Washington State University football coach Nick Rolovich has been let go after refusing to comply with a state COVID-19 mandate.
“Due to the requirements set forth in Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14.1, Nick Rolovich is no longer able to fulfill the duties as the football coach at Washington State University,” the university said in a statement on Monday.
Rolovich, who was named the 33rd head football coach for WSU in January 2020, and four assistant coaches — Ricky Logo, John Richardson, Craig Stutzman, and Mark Weber — were let go after missing the deadline to either get vaccinated or receive a religious exemption.
Rolovich said he had been seeking a religious exemption to the mandate, a request that appears to have been denied. The deadline was Monday.
“I don’t think this is in my hands,” CBS Sports reported Rolovich as saying. “I’ve been settled for a long time on it, and I believe it’s going to work out the right way.”
His former college coach, June Jones, told USA Today he advised his Rolovich to change his mind in the “six or seven” conversations they have over the past two months.
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“This is a disheartening day for our football program. Our priority has been and will continue to be the health and well-being of the young men on our team,” WSU Athletic Director Pat Chun said in an announcement.
“The leadership on our football team is filled with young men of character, selflessness and resiliency and we are confident these same attributes will help guide this program as we move forward,” Chun added.
Jake Dickert, the defensive coordinator for the WSU football team, will step in as “acting head coach,” according to the statement from the university.
Inslee enacted an indoor mask mandate and vaccine mandate for K-12 and higher education employees, which went into effect on Aug. 23.
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President Joe Biden announced in early September the development of rules that require companies with more than 100 employees to ensure their workers are vaccinated against COVID-19 or tested weekly, as well as mandates for federal workers and healthcare providers.
The Washington Examiner reached out to WSU and Athletic Director Pat Chun for a statement but did not receive a response.
