Karl Kuhn resigns as Radford University baseball coach
Radford University announced the resignation Friday of baseball coach Karl Kuhn, who was the subject of a university investigation.
Kuhn coached the Highlanders for three seasons. He was under contract through the 2027 season.
The Roanoke Times reported last month that Kuhn was the subject of an investigation being conducted by the university's human resources department and the university's office of institutional equity, according to two people who were interviewed by the school. The two people asked The Roanoke Times to remain anonymous out of deference to the RU investigation.
One of the two people said he was interviewed the week of May 9 by Stephanie Smith, who is a compliance specialist for the office of institutional equity, and by Jenene Lewis, who is an employee relations manager for RU's human resources department. He said he had a second interview with Lewis the week of May 16.
The other person was interviewed the week of May 16 by Lewis and by Andrea Zuschin, who is the Title IX coordinator and director of diversity and equity in the RU office of institutional equity.
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The RU investigation and the Kuhn resignation came one year after members of the 2021 team complained about Kuhn to officials of the athletic department. The investigation and resignation also came one year after former players complained about Kuhn to The Roanoke Times. But the university administration stood by Kuhn last year.
One of the people who was interviewed by the RU panel said he was told by investigators that the inquiry was in response to new allegations involving Kuhn related to this year. But he was told that the panel also was interested in learning about Kuhn's actions at Radford in prior years. He was told that the panel was interviewing current players but also was interested in hearing from former players and from parents of current and former players.
That person said he was told by the investigators that they hoped to wrap up the investigation within a couple weeks and that the panel would then make a recommendation to the university about what to do about Kuhn.
That person said he also was told that no one from the athletic department was on the panel conducting the investigation.
Radford athletic director Robert Lineburg told The Roanoke Times in a May 11 text message that "whether or not any investigation is occurring as to any employee is a personnel matter and Radford University will not comment on personnel matters such as these."
Kuhn spent 16 seasons as the University of Virginia's pitching coach before being hired as Radford's head coach in August 2019. Radford was his first head-coaching job.
He was given an eight-year contract — a lengthy contract for a college coach, especially for one who had never been a head coach before. Kuhn had an annual salary at Radford of $150,000.
"I was honored to have the opportunity to implement programs and strategies at Radford that are in keeping with those found at schools with greater resources and solid records of achievement. Radford is comprised of many wonderful, dedicated people who are success oriented, and it is my hope it continues to thrive," Kuhn said in the university press release Friday announcing his departure.
The university press release stated that "according to Kuhn, he has accepted an opportunity to consult on an open-ended contract with a private entity."
"This job demands that we spend so much time with other people's kids, and you realize that our own wives and kids don't receive near as much of the attention they deserve," Kuhn said in the press release. "Going forward, this is an opportunity to be part of baseball on a broader scale but also 'catch up' with my family."
Brian Hemphill, who was the president of the university when Kuhn was hired, left Radford last summer to take the same position at Old Dominion.
According to 2021 phone interviews by The Roanoke Times with 11 ex-Radford players who were on the team during the 2019-20 and/or 2020-21 school years, Kuhn created what they described as an atmosphere of mental and verbal abuse that occasionally turned physical. Players also had issues with the amount of fall practice hours. The players asked The Roanoke Times last year to remain anonymous.
Thirteen members of the 2021 team complained about Kuhn to deputy athletic director Cory Durand and associate athletic director for compliance Malinda Tasler in an April 2021 meeting, according to seven of the 11 ex-players interviewed by The Roanoke Times last year. Those seven were on the team at the time and were in that meeting. Players shared their stories of what they characterized as mental, verbal and physical abuse during that April 2021 meeting, telling the administration that Kuhn sometimes screamed and swore at them if he did not like what a player did in a game or practice.
The athletic department told The Roanoke Times in a written statement last year that allegations of various forms of abuse were "unfounded and categorically false."
Kuhn said in a May 2021 interview with The Roanoke Times that he "would never put my hands on a young man" and that he was "not a screamer."
Lineburg told The Roanoke Times in a May 2021 interview that he was "100% behind" Kuhn.
The Highlanders were 9-8 under Kuhn in the 2020 season before that season was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic.
The team finished the 2021 season with a mark of 23-23 overall and 17-19 in the Big South.
Radford concluded this season with a record of 15-33 overall and 8-15 in the Big South.
"COVID-19 has created significant complications for Division I athletics. Despite these challenges, Coach Kuhn has upgraded our facilities, added more than 200 donors to the program, secured an endowed baseball scholarship and spent significant time recruiting top players to our program," Lineburg said in the university press release Friday. "We look forward to seeing what these young and talented players are able to accomplish in future seasons and wish the coach well on his future endeavors."
Mark Berman
Mark Berman covers Virginia Tech men's basketball and many other teams at the university. He also helps cover other colleges, including Radford, VMI, Roanoke, Washington and Lee and Ferrum.
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