Utah State women’s basketball coach Kayla Ard shared the news of her own firing in a surreal press conference moment on Sunday night.
Ard concluded her fourth season as the head coach at Utah State with an 85-49 loss to Boise State in the first round of the Mountain West Women’s Basketball Championship. In her postgame press conference, Ard was asked how she plans to rebuild for the 2024-25 season. She said that will not be her responsibility since she is not remaining with the team.
“I’m not gonna be rebuilding. I just coached my last game at Utah State,” Ard said. “I spoke with (athletic director Diana Sabau) and they’re going in a different direction. I respect her decision and I hope they get a really good coach in.”
This is crazy! After the Utah State women lost tonight, coach Kayla Ard was asked how they rebuild next season – and she says she just got fired. Never seen anything like this.
"I'm assuming that's going to be the last question?"
(Video courtesy of The Mountain West) pic.twitter.com/j9yjcMAbjD
— B.J. Rains (@BJRains) March 11, 2024
Many people reacted by blasting Utah State for firing Ard immediately after the last game of the season, but that probably is not what happened. Utah State finished 5-25 this season after going 4-26 a year ago. In all likelihood, Ard was informed during the season that she would be let go at the end of the year.
Either way, that was about as awkward as it gets.
