Pat Kelsey will not be the new UMass men’s basketball coach after all.
Fans, cheerleaders, media and much of the athletic administration had filed into the Champions Center for a 4 p.m. press conference Thursday.
But 10 minutes before the start, assistant athletic director Molly O’Mara told assembled media that the event had been “canceled, due to unforeseen circumstances.”
Fans were ushered out of the building.
ESPN’s Jeff Goodman reported that Kelsey backed out and that a source close to Kelsey said, “He just didn’t feel like it was the right place for him.”
Athletic director Ryan Bamford is scheduled to meet with the media at 5:30 p.m.
This story will be updated.