By BETH ANN BALDRY
Senior WriterANN ARBOR, Mich. – Officials and players inside the Georgia circle are keeping tight-lipped about the abrupt resignation of women’s coach Todd McCorkle, but information is expected to be released by the school May 14.
Georgia’s associate director for sports and operations Craig White said an investigation regarding McCorkle had been completed and that players were aware of it prior to his May 7 resignation. White, however, would not comment on the nature of the investigation.
The university’s open records manager Mitch Clayton said in an e-mail that the Georgia Open Records Act states that “records pertaining to an investigation cannot be released until 10 days after the investigation is complete. Monday (May 14) is the first day we can legally release the documents.”
Any names of Georgia student-athletes will be removed from the package of documents, which is expected to be over 50 pages. A news release from the Georgia athletic department is also expected on Monday.
McCorkle told Georgia administrators May 7 that he was stepping down, one day before the top-seeded Bulldogs were scheduled to leave for the NCAA Central Regional.
After two rounds in Ann Arbor, Mich., the Bulldogs are in sixth place (
click here for story and results).
“We didn’t force him or ask him to resign,” said White, who noted that McCorkle still had another year left on his contract. “We were surprised he did it.”
McCorkle took over the Georgia program in June of 2000 and led the Bulldogs to an NCAA Championship title his first season. He was named SEC coach of the year in both 2005 and 2007.
Georgia assistant Veronique Drouin was named interim head coach and is leading the Bulldogs here in Ann Arbor. Players are keeping quiet about the details of McCorkle’s resignation, insisting they are purely focused on the business at hand – qualifying for the NCAA Championship.
Sophomore Taylor Leon has yet to say anything negative to the press about her former coach, but her brother Trent, a sophomore at Oklahoma State, told the
Athens Banner-Herald he thinks “all the girls are happier.”
“I think that team will do better at regionals and nationals without him there,” Trent Leon said. “I think Georgia women’s golf will be better off without that coach, just from what I’ve heard from Taylor.”
• • •
Beth Ann Baldry is a
Golfweek senior writer. To reach her e-mail
bbaldry@golfweek.com.
Posted: 5/11/2007
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