We had this as a rumor on Tuesday – it’s now been made official…

Washington College has decided to take its men’s basketball program in a different direction, parting ways with head coach Rob Nugent, who had served in that role since 2001.

In 14 seasons, Nugent guided the Shoremen to four Centennial Conference Tournament berths. He was named the conference’s Coach of the Year in 2010 after leading the Shoremen to a third-place finish during the conference’s regular season and into the tournament’s semifinals. Under Nugent’s tutelage, 12 different Shoremen earned All-Centennial Conference honors a total of 18 times. He also coached six 1,000-point scorers, including two of the team’s top six all-time leading scorers.

Thanks to an act of sportsmanship by Nugent and the Shoremen, former Gettysburg College basketball player Cory Weissman, who had suffered a stroke his freshman year, was able to make a free throw for his first and only collegiate point during his Senior Day in February 2012. Nugent and the Shoremen were recognized for this act by receiving both the Centennial Conference’s annual Sportsmanship Award and a National Sportsmanship Award, presented by the St. Louis Sports Commission.

A national search for Nugent’s successor will begin soon.

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