Kansas Jayhawks baseball coach arrested on suspicion of DUI; suspended for two weeks
Kansas baseball coach Ritch Price has been suspended two weeks by the Jayhawks athletic department after he was arrested by Lawrence police on suspicion of driving under the influence Saturday night.
KU athletic director Jeff Long announced Price’s punishment Monday.
“While I have tremendous respect and appreciation for Coach Price and the manner in which he conducts our baseball program, as well as the leadership he provides our young men, in this instance he failed to meet our expectations,” Long said in a release. “Coach Price expressed to me his sincere remorse for putting himself in that position and the negative impact it will have on the program. I am confident he will learn from this dangerous lapse in judgment and so will his current and future baseball student-athletes.”
Price was arrested at 6:05 p.m. Saturday at 24th and Iowa Streets in Lawrence, according to Douglas County Sheriff’s Department booking logs. He was released later that night on $750 bond, according to the logs.
Lawrence Police Department spokesman Patrick Compton told The Star that at approximately 5:30 p.m., officers responded to a business parking lot in reference to a “motor vehicle accident involving minor damage.” After a subsequent investigation, Compton said, a 65-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
Price is entering his 19th season with the Jayhawks in 2021.
“I would like to apologize to my family, players, KU administration, alumni, coaches, staff, as well as our donors for embarrassing them, the University of Kansas, our entire athletic department and myself,” Price said in a release. “As I shared with my team, the consequences from my actions on Saturday night could have jeopardized members of our community and was irresponsible. I have always held myself to the same high standards as those of my players and take full responsibility for my actions. I will do everything in my power to ensure that this type of behavior will never happen again.”
Associate head coach Ryan Graves will serve as KU’s interim coach during Price’s suspension.
This story was originally published February 15, 2021 at 6:42 PM.
