Texas Wesleyan fired their baseball coach Mike Jeffcoat after learning he denied a Colorado-based recruit because players from that state always fail drug tests. News of Jeffcoat’s behavior spread via social media when a local Colorado radio host Darren McKee posted a screenshot of an email exchange with a recruit.
Gavin Bell was the recruit’s name, and he thought Texas Wesleyan might be a place to continue his baseball career. So his dad sent off an email inquiry to Jeffcoat, and the coach replied he wouldn’t be a good fit because he lived in Colorado.
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“Unfortunately, we are not recruiting players from the state of Colorado,” reads part of the email. “In the past, players have had trouble passing our drug test. We have decided not to take a chance on Student-athletes from your state. You can thank your liberal politicians for that.”
Lol THIS really happened. Smh. pic.twitter.com/bF9ywQw15d
— Darren McKee (@DMacSportsCO) February 28, 2018
Citing “his remarks as well as the NAIA violations under his watch,” Texas Wesleyan President Fred Slabach and Athletic Director Steve Trachier announced they were terminating Jeffcoat.
“This university and its athletic program does not discriminate on the basis of the public policy of any state,” Slabach said. “We look at the individual student. We care about those students.”
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Bell told CBS News he has been overwhelmed by the response generated from the story.
“My intention really wasn’t to do anything to hurt anybody or get anybody fired,” Bell said. “It was just me talking to my coaches and my loved ones about what do I do with this.”
