George Washington Basketball: Former coach Mike Lonergan finally reaches settlement

Former head coach of the George Washington Colonials Mike Lonergan has reached a settlement with the school after being fired for reported verbal and emotional abuse.

The George Washington Colonials are not that far removed from being one of the staple mid-major NCAA Tournament teams, fighting for an at-large bid each season out of the A-10.

However, George Washington suffered somewhat of a mini-scandal a year ago, as then head coach Mike Lonergan was suddenly fired. This was a shock to those inside and outside the program, as Lonergan boasted an impressive record with the Colonials.

Reports then surfaced that Lonergan had been verbally abusing his players, which was a “breach of contract,” according to the school.

Many argue that the players should understand that whatever Lonergan said was just words and should be ignored, but, as a university, it is imperative to foster an environment in which players wish to play and, more important, in which players wish to attend school.

There is a difference between angrily pushing your players further, like Frank Martin at South Carolina, and demeaning them, like it was reported with Lonergan.

After a year, the Lonergan saga is finally over, as ESPN has reported that Lonergan finally reached a settlement with George Washington. In this report, Lonergan’s lawyer states that “The terms of the settlement are confidential, but I can say that Coach Lonergan is pleased that the dispute regarding the circumstances of his departure from George Washington University could be resolved amicably,” meaning that he was probably given a ridiculous amount of money.

With Lonergan gone and a settlement finally reached, George Washington can now put all of this behind them and, hopefully, get back on track sooner rather than later.