Several UCLA faculty members and former members of the UCLA basketball team expressed their disappointment and concerns about the hiring of men’s basketball coach Steve Alford in April in a series of emails sent to university faculty and officials, according to a report by the Orange County Register released Thursday.
UCLA Academic Senate chair Linda Sarna, former UCLA basketball player Andy Hill and several UCLA faculty members and officials reportedly took issue with Alford’s handling of a 2003 sexual assault case involving University of Iowa point guard Pierre Pierce, according to the Register report.
University officials, including Chancellor Gene Block and Executive Vice Chancellor Scott Waugh, also received emails criticizing Alford’s hiring and curt response to the sexual assault allegations when they were brought up during his introductory press conference at UCLA on April 2, according to the Register.
“That was an incident that happened years ago at the University of Iowa and all I can tell you with that situation is I followed everything that the University of Iowa, the administration, the lawyers that were hired,” Alford said in the press conference. “I did everything I was supposed to do at the University of Iowa.”
In the days that followed, Alford faced heightened criticism from local and national media and UCLA athletics issued his statement of apology on April 11.
“At that time, I instinctively and mistakenly came to his defense before knowing all the facts,” Alford said in the statement. “I wanted to believe (Pierce) was innocent and, in response to a media question, I publicly proclaimed his innocence before the legal system had run its course. This was inappropriate, insensitive and hurtful, especially to the young female victim involved, and I apologize for that.”
Compiled by Andrew Erickson, Bruin Sports senior staff.
As a Bruin and supporter of the basketball and football programs, I do not see the need to dig up old stories to hurt our school and our sports programs. Do I think that Coach Alford could have responded in a better manner to the question that was asked of him in his introduction news conference? YES, absolutely and he should have known that he was going to get targeted but unfortunately he did not say the right things at the moment. Do I think that his hiring was wrong? NO, he had been hired by other schools prior to UCLA and he had cleared his names and reputation prior to coming to UCLA. Do I think he is going to do a good job as a coach at UCLA? Only time will tell. There is one thing that is for sure and that is the fact that all of the players and their families like the new coach and are willing to work and give 110% for our team to show everyone out there UCLA is the GREATEST INSTITUTION in the nation.
Please STOP the criticism and start SUPPORTING our school and team.
Hiring someone who protected a rapist? Some of us have too much pride in the integrity of our school to let someone of such low stature represent us.
This was news in April, why are you bringing it up again? Someone is always going to be mad at something. If this was as serious of an issue as some are making it out to be, Alford would not be coaching here. Try supporting the guy and let him do his job. This is such a waste of time.