Georgetown suspends coach Ed Cooley for bottle toss

Georgetown has suspended coach Ed Cooley for one game after he struck a child in the stands with a water bottle in a moment of frustration, according to a statement from the school Sunday.

After Malik Mack missed a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer in his team’s 80-77 loss against Xavier on Saturday in Washington, Cooley squeezed a water bottle and hurled it toward the stands. The bottle struck a child who was being held by a woman sitting a few rows behind the team’s bench.

Cooley immediately apologized after the game and said he would reach out to the family. Per the school, he will be suspended for the team’s next matchup against Coppin State and Jeff Battle, the associate head coach, will lead the squad in his absence.

In the statement, Georgetown athletic director Lee Reed said Cooley’s behavior did not meet the school’s standard.

“I met with Coach Cooley today to discuss the incident which occurred after last night’s game against Xavier,” Reed said. “I expressed that his conduct did not align with the standards we expect of our coaches, nor does it reflect the values of Georgetown Athletics or Georgetown University. As a result, Coach Cooley will be suspended for the next game vs. Coppin State.”

The Big East, in its own statement Sunday, supported the school’s decision.

“We have communicated with Georgetown leadership and support their decision to suspend head men’s basketball coach Ed Cooley for his actions following last night’s game against Xavier,” the league said. “The safety and security of spectators and participants at Big East events is of paramount importance and fundamental to the enjoyment of our games.”

Georgetown’s loss was its fourth in its past seven games. Cooley’s team won 18 games last season, doubling the tally from his first year in 2023-24. In his third season this year, Cooley hopes to elevate a program that hasn’t reached the NCAA tournament since the 2020-21 season. But the Hoyas have had to weather a rocky stretch for the past month. The incident at the Xavier game punctuated the team’s recent turbulence.

On Sunday, Cooley again apologized in a statement following his suspension. He also said he is close with the family of the child who was hit by his water bottle.

“I am deeply sorry for my actions during last night’s game, and sincerely apologize to the Nyahkoon family, whom I have known for years and regard as my own family,” Cooley said. “My conduct was unacceptable and does not represent who I am or the leader I strive to be. I want to also apologize to the Georgetown community, team, fans, the league and my family. I take full responsibility for my actions and their consequences. I will learn from this experience to ensure it never happens again.”

Cooley, who is 35-43 at Georgetown, will return for his team’s matchup against St. John’s on New Year’s Eve.