Texas track and field head coach Mario Sategna “has separated from the program” in his fifth year as head coach, per a press release from Texas Athletics on Thursday morning. Associate Head Coach Tonja Buford-Bailey will take over as interim head coach immediately.
“After discussing the future of our track and field program, I felt it was best to move forward and head in a new direction at this time,” Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte said in a statement. “Coach Buford-Bailey has a great deal of experience as a head coach and has been a valuable leader in our program for several years now. We have full confidence in her ability to lead our student-athletes and in assuming the duties of head coach immediately.”
Sategna spent 15 years in total with the Texas program, in which he saw his fair share of success. In 2016, however, Sategna underwent an ethics probe in which he took a four-month leave of absence.
Yes, AP reported in 2016 that Sategna was under an ethics investigation while out on leave. He was allowed to return in early 2017 with no explanation of what was investigated #hookem https://t.co/QL8HOvvAaX
— Jim Vertuno (@JimVertuno) February 15, 2018
Texas allowed Sategna to go on administrative leave in 2016. The school conducted an ethics investigation, but Sategna returned. Del Conte now making a clean break.
— Brian Davis (@BDavisAAS) February 15, 2018
