Students who attended a party with ISU basketball head coach Larry Eustachy more than a year ago said they believe his actions were inappropriate for a public figure.

“If it had been a regular college guy, I wouldn’t have thought about it, but this man is in the public eye,” said Nicole Wenger, sophomore in hotel and restaurant management at Kansas State who attended a party with Eustachy in Manhattan.

Nicole said she was attending an after-hours party at her brother’s fraternity, Kappa Sigma, when Eustachy showed up with several other men. She said she assumed they were from Iowa State, because they were wearing ISU apparel.

It was about 2 or 2:30 a.m., said Marla Koehne, sophomore in family studies and human services at Kansas State.

Koehne said there were about 30 to 40 people watching Eustachy at the time.

Nicole said he started making comments toward her about her appearance.

“[He said things like] ‘You’re pretty good-looking’,” she said. “It wasn’t that bad until we got in front of a whole bunch of people.”

She said Eustachy also said he thought she should be going to Kansas because, “the girls are much hotter there.”

Eustachy had put his arm around Nicole Wenger, she said. It was at this point that Nicole’s brother, Kurtis Wenger, intervened.

“He said, ‘You’re married. What are you doing hitting on freshman girls in college?'” Nicole said.

She said she could smell alcohol on Eustachy’s breath.

“He was pretty drunk,” she said.

Kurtis said he pulled his sister away from Eustachy after he believed Eustachy had been getting too close to her.

Several people in attendance started talking to Eustachy about ISU’s loss to Kansas State that night, Kurtis said.

Nicole said Eustachy went through players individually and criticized their performances.

Kurtis said he made several inappropriate comments about his team.

“He said ‘I don’t care whether or not my team is good or bad’,” Kurtis said. “I make $1 million a year, which is $3,000 a day.”

Eustachy was at the party for about an hour and a half or two hours, Kurtis said.

In a statement, Iowa State Athletics Director Bruce Van De Velde said he is disappointed with Eustachy’s actions.

“Obviously we are disappointed with Coach Eustachy’s behavior,” he said. “We have made sure he understands his accountability and obligations as Iowa State’s basketball coach, now and in the future.”

Eustachy released a statement late Monday:

“I want the people of Iowa, and the fans of our program throughout the nation, to know how sorry I am to have disappointed them with some poor decisions I have made. But words are cheap at a time like this, and I hope to be measured by my future conduct.

“I am certainly aware of the role drinking has played in my behavior. I am addressing this matter.

“With the support of my family and friends, I will do everything in my power to make sure my actions reflect highly upon this university and this state.”

Current ISU men’s basketball players were not available for comment Monday, according to ISU officials.

Kurtis said some members of his fraternity thought it was cool Eustachy was drinking at their fraternity.

“I think the guys thought it was pretty cool, [but] I took it a different way,” Kurtis said.

Kurtis said he did not think Eustachy’s actions were appropriate.

“[His actions] were cool to an extent, but if you step back and say he’s the head coach, you expect more [from him],” Kurtis said.

Koehne said she thought his comments about the ISU men’s basketball team were particularly inexcusable.

“It’s not appropriate to come into the school he just lost to and make it sound like his players were all worthless,” she said.

Gabby Hunter, sophomore in dance at Kansas State who grew up in Ames and attended the party, said she has always been a big Iowa State fan, and is disappointed with Eustachy’s actions.

“It really breaks my heart that anybody could represent Iowa State that badly,” she said.

Damion Staple, a recruit from Southeastern Illinois Community College, signed with Iowa State last week. He said this news did not change his intentions.

“I don’t regret [my decision to sign with Iowa State],” Staple said when informed of Eustachy’s actions.

Students React

The talk on campus Monday was dominated by Larry Eustachy who, according to an article published in The Des Moines Register, attended a party with Missouri students after Iowa State lost to the Tigers in January.

The article included sources who said Eustachy openly criticized his team at the party and photographs that show a beer-holding Eustachy embracing and kissing college-aged women on the cheek. He reportedly attended the party with Missouri guard Josh Kroenke.

Student reaction to Eustachy’s actions varied, but most agreed he did not represent Iowa State well. All agreed that some disciplinary action should be taken, but it varied from a verbal warning to a fine.

“I don’t think he should get fired,” said Hailee Rustad, freshman in Liberal Arts and Sciences. “I think that he should get fined …to teach him a lesson.”

Luke Gingerich, junior in civil engineering, was hesitant to judge Eustachy’s actions, but did say it was embarrassing to the state.

“If he’s going to be caught doing things like this, he needs to start winning more games,” Gingerich said.

“But I would rather see him in the paper doing this than some of our athletes.”

Gingerich said he thinks Eustachy, who makes upward of $1 million annually and is the state’s highest-paid public employee, should have his salary docked, but no further action should be taken.

Luke Marriott, who said he’s been an ISU basketball fan since he’s been able to walk, said the most embarrassing part of the matter is Eustachy’s actions came after a loss. The Cyclones dropped to 0-4 in the Big 12 Conference and 10-5 overall with the loss.

“His attention after a loss should not be on blowing it up with some women and Josh Kroenke,” said Marriott, sophomore in political science. “He needs to be back looking over the X’s and O’s.”

Jamie Luedtke, a graduate student in community and regional planning, was torn with her opinion. She said Eustachy should be held to a higher standard than most because he is a major-college basketball coach. But also Eustachy, who is known for his on-court temper tantrums, has a reputation that most fans enjoy.

“He’s got an image to uphold,” Luedtke said. “I’ve never seen students cheer for a coach like that before. When he starts getting Larry-crazy, they all love it.”

Courtney Rockow, sophomore in agricultural business, said Eustachy should be a worthy representative of Iowa State and a role model to his players. She said she doesn’t think he should be fired for his actions, though.

“I don’t think he should be fired or suspended. He is a grown man over 21 years-old and can partake in those doings,” Rockow said. But, “this needs to be a lesson and he needs to learn from it.”

Ronnie Chandler, senior in apparel merchandising, design and production, also took issue with Eustachy’s actions, but didn’t think the actions warranted a severe reprimand.

“I don’t think he should be partying with the other team, especially after they lost,” Chandler said. “It’s a bad judgment, but I don’t really think it’s that serious.”

This season has been a tumultuous one for the ISU men’s basketball program. Former assistant coach Randy Brown resigned following child pornography charges and four players who played on last year’s squad have had brushes with the law within the last year.

“You wonder what’s going on with this program,” Marriott said. “This program used to be one of the top ones.”