(CNN) West Virginia’s men’s basketball head coach Bob Huggins apologized for “insensitive” and “obnoxious” comments he made while appearing on the 700 WLW’s Bill Cunningham Show Monday.
“Earlier today, on a radio show in Cincinnati, I was asked about the rivalry between my former employer, the University of Cincinnati, and their city rival, Xavier University,” Huggins said in a statement released about the school.
“During the conversation I used a completely insensitive and obnoxious phrase for which there is simply no excuse – and I won’t try to find one here.
“My deepest apologies to those I have offended, the Xavier community, the University of Cincinnati and West Virginia University.
“As I have shared with my players in my 40 years as a coach, there are consequences to our words and actions and I will fully accept whatever comes my way. I’m ashamed and embarrassed and heartbroken for those I’ve hurt. I have to do better, and I will,” concluded Huggins.
While speaking on Monday’s Cincinnati radio show, Huggins was asked if he’s ever “poached” Xavier players to move to West Virginia.
“Catholics don’t do that,” Huggins replied. “Any school that can throw rubber penises on the floor and then say they didn’t, my god, they can get away with anything.”
A show host then mentions that there was a “transgender night” at the game that Huggins was referring to while he was a coach at the University of Cincinnati.
It’s unclear if the school has ever held a transgender night, or if the incident Huggins describes ever happened.
Higgins followed up with his anti-gay comment: “What it was was all these f**s, these Catholic f**s, I think. … They were jealous that they didn’t have one.”
West Virginia released a statement to address the anti-gay rant made by Huggins, adding that they will review the situation.
“Comments made by Coach Huggins on a Cincinnati radio show today were insensitive, offensive and do not represent our university values,” West Virginia said in the statement.
“Coach Huggins has since apologized. West Virginia University does not condone the use of such language and takes such actions very seriously. The situation is currently being reviewed and will be addressed by the university and its athletics department.”