ALBANY, N.Y. — Albany men’s basketball coach Dwayne Killings will serve a five-game suspension next season and pay a $25,000 fine for “inappropriate physical contact” with a player, the university announced Saturday.
The university’s investigation concluded that it was an isolated incident. Killings admitted his mistake, apologized and will keep his job, the school said Saturday in a news release posted on its website.
The investigation began in late February after officials were made aware of the allegation. The investigation confirmed that there was physical contact between Killings and a member of the men’s basketball team during a pre-game hype circle before a road game in late November. The incident was not reported until the administration received a complaint on Feb. 27.
Albany went 13-18 in Killings’ first season. The former assistant at Marquette finished out the season, which ended in early March with a loss to Hartford in the America East Conference Tournament. Then, he was placed on an alternative assignment away from the basketball program during the investigation, which included interviews with all parties and any witnesses willing to participate.
The school said the fine will be donated to a local nonprofit.
Killings given a five-year contract when he was hired a year ago to succeed Will Brown, who coached the Great Danes for two decades and led them to five NCAA tournament appearances.
Brown left after the 2020-21 season, the team’s third straight losing campaign.