It’s been a little more than a week since William & Mary announced head men’s basketball coach Tony Shaver “will not be retained.”
And questions still remain.
Samantha Huge, athletic director for William & Mary, continues to be unavailable for comment after she fired Shaver last week.
WYDaily asked numerous times to speak with Huge about the advisory group she formed as well as the process for looking for a new head basketball coach. One of the questions: Why an advisory group and not a hiring committee?
“She isn’t going to be available for comment,” said Pete Clawson, spokesman for the college.
Clawson added Huge has said all she needed to say to the W&M Tribe Club supporters regarding the change in leadership and won’t release information until she hires a new head coach.
RELATED STORY: Mum’s the word at William & Mary – officials would not say whether head men’s basketball coach was fired
Clawson said Huge notified those who support the college’s athletic programs in a letter Monday. It’s unclear if the letter was sent to all W&M alum, college donors or both.
According to the letter, Huge is looking for Shaver’s replacement “quickly yet prudently” and will consult an advisory group made of up five basketball alumni: Tony Traver ’85, Mark Boddy ’87, Taylor Mokris ’06, Daniel Dixon ’17 and Paul Rowley ’17 J.D.’20.
In the letter, Huge noted the search as well as the advisory group was similar to the search for a new football coach to replace Jimmye Laycock. It’s unclear if the search for Shaver’s replacement includes feedback from residents.
RELATED STORY: W&M outlines process to find football coach Jimmye Laycock’s successor
Boddy, is currently on the executive board of the Tribe Club and is a former Tribe Club chairman.
It’s apparent in the letter that although there’s a “group” in the process, Huge has the final say on the head coach selection.
“These individuals bring a unique perspective for what we need in a new head coach in order to reach our goals for the program,” Huge wrote in the letter. “I will be consulting with them throughout the search process before making the final decision.”
The letter also stated Huge has already met with potential candidates and named Jonathan Holmes, the current associate head coach of the basketball team, as interim head coach. Read the letter here.
But where’s the job posting?
When WYDaily asked Clawson how the head coach’s position was being advertised since neither the university’s website or the state website had a job posting as of Thursday, he said,”I do not have that information.”
WYDaily also reached out to Katherine Rowe, W&M president, about setting up a meeting with Huge regarding Shaver’s firing and the transparency of the search. Rowe was not immediately available and a representative from her office referred WYDaily back to Clawson.
Shaver was fired after 16 seasons, and he is eligible for a $1.7 million payout. It is not clear why Shaver was fired and if he has had any job offers. His agent, Dennis Cordell, did not return multiple requests for comment.
RELATED STORY: Now this: W&M wouldn’t say it, but Coach Shaver was fired. Now he’s eligible for a $1.7M payout
