Jose Rebimbas is no longer the basketball coach at DIII William Paterson University (NJ) according to a statement that he made on his Facebook page last night. Following his teams 80-66 loss to Brooklyn College – the first loss of the season for the 3-1 Pioneers, Rebimbas published the following:
“It is with great sadness and extreme frustration that after today I will not be coaching the basketball team at William Paterson University. WP has been my home and family for more than 20 years and yet the University has taken action to remove me from the service I love. People I have trusted and served with have defied logic and are pursing my termination because of a misunderstanding over a facility rental fee for a camp that I run.”
“These actions come despite the University hearing officer determining that termination was not warranted. The University has unfairly and illegally taken my right to coach and mentor the student-athletes I love. I am prepared to fight the actions of William Paterson University and restore my good name and that of the program.”
The all-time winningest coach in WPU men’s basketball history (384 wins), Rebimbas has guided the Pioneers to six New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) titles, and nine NCAA Tournament bids, including spots in the 2001 national championship game, the 1999 Final Four and the 2006 Elite Eight.
Rebimbas is still listed as the head coach on the William Paterson website, and the university has yet to make a statement. More on this situation as it develops.