Sinclair fires coach

By Tom Gnau

Staff Writer

Sinclair Community College has fired women’s basketball interim head coach Marcus Stewart.

Sinclair spokesman Adam Murka said Wednesday the college fired Stewart on Tuesday and is investigating him for allegedly seeking money from student-athletes to buy athletic goods.

Murka said Sinclair has referred the matter to its campus police, adding that Stewart has not been charged with a crime.

“Promptly upon our learning of this matter, Mr. Stewart was terminated,” Murka said in a statement. “Our team is working with law enforcement authorities to determine the next steps. Mr. Stewart’s apparent actions are completely unacceptable and Sinclair has made certain that these student-athletes are made whole.”

Both Stewart and Jeff Price, Sinclair’s athletic director and men’s head coach, declined to comment. Prior to Stewart’s promotion in July 2013, he worked five years as an assistant for Price, two years as a women’s assistant and served as an adjunct professor in exercise nutrition and sport sciences.

Sinclair’s website listed associate head coach Victoria Jones, a former UD player, as the team’s interim head coach. The Tartans are 15-10 on the season before last night’s road game at Columbus State.