COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech University has
terminated the employment of head tennis coach Dan Silverstein.
The action occurred Monday following a visit from a National
Collegiate Athletic Association staff member who came to the
Tennessee Tech campus at the initiation of the Athletics
Department.
Tech Athletics officials discovered a potential problem,reported
it to the NCAA and requested assistance. The NCAA sent an
enforcement representative from the Agents, Gambling and Amateurism
staff, who was at Tech last Wednesday.
“At our request, an NCAA staff member visited our campus to
assist us in gathering information regarding a possible NCAA
issue,”said Director of Athletics Mark Wilson. “After
additional information was considered, we decided to terminate
coach Silverstein’s employment for a number of reasons,
including suspicion of sports wagering. We have no indication that
any of these activities involved Tennessee Tech athletic
events.”
The decision to dismiss Silverstein was made at Tennessee
Tech’s discretion and not at the direction of the NCAA.
“We concluded that this issue is an isolated incident
related to coach Silverstein and does not involve student-athletes
or other members of the Tennessee Tech Athletics staff,”
Wilson said. “There is no evidence that any other NCAA rules
violations occurred, and this does not affect the eligibility of
Tennessee Tech’s student-athletes.
“We will file a joint report with the NCAA Enforcement
Staff. We are confident there will be no further NCAA action taken
againstTennessee Tech Athletics after submission of this
report.
“The actions we have taken have been swift and appropriate,
and we have provided all information to the NCAA,” Wilson
said.
Silverstein served one season as head coach of the Tech
men’s and women’s tennis teams. His men’s team
finished 2008-09 with a 12-8overall record, including a 6-2 mark in
the Ohio Valley Conference. Thewomen’s team was 7-10 overall
and 6-3 in the conference.
“Tennis is important to Tennessee Tech, and we will begin a
national search immediately for a new tennis coach,” Wilson
said. “We want to assure our student-athletes, fans, alumni
and supporters that we will find an outstanding coach."