Washington State fired head coach Nick Rolovich and his unvaccinated assistant coaches on Monday with trigger, sources confirmed to The Athletic, because the state’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for state staff went into impact. The Oregonian was first to report the information.
Washington state staff needed to be vaccinated or accredited for an exemption by Monday. No instant plans for an interim coach have been introduced.
Rolovich, who mentioned in July he was not vaccinated, confirmed after the staff’s win over Oregon State on Oct. 9 that he had applied for an exemption. The coach said Saturday that he was nonetheless ready on a choice concerning his exemption request, and he didn’t know what athletic director Pat Chun would do if his exemption was accredited.
In a July information convention, Rolovich mentioned he wouldn’t obtain the COVID-19 vaccination but additionally advised reporters he was not “against” vaccinations: “The reason for my individual choice will remain private. However, I want to make it clear, I respect, I support all the work being done by the state of Washington, who as a state has one of the highest percentages of vaccinations in the country.”
However, in mid-August, Rolovich indicated that he would get the vaccine, saying, “I plan on following (Gov. Jay Inslee’s) mandate. For sure.”
Rolovich’s tenure with the Cougars ends in his second season after simply seven video games. Rolovich, who was employed from Hawaii earlier than the 2020 season, went 5-6 with WSU. The Cougars defeated Stanford 34-31 on Saturday to maneuver to 4-3 this season.
(Photo: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)
Washington State fires Nick Rolovich as vaccine mandate deadline passes: Sources
Source: Panapanahon News
0 Comments