Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yuracheck apologized Saturday to a student reporter who claimed his phone was dropped on the ground after the Razorbacks’ loss to Texas A&M in the SEC men’s basketball tournament.
Coming off a 67-61 loss on Friday, a arkansas staff member he approached a student reporter who was recording Eric Musselman leaving the ground and was accused of grabbing and throwing the phone to the ground.
Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Eric Musselman trains during an SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Arkansas Razorbacks on March 10, 2023 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Jack Weaver, a photojournalist and photo editor for the Kentucky Kernel, he was filming the Arkansas head coach when a staffer showed up to take his phone.
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«I have visited with Riley Hall, a member of our men’s basketball support staff, and others who personally observed an interaction between Mr. Hall and a reporter after our game Friday night at the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament”, Yuracheck said in a statement.
«During our conversation, Mr. Hall expressed his regret that, as he was leaving the room, his involvement resulted in the reporter inadvertently falling off his hand. Although, based on our conversation, I do not believe there was an intention malicious, I have addressed a problem with Mr. Hall and he agrees that his actions were not appropriate or reflective of our program. On behalf of our Mr. Hall and our program, I want to apologize to the reporter affected by these actions.»
The Arkansas Razorbacks logo on a pair of shorts during the third-place game of the Maui Jim Invitational College Basketball Tournament against the San Diego State Aztecs at Lahaina Civic Arena on November 23, 2022 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
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After the video went viral Friday night, the Kentucky Kernel, the college’s student newspaper, university of kentuckyissued a statement condemning the actions of the Arkansas staff member.
“The Kentucky Kernel is shocked by the actions of the Arkansas men’s basketball program,” the newspaper said on Twitter. «[Jack Weaver] always stands for professionalism at work and no journalist, especially a journalism student, should be subjected to violence simply for doing their job.»
Arkansas was selected as the eighth seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Arkansas Razorbacks guard Nick Smith Jr., #3, reacts to a call during an SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Arkansas Razorbacks on March 10, 2023 in Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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The Razorbacks will play the Illinois fighting Illini Thursday in the first round of March Madness.