West Virginia men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins, aged 69, faced arrest and charges of driving under the influence in Pittsburgh on Friday evening. The city’s police blotter indicates that Huggins failed standard field sobriety tests, leading to his apprehension without any notable incident.
After undergoing a breath test, Huggins recorded a blood alcohol level of 0.21 percent. Subsequently, he was released from custody but is expected to attend a preliminary hearing at a later date, according to the police blotter. Notably, Huggins had previously been convicted of drunken driving in June 2004 during his tenure as the head coach at Cincinnati.
On Saturday morning, West Virginia’s athletic department released a statement addressing the incident. The statement conveyed the university’s awareness of the situation involving Head Men’s Basketball Coach Bob Huggins, specifying that he was charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in the City of Pittsburgh. It further stated that the university is currently gathering more information and will take appropriate action once the review process is complete.
As documented in the police blotter, Pittsburgh police officers observed Huggins obstructing traffic in the middle of the road. His SUV’s side door was open, and one of the tires was flat and shredded. The officers provided instructions to help him move the vehicle off the road, but upon witnessing his difficulties in maneuvering and allowing other vehicles to pass, they decided to initiate a traffic stop by activating their lights. During the subsequent questioning, the officers developed a strong suspicion that Huggins was intoxicated.
The arrest represents the most recent incident involving Huggins, who has served as West Virginia’s coach for 16 seasons. In a radio appearance on a Cincinnati station last month, Huggins used a homophobic slur twice while recounting a rivalry game between Xavier University and the Bearcats, a team he coached from 1989 to 2005. Huggins later expressed remorse and was subsequently suspended for the first three games of the 2023-24 season. Additionally, he was required to complete sensitivity training, and an agreement was reached between him and the university to reduce his annual salary by $1 million.
Over his 41-season career as a head coach, Huggins has achieved a remarkable record of 935 wins and 414 losses, translating to a winning percentage of .693. His coaching experience spans various institutions, including three seasons at NAIA Walsh University, five seasons at Akron, one season at Kansas State, and significant tenures at both Cincinnati and West Virginia. Recognizing his significant contributions, Huggins was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in September 2022.
