said to reporters. “It’s difficult to talk about.”
Continuing coverage: Interim athletics director says parting ways with Chris Mack was in best interest of UofL
Mack’s departure also comes on the heels of two other big vacancies at the university — athletic director and president.
Director of Athletics Vince Tyra and President Neeli Bendapudi announced their resignations just hours apart in early December.
Currently, Josh Heird is the interim director of athletics and Dr. Lori Gonzales is the interim president at UofL.
More on Mack’s tenure in Louisville
This was Mack’s fourth year leading the Cards. He took over in 2018 after nine seasons with Xavier University in Cincinnati, where he led the Musketeers to the NCAA Tournament eight times.
Mack took the Cardinals to the NCAA tournament in 2019. The team got second place in the ACC in 2020 before the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19.
Last season, the Cardinals went 13-7 overall. They did not make the NCAA tournament.
Beyond the team’s record, Mack was embroiled in some controversy, with three new alleged NCAA violations under his leadership.
He was accused of not promoting an atmosphere for compliance.
Some of the issues are those that former coach Dino Gaudio brought up during his attempted extortion of the head coach. Gaudio, himself, told investigators that he brought up the allegations to Mack before he was fired. Read more here.
UofL is still awaiting an official ruling from the Independent Accountability Resolution Process regarding the violations.
