Count Tad Boyle among the most shocked at the allegations that have surfaced out of the University of Northern Colorado basketball program.

On Thursday, UNC announced the termination of the contract of head coach BJ Hill amid an ongoing NCAA investigation into violations committed by the program. Hill took over the UNC program after Boyle moved from Greeley to take over Colorado’s program six years ago. Hill had been an assistant with the Bears under Boyle.

Though the pair has remained friends since, Boyle said he had not talked to Hill recently and was stunned when the news surfaced Thursday afternoon.

“Totally shocked,” Boyle said. “I’m shocked and I have no idea what the situation is. It’s not like we talk every day, but I know him well and am in complete surprise.”

Asked if he could ever believe Hill would be embroiled in this sort of situation, Boyle said simply, “No. Never.”

The details of the ongoing investigation at UNC remains unclear, but school president Kay Norton termed the allegations as “serious and concerning” in a statement released Thursday afternoon.

Hill went 86-98 in six seasons at UNC and led the Bears to the NCAA Tournament in his first season in 2010 with a group largely recruited by Boyle. UNC said it will begin an immediate national search for Hill’s successor.

Pat Rooney: rooneyp@dailycamera.com or twitter.com/prooney07