Jim Hayford, head coach of their men's basketball team, has been suspended for allegedly using racial slurs multiple times. The Redhawks head coach has also been placed on administrative leave, and is currently being investigated by the university for his actions.

The report comes from Jeff Goodman, Stadium Basketball's insider. Goodman reports that the incident that led to the suspension happened on Thursday. (via Bally Sports)

The incident occurred during Thursday’s scrimmage. Sources said that it wasn’t the first time that Hayford had repeated the word after one of his players said it, and that it also occurred once during the summer.

“A Black player used the word during Thursday’s scrimmage, and it was then called into question by one of the officials. Hayford then repeated the word in an effort to curtail its use. ‘Did you say the N-word?' Hayford said. Hayford apologized on Friday to the players, but the majority of the team then refused to play for him, sources told Stadium.”

This was apparently the final straw for the Seattle U players, who allegedly already disliked Jim Hayford.

“‘Most of the players don’t like him, so this was almost the final straw,' one source close to the program told Stadium. ‘He’s very emotional, flammable. It can be a hostile environment.'”

Jim Hayford has been the head coach of the Seattle Redhawks' basketball program since 2017. The program has had decent success under Hayford, going 64 – 55 under the head coach, but wasn't in the recent Top 25 list (for good reason). Prior to his gig with Seattle University, Hayford also coached Eastern Washington, Division III Whitworth, and Sioux Falls.