The University of Dayton announced the suspension of men’s basketball senior center Matt Kavanaugh from the university for a violation of the university’s code of conduct at a press conference Wednesday, Oct. 24.
Kavanaugh, a Centerville, Ohio, native, has been suspended for the remainder of the academic year and will not be able to play this upcoming season because of the suspension, according to Tim Wabler, UD vice president and director
of athletics.
“This has been a very serious matter,” Wabler said. “Our student-athletes are students first then are athletes after that and are expected to live as part of the community of the University of Dayton.
“The university has a very thorough investigation where it includes not just the investigation but also a hearing and the appeals process. The result of that is the discipline that we just announced.”
Wabler went on to say the remaining focus will be geared towards supporting the athletes and coaches who are left in the program.
Second-year head coach Archie Miller said the team’s players and coaches are disappointed, but the program prides itself in not making excuses one way or another.
“It’s a university process and it’s a university decision and we just move forward from there,”
Miller said.
When asked if he had spoken to Kavanaugh at any time on Wednesday before the announcement, Miller said:
“I was with Matt this morning with Tim and our staff briefly and it’s a tough day. I’ll leave it at that.”
Miller said the possibility of Kavanaugh returning to the team is something he won’t comment on.
“I’m not going to go there right now,” he said. “It’s something quite frankly is for another topic of conversation. It’s a lot for everyone to digest right now.”
According to Teri Rizvi, associate vice president for university communications, Kavanaugh is allowed to re-enroll at the university when his suspension is over in May 2013.
According to the university’s student handbook, a person who is suspended is not allowed to be on campus for classes, activities, events, etc.
Kavanaugh, who was one of four seniors on the team’s roster, started all 33 games for UD last season and was expected to be a starter again this year. He averaged nine points per game and 5.9 rebounds
last season.
He participated in the Red-Blue scrimmage held on Saturday, Oct. 20, where he received a loud ovation from the fans in attendance during player introductions before the scrimmage.
Wabler said in his time at the university, this is the first time he’s been in this type of situation.
“Four-hundred student athletes a year participate at the University of Dayton,” Wabler said. “I’ve been here for close to 20 years, this is the first time I’ve been through something like this.”
