Texas HC Chris Beard suspended following felony arrest

Texas Longhorns head coach Chris Beard was suspended on Monday evening by the school following a felony arrest by the Austin Police Department for domestic violence in the overnight hours.

Beard faces a third-degree felony charge for allegedly assaulting a family/household member by strangulation/suffocation. He was released on Monday afternoon on a $10,000 bond. A third-degree felony in Texas faces a punishment of up to 10 years in prison with a fine of up to $10,000 if Beard is convicted.

“The University takes matters of interpersonal violence involving members of its community seriously,” the school said in a statement released through a spokesperson. “Given the information available, The University has suspended Chris Beard from his position as head coach of Men’s Basketball and will withhold his pay until further notice. Associate Head Coach Rodney Terry will serve as acting head coach for tonight’s game against Rice.”

Tipoff against Rice is at 7 p.m. Central at the Moody Center and televised by the Longhorn Network.