President-elect of the Ames/Story County Cyclone Club Darrell Rensink said he anticipates some donors will reduce their future support if Larry Eustachy is fired as men’s basketball coach.

ISU athletics director Bruce Van De Velde announced his recommendation that Eustachy be terminated and suspended him with pay Wednesday, hours after Eustachy said he has been seeking counseling for alcoholism in recent weeks.

“Clearly, I think [Van De Velde’s recommendation] will have some impact, initially anyway, on some of the fan support that’s out there and some of the financial support as well,” Rensink said. “There are a lot of folks that believe strongly in Larry and what he was doing.

“I think some will choose to speak with their pocketbooks.”

Rensink said that, in discussions he’s had with some Cyclone Club members, the consensus is not in favor of Van De Velde’s decision.

“The general mood is one of quite disappointment in the terminating of Larry Eustachy’s coaching at Iowa State,” Rensink said. “There seems to be a feeling that he was deserving of a second chance that wasn’t afforded him.”

Richard Stark, a top executive of two Fort Dodge-area businesses, is one major ISU donor who said he is upset about Eustachy’s suspension. He said he hasn’t made a decision about the level at which he’ll contribute to the athletics department in the future.

“I will certainly evaluate my support of Iowa State, based on the competence and leadership that I think is provided at Iowa State and whether or not it leads to a productive outcome,” Stark said. “I will certainly be evaluating it.”

Stark said many fellow donors he has spoken with are also upset with Van De Velde’s decision, including him.

“I’m not hearing very favorable comments about Iowa State at this time,” Stark said. “How that all plays out, I’m not sure. People’s emotions tend to change over time, but certainly there is some backlash against the administration at the present time and it’s probably well-deserved.”

Another backer of ISU athletics and 1957 All-American, Gary Thompson, agrees with Stark. He said he’s made his opinion known to ISU President Gregory Geoffroy.

“I’d like to see him have another chance,” Thompson said. “An opportunity to right himself and to regain the respect for himself, this university and the basketball program.”