SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah men's golf coach Wayne Fisher will not join one of his players at an NCAA regional this weekend after a school investigation into claims that he endangered players by driving after drinking on a team trip.
Fisher denied the players' allegations that he jeopardized their safety when he had two drinks on a flight to Portland, Ore., then drove the team van to Sunriver, Ore., about four hours away.Fisher was not pulled over or arrested, but five Utes sent a letter to university administrators saying they felt he should not have been driving.
Fisher said Monday that he and university officials agreed that Garrett Clegg, the only Ute in the regionals, would be better off if Fisher didn't go on the trip.
'Ultimately, I want what's best for Garrett. I just don't want my presence to be a distraction for him,' Fisher said.
Assistant athletic director Pete Oliszczak will go with Clegg to the tournament, which is also in Sunriver, Ore.
'Participating in postseason competition should be one of the highlights of a student athlete's career,' assistant athletic director Marc Amicone said. 'In light of the media and public attention that Coach Fisher has recently received, we felt that having Wayne on site at the NCAA regional competition could be a distraction to Garrett.'
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