Texas Officially Fires Basketball Coach Chris Beard Less Than A Month After Allegedly Assaulting Fiancée

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The University of Texas has officially parted ways with men's basketball coach Chris Beard. The university announced that it has terminated Beard effective immediately. The decision comes less than a month after he was arrested and charged with assault on a family member.

"This has been a difficult situation that we've been diligently working through. Today I informed Mr. Beard of our decision to terminate him effective immediately," Texas AD Chris Del Conte wrote in a statement.

On December 12, 2022, Beard was suspended indefinitely without pay after being charged with assault by strangulation/suffocation - family violence,' a third-degree felony in the state of Texas.

Conflicting Statements In Chris Beard Case

Beard's fiancée, Randi Trew, claimed that he “just snapped on and became super violent” after a disagreement that had spanned multiple days, according to the arrest report. She also alleged that Beard “choked , threw off the bed, bit ” and caused “bruises all over leg” while “throwing around and going nuts."

Trew's original statement was recorded on December 12. On December 23 she released another statement that contradicted the police report.

"Chris and I are deeply saddened that we have brought negative attention upon our family, friends, and the University of Texas, among others. As Chris’ fiance and biggest supporter, I apologize for the role I played in this unfortunate event. I realize that my frustration, when breaking his glasses, initiated a physical struggle between Chris and myself," the statement read.

"Chris did not strangle me, and I told that to law enforcement that evening. Chris has stated that he was acting in self-defense, and I do not refute that. I do not believe Chris was trying to intentionally harm me in any way. It was never my intent to have him arrested or prosecuted. We appreciate everyone’s support and prayers during this difficult time."

Beard was in his second season of a seven-year contract with the Longhorns. He led Texas to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament a year ago.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the world of professional golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.