Kyle Williams

@kwill_cj

Western Kentucky basketball coach Ray Harper has resigned as players Fredrick Edmond, Chris McNeal and Marlon Hunter were suspended following a hearing before the University Disciplinary Committee Wednesday night, athletics director Todd Stewart announced Thursday.

No information regarding the disciplinary outcome will be released by the school.

“Federal law prevents us from public discussion of any details related to student disciplinary cases,” Stewart said.

Harper, who led the Hilltoppers to an 89-64 record in five years on the hill, will be paid through the end of his contract term on June 30 of this year.

“I would like to thank Ray Harper for his many contributions to our program over the past eight years,” Stewart said. “Today is obviously a very difficult day. President Gary Ransdell and I met with our team a short while ago. We will begin the process of identifying and hiring our next head coach immediately.”

A Bremen, Ky., native, Harper guided the Hilltoppers to an 18-16 record this season after three consecutive 20-win campaigns. He's the first coach in WKU's storied history to record three seasons of 20 or more wins in his first three years as head man. Harper took over at WKU following Ken McDonald's midseason firing in Jan. 2012. He was elevated from assistant to interim before gaining head coaching responsibilities the following season.

“Earlier today, I informed Todd Stewart that I was resigning as WKU head men’s basketball coach,” Harper said in a statement released by the school. “I feel this is in the best interests of the program; a program I care deeply about. It has been a true honor being a part of this historic program, as both a head coach and assistant coach. I want to thank my assistant coaches, our support staff and certainly our players for their efforts, dedication and sacrifices on behalf of me and our program. I also want to thank Gary Ransdell, Todd Stewart and our administrative staff for their support and dedication.

“WKU Athletics has an outstanding group of people, and there is no better place to work. Finally, I want to thank the Bowling Green community and the Hilltopper Nation for the tremendous support they provided my wife Shannon and I. We were proud to call WKU home, and I wish everyone all the best.”

Edmond, a junior-college transfer guard, made 27 starts and appeared in 33 games this season, averaging 12.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Freshman guards McNeal and Hunter appeared in 34 and 32 games, respectively. McNeal logged 29 starts and totaled 5.6 points and 3.9 assists at the point.

BELOW: Harper after a loss at Louisville this past season: