SALISBURY, Md. - Former Salisbury University Men's Basketball Coach Andrew Sachs is speaking out after being terminated from the university on Thursday.
President Charles Wights decision to fire Sachs comes after the coach was put on administrative leave earlier this month. Sachs says the university still has not released exactly why he was let go.
"Obviously there were some mistakes made, but I don't think in my opinion... the crime doesn't equal the punishment," Sachs said.
Sachs says the decision has devastated his family, his team and the community. He says he was shocked by the university's announcement on Thursday.
"We had a mutually agreed departure, but I was told I had seven days to have a chance to change my mind if I wanted to do that so it's disappointing what happened, but there's nothing I can really do about it," Sachs said.
Team Captain Chase Kumor says it was disheartening to learn about the decision via social media.
"I thought we had been handling our part of this situation fairly professionally, reaching out to the president, showing up as a team. And then you know, just sticking by to what they were saying to just hold on and wait for what was to come. And to find out through Twitter was, it was wrong," Kumor said.
Other teammates spoke out about how this decision has come at such a trying time for them just weeks ahead of the upcoming season. Kumor explains the team has had to come together amidst losing their head coach, but also their teammate, Jack Ferguson who is undergoing chemotherapy treatments in Canada.
Sachs says he expects more to be revealed regarding his termination next week.
WBOC reached out to Salisbury University for a statement on Friday and were told once again that Sachs' situation is a personnel matter that they cannot comment on.
