Rutgers Basketball Coach Stringer Out On Paid Leave For 1 Year

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — Legendary Rutgers women's basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer has been on an extended paid leave since last April — and some of the players and parents of the Rutgers' women's basketball team told the Bergen Record this week they feel deceived by her absence.

Stringer has been on an approved university leave since April 19, 2021, a spokesman for Rutgers Athletics confirmed to Patch. He declined to say why she is on a paid leave, citing her privacy.

While Stringer's leave was approved by the school, the school did call it "unexpected." Stringer asked to extend her leave three times.

"Out of respect for her privacy and pursuant to law, we cannot provide any greater specificity into her circumstances," said a Rutgers spokesman. "Tim Eatman has stepped up to fill in for Coach Stringer during her unexpected leave."

Stringer been paid her $1 million salary, plus $235,000 in a yearly retention bonus, on her paid leave, confirmed the school. Stringer just re-signed a five-year contract with Rutgers in April 2021.

In her absence, Rutgers women's basketball had a dismal 21-22 season — the worst in recent years — finishing second to last in the Big Ten Conference this winter.

She is scheduled to return back to Rutgers women's basketball on June 15, said the university.

Coach Stringer is legendary in not just college basketball but all of American sports, and has one of the best winning records in the history of women's basketball. Under Stringer, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights usually dominate the Big Ten. Stringer is the only coach in women's basketball history to take three different college teams (Rutgers, University of Iow and Cheyney University of Pennsylvania) to the NCAA Final Four.

The parents of players on the Rutgers women's team told the Bergen Record they feel Rutgers put on a "masquerade" to "cover up" the fact that Stringer was not there.

One mother, who did not want to be named, said her daughter "never" would have accepted to play for Rutgers if she knew Coach Stringer would not be there, and that many of the Rutgers players feel the same way.

In fact, it wasn't until a Nov. 8 video call that Coach Stringer told the team she would be out for the entire season.

"Since the spring of 2021 leading up to the team meeting on Nov. 8, the student-athletes were told by Coach Eatman that it was Coach Stringer’s intention to return to the program and coach the 2021-22 season, however, the exact timetable was unknown," Rutgers told Patch.

"While we understand that this is not an optimal situation and is a challenge to everyone, most players have been understanding and compassionate," said the school. "And no complaints or allegations regarding abusive behavior by the acting coach have been presented to (Rutgers Athletic Director Patrick) Mr. Hobbs or his administration."

Read the entire report in the Bergen Record, which was first to break this news: Lauded Rutgers women's basketball coach's leave approaches a year, leaving players in limbo

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