Walter McCarty has been fired as the University of Evansville men’s basketball head coach after spending the past three weeks on administrative leave. He was under investigation for conduct that allegedly violated Title IX laws.

UE made the announcement on Tuesday evening in a news release. It explained that since McCarty was placed on leave 25 days ago, UE received additional reports of alleged misconduct.

"There is no place at UE for any behavior by any University employee or student that jeopardizes the safety and security of others," the release states.

More:Evansville fired basketball coach Walter McCarty. Here's what we know

UE issued McCarty warnings last year regarding inappropriate off-court behavior with members of the campus community. He also participated in training concerning acceptable behavior under Title IX.

"While the investigation of potential Title IX violations will continue under University policies, UE has decided that, based on the facts uncovered thus far, it is necessary to terminate Mr. McCarty's employment immediately."

Bennie Seltzer will continue to serve as interim head coach until a new head coach is appointed. The Aces (9-10, 0-6 MVC) host Drake at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

McCarty, 45, signed a five-year contract in March 2018 that’s believed to be for about $250,000 annually. (The contract was never made public because UE is not required to do so as a private university.) The Aces went 11-21 in McCarty’s first year and were 9-4 under his direction this season.

The team has lost all six of its games since McCarty was placed on leave Dec. 27.

UE President Chris Pietruszkiewicz announced that decision in an internal letter to staff. Pietruszkiewicz, who was hired shortly after McCarty, said the university received reports of “unwelcome conduct” by McCarty since he arrived on campus.

He said UE counseled McCarty about his behavior and that the university in December received a "troubling" report about an interaction between the coach and a member of the campus community.

No one from UE commented on the situation during the three-plus weeks between him being placed on leave and the resignation. Neither did McCarty, who deactivated his Twitter and Instagram accounts shortly after the news broke.

Pietruszkiewicz sent another university-wide email on Tuedsay.

"It is with great disappointment that I am writing today to inform you of our decision to terminate the employment of Men’s Basketball Head Coach Walter McCarty, effective immediately, for behavior contrary to the core values of our University," he wrote.

"Coach McCarty is an Evansville native who is well known in the community and has enjoyed success with our Men’s Basketball program. However, that success cannot supersede standards and values that guide the University. Our decision also reflects our commitment that there is no place at UE for any behavior by any University employee or student that jeopardizes the safety and security of others."

Bennie Seltzer has served as the interim head coach. The Aces' six losses have come by an average of 17 points and attendance at home games has declined.

With official information scarce, rumors and gossip were rampant throughout the community over the past few weeks. Regardless of the validity of some of those rumors, they've left a black eye on both the university and athletics department considering McCarty is one of UE's highest-paid employees and is perhaps the most recognizable man in town.

UE didn’t disclose any details into what the investigation involved. The Courier & Press spoke with several people about their knowledge of the allegations. But those people voiced hesitation to speak on the record until a resolution was announced.

Title IX was passed in 1972. At first, the main emphasis was on gender equity, but it has evolved to focus more attention on sexual violence, which is considered an extreme form of discrimination. Some examples of violations: Derogatory or sexist remarks, sexually suggestive jokes, inappropriate touching, physical sexual advances and more.

An independent, national law firm conducted the investigation. The Indianapolis Star reported McCarty hired Indy-based attorney Jon Little to represent him. In a Dec. 30 statement, Little said:

“Coach McCarty was directed by UE officials to refrain from publicly commenting on the ongoing investigation. Coach McCarty would like nothing more than to publicly clear his name, but he respects UE's policies and its private investigatory process. As Coach McCarty cooperates with the investigation, he remains grateful for the support received from both the UE and Evansville communities.”

On the court, McCarty instilled a fast-paced offense that featured a program record in 3-point attempts last season. That style and his NBA pedigree attracted higher-level recruits in terms of athleticism and potential than previous UE teams – from major-college transfers such as Sam Cunliffe (Kansas) and Samari Curtis (Nebraska) to those who fell through the cracks, such as leading scorer DeAndre Williams.

McCarty is an Evansville native who UE Athletics Director Mark Spencer hand-picked for the position. Spencer said when he made the hire that McCarty was “100 percent the right man for the job.”

McCarty is a member of the Rick Pitino and Brad Stevens coaching trees. He won a national championship as a player at Kentucky in 1996 and went on to have a decade-long NBA career, most notably with the Boston Celtics. He later spent five years as a Celtics assistant coach before accepting the UE job.

His hire was met with great fanfare. UE posted its highest attendance in 10 years last season, a 40 percent increase from the year before. It currently leads the Missouri Valley Conference this season, which was billed as "Next Year is Now" by UE Athletics.

That seemed legitimate when McCarty led the Purple Aces to arguably their biggest victory in program history when they shocked the nation for defeating his top-ranked alma mater Kentucky 67-64 on Nov. 12.

Two months later, McCarty is gone.

Contact Chad Lindskog of the Courier & Press by email, clindskog@gannett.com, or on Twitter: @chadlindskog.