The University of Texas at San Antonio and men’s basketball coach Austin Claunch have mutually agreed to part ways, athletics director Lisa Campos announced Friday.
The decision comes in the wake of an “arrest on suspicion of DWI”, as reported by the San Antonio Express-News.
Claunch, 36, was found passed out behind the wheel of his vehicle at a Corpus Christi parking lot on Oct. 27, according to an “arrest report” from local law enforcement.
The report noted that officers observed Claunch with slurred speech and he later performed poorly on “field sobriety tests” before refusing further blood and breath analysis.
Campos stated that the parties reached a mutual agreement regarding the future of the program, noting that the school wishes him the best while “thanking Coach Claunch for his efforts” over the last two years.
Claunch acknowledged the departure by saying that he and the administration agreed it was best to “move in a different direction”, according to a statement released Friday.
A university spokesperson confirmed that because the separation was mutual, neither side is owed a buyout or any further financial compensation.
The school had previously announced a “suspension” for the coach shortly after his initial arrest.
Acting head coach Nick Bowman, who served as a longtime assistant to Claunch, will continue to lead the team for the remainder of the season.
Bowman had already guided the Roadrunners to a 2-1 start while the head coach was sidelined.
The team struggled during Claunch’s tenure, which included a difficult 2023-24 campaign and challenges with roster retention.
UTSA officials expressed optimism regarding the current season under the leadership of the interim head coach.