According to the Fresno Bee, former Fresno State head men’s basketball coach Justin Hutson has reached a settlement with the university following his non-reappointment after his contract expired earlier this spring.

Fresno State had been investigation claims of racial discrimination by Hutson which he filed following his term as the basketball coach, which ended at the end of March. According to an April 3rd Fresno Bee report, Hutson “alleged that his race was a factor in the level of financial resources and support that athletics director Terry Tumey provided to a program that ranks toward the bottom of the Mountain West Conference in operating revenue and expenses.”

Even though an independent investigation has found these claims to be meritless, the university and Hutson have agreed on the following settlement (with highlights provided by the Bee)

• Hutson will serve as a special assistant to the athletics department through the end of September, and will be paid a total $241,000 for five months, or $48,200 per month with $22,200 paid by the university and $26,000 from its Athletic Corporation, plus benefits.

• Hutson will be paid nearly as much (in five months) as women’s basketball coach Jaime White’s annual base salary in 2024-25 ($290,000) and more than baseball coach Ryan Overland ($160,000), softball coach Stacy May-Johnson ($130,000) or any of the other coaches of the university’s Olympic, non-revenue sports.

• The monthly pay rate is actually higher than Hutson received in his original five-year contract, signed in 2018. In the first year of that deal,a five-year contract, he received $41,667 per month in base salary, $43,750 monthly in the second year $45,833 per month in the final three years.

• Both parties agreed to not to pursue legal action, releasing and discharging each other against all liabilities, claims, causes of action, charges, complaints or grievances, according to the agreement.

Hutson had served as the head coach at Fresno State since 2018, and put together a 92-94 (.495) record in that time. This past season, he led the Bulldogs to a 12-21 (4-14 Mountain West) record.

Hutson was replaced by Vance Walberg back on April 7th.