Garmroth confronts referee in locker
room, receives one game suspension


By Nathan Walls
Editor

Following a 66-64 loss to Lander on Jan. 21 in Greenwood, S.C., UNCP men’s basketball head coach Bryan Garmroth confronted a referee in the officials’ locker room and later received a 1-game suspension from Peach Belt Conference commissioner Marvin Vanover for unsportsmanlike conduct and violation of conference rules.

Last week, Garmroth provided a vivid description of what transpired.

“There were some very controversial calls made, but I really had not been on the officials,” Garmroth said. “After the game, I shook hands with the other two coaches and as I was walking off the court one of the officials was standing at the end waiting on me and as I walked by he started mouthing, started saying stuff to me. I don’t really know what he was saying, because I just kept walking and didn’t say “I went into the locker room to ask him why he was making comments to me. It was not a confrontational issue at all,” Garmroth said. “Then he got defensive. The other official started hollering for the security officer and security came down and asked me to leave. Regardless of how civil the conversation was, I shouldn’t have been in the locker room. I made the mistake of doing that. I deserved what I got.”

A general Peach Belt Conference code of conduct states: “As ambassadors for their institutions, coaches are expected to set a standard for others to follow in the areas of appropriate language and treatment of officials, players, and fans.”

Garmroth was suspended for the Jan. 24 game at Clayton State and was prohibited from traveling with the team to the game or having any contact with them.

Garmroth could not disclose the name of the referee he wanted to speak with. However, according to the game’s box score, Erik Barnes, Mark Lindsey and Brian Forte were the officials overseeing the contest. They could not be reached for comment.

Vanover said no official received a suspension and the conference’s decision to suspend Garmroth was based on the fact that he entered the officials’ locker room.

Athletic Director Dan Kenney wrote a letter of reprimand to Garmroth, which stipulated the coach had to issue letters of apology to the three officials.

Kenney would not release the contents of the letters.

“It’s a personal letter,” Kenney said. “It’s not something that needs to be shared.”

He did say Garmroth went too far, though.

“Coach just crossed the line after the game, both by the institution and conference,” Kenney said.

Garmroth returned to the sidelines for the Jan. 31 game against Armstrong Atlantic State.