UMKC dismisses senior guard Martez Harrison from basketball team

UMKC senior guard Martez Harrison has been dismissed from the Kangaroos’ basketball program.

Harrison was initially suspended indefinitely last month, and has missed five games. The suspension was for “violation of athletic department policy.”

According to a release Monday, Harrison was dismissed after an investigation by the campus Title IX office. Title IX is a federal law that protects against gender discrimination, sexual harassment and sexual violence.

“Martez failed to meet the expectations we have for student-athletes in our program,” UMKC coach Kareem Richardson said in a team statement. “When those standards aren’t met, there are consequences. His conduct fell far short of what we expect from those who represent our men’s basketball program and university.

“After gathering more facts from Title IX office officials during his suspension, and further discussions with athletics department personnel, the decision was made to permanently remove him from our program.”

Results of campus Title IX investigations are protected by student privacy laws.

Before his suspension, Harrison was the second-leading scorer for UMKC, averaging 16.5 points a game. He is still a student at the school, according to a UMKC spokesman.

This story was originally published December 12, 2016 at 5:19 PM with the headline "UMKC dismisses senior guard Martez Harrison from basketball team."