Jeff Lebo resigned as East Carolina’s men’s basketball coach just six games into last season. Heather Macy, the Pirates’ women’s coach, didn’t wait that long to walk away.
The winningest coach in the program’s history stepped down effective immediately Wednesday, less than three weeks before ECU’s season-opening game against Maryland-Eastern Shore.
According to a statement issued by the school’s athletic communications office, Macy’s decision came at the conclusion of an internal review of her program by ECU’s office of compliance.
“I regret that my misunderstanding about practice rules has led to this end,” Macy said in the statement. “But I have chosen to resign in order to save the university and the team from any unnecessary distractions.
Macy, the ninth women’s basketball coach in ECU history, compiled a 134-117 record with three postseason appearances in her eight seasons with the Pirates. She will be reassigned within the athletic department until the completion of her employment on December 17.
Assistant coach Chad Killinger will serve as the team’s interim head coach for the 2018-19 season, which begins on Nov. 6.
The Pirates return 11 players from a team that went 16-15 last season. They were picked to finish eighth in the American Athletic Conference preseason poll announced earlier this week.
