LSU fires basketball coach Will Wade

LSU received an official Notice of Allegations for potential rules violations in the basketball and football programs on Tuesday. The Tigers basketball team was eliminated from the SEC Tournament on Friday.

And now, the school has fired head basketball coach Will Wade as well as Bill Armstrong, the associate head coach.

LSU Community:

Today, we informed Will Wade that he has been terminated for cause, pursuant to the provisions of his amended employment agreement as the Men’s Basketball Head Coach at LSU. Bill Armstrong has also been terminated as Associate Head Coach.

For more than four years, the University has patiently allowed the NCAA investigative process to unfold, jointly working with the NCAA Enforcement Staff and, subsequently, with the Complex Case Unit (CCU), to ensure the evidence collected was as thorough and fair as possible. Throughout that time, the University and its men’s basketball program have operated under an exhausting shroud of negativity.

As requested, and as required by state law, the University is releasing a redacted copy of the Notice of Allegations received from the CCU of the Independent Accountability Resolution Process (IARP). The Notice contains serious allegations, including multiple charges alleging Coach Wade’s personal involvement in—or awareness of—Level I misconduct. After receiving the Notice earlier this week, we took several days to fully evaluate it and engage in deliberate and thoughtful discussions about our next steps. We can no longer subject our University, Department of Athletics, and—most importantly—our student-athletes, to this taxing and already-lengthy process without taking action. Our responsibility to protect and promote the integrity and well-being of our entire institution and our student-athletes will always be paramount.

Notably, our decision to terminate Coach Wade and Coach Armstrong is not an acknowledgement of agreement with any of the allegations. The University will determine its positions on the allegations after an exhaustive and objective examination of the relevant facts and applicable NCAA regulations.

We will immediately initiate a national search for a new head coach. Assistant Coach Kevin Nickelberry will lead our team for the remainder of the season. We know that the LSU community will rally around our program and our student-athletes, none of whom are alleged to have been involved in any misconduct.

Per NCAA rules and procedures, we are unable to provide further comment on the IARP process, the contents of the Notice of Allegations, or today’s decision.

Sincerely,

William F. Tate IV
President

Scott Woodward
Director of Athletics

LSU assistant Kevin Nickelberry has taken over as interim head coach. The Tigers are 22-12 this season and expected to receive an at-large berth for the NCAA Tournament.

The Level III violation by Ed Orgeron wraps up the football portion of the NCAA's NOA. pic.twitter.com/ndfkfjDrPp

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) March 12, 2022

Wade was recorded during a FBI wiretap during the recruitment of former LSU guard Javonte Smart. The NOA contains other explosive charges against Wade.

LSU suspended him for the postseason when HBO produce a documentary revealing the recordings in 2019. Wade has been accused of arranging impermissible payments to multiple recruits.

At LSU, Wade had a 105-51 record and took the Tigers to three straight NCAA tournaments before this season although he did not coach them during the 2019 event.

Meanwhile, the football portion of the NCAA investigation winds down.