UTSA and Austin Claunch Part Ways After DWI Arrest

On November 13, UTSA announced that it had mutually agreed with men’s basketball coach Austin Claunch to part ways. Claunch had been suspended in October after his arrest in Corpus Christi on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. The school did not describe the decision as a firing in its announcement.

UTSA athletic director Lisa Campos said discussions about the program’s future led both sides to conclude it was the right time for a transition. She thanked Claunch for his two years with the team and said assistant coach Nick Bowman would take charge for the rest of the 2026-27 season.

Police responded to a 911 call reporting that a man was unsteady inside a gas station shortly before 2 a.m. Officers discovered Claunch unconscious behind the wheel of a parked car, police said. He was booked into Nueces County Jail and later released on bond.

After the arrest, Claunch said he had made a serious error in judgment and regretted his actions and the disappointment they caused. He apologized to his players, colleagues, university leaders and the Roadrunner community.

Claunch joined UTSA in 2024 after coaching at Nicholls and serving as an assistant at Alabama. He went 17-44 across two seasons, including a 5-25 record in 2025-26. Bowman, who had been acting head coach during Claunch’s suspension, is in his third season as a UTSA assistant. The Roadrunners have opened this season 2-1, with wins over VMI and Seattle.