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Rutgers University admitted on Friday that its new men's basketball coach lacks the bachelor's degree from the institution that officials said he had earned. "While Rutgers was in error when it reported that Eddie Jordan had earned a degree from Rutgers University, neither Rutgers nor the NCAA requires a head coach to hold a baccalaureate degree," said the statement. "Eddie Jordan was a four-year letterman and was inducted into the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame in 1980. Rutgers sought Eddie for the head coach position as a target-of-opportunity hire based on his remarkable public career.... His athletic skills and leadership and his professional accomplishments have been a source of pride for Rutgers for more than three decades. We are excited to have him as our men’s basketball coach, and we look forward to many winning seasons."
Jordan was hired after the university fired its prior coach last month, following reports that he had been abusive to players -- and video surfaced of that coach, Mike Rice, kicking and grabbing athletes, hurling balls at their heads, and using multiple anti-gay slurs, of which "faggot" is but one.
The university acknowledged Jordan's lack of degree after Deadspin reported on the contradiction between his actual academic record at Rutgers (he enrolled, but never finished) and what Rutgers had said about him. The Deadspin article noted numerous instances in which Jordan has been described as a Rutgers graduate.
