LAS CRUCES, NM – New Mexico State University suspended operations of its men’s basketball program indefinitely Friday night and placed its coaching staff on paid administrative leave due to allegations the school says are not related to a fatal shooting involving one of its players last year.
The school said the new allegations involved possible violations of university policy and were separate from the Nov. 19 shooting of a student at the rival University of New Mexico. Aggies power forward Mike Peake was suspended in early December as an outside investigator investigates his involvement in the Albuquerque shooting.
After the shooting, New Mexico State coach Greg Heiar loaded the team onto a bus and left town, minus Peake and three players who had picked him up and taken him to the hospital with leg injuries. Police stopped the bus on its way back to Las Cruces.
Peake has not been charged in the shooting. The Albuquerque district attorney is conducting a separate investigation.
The school’s announcement said Friday’s action was unrelated to the shooting. The board of regents issued a separate statement saying it supported “the action taken by university leaders and is confident that a full and thorough investigation will take place.
New Mexico State’s game against California Baptist on Saturday was cancelled.
The Aggies had previously canceled the game in Albuquerque that was scheduled to take place the night after the shooting, along with the December 3 rematch in Las Cruces. A frequent presence in the NCAA Tournament, the Aggies are 9-15 in Heiar’s first season as coach after replacing Chris Jans, who left for Mississippi State.
Leadership in the school is also changing. The board of regents recently decided not to renew Chancellor Dan Arvizu’s contract, which expires in June. During the last 14 months, both the president and the rector of the school have resigned or been removed from their positions.
