Gardner-Webb fires Kris McCullough amid investigation after he coached only one game

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. (AP) — Gardner-Webb fired coach Kris McCullough on Wednesday, two days after the school announced it was investigating him.

School officials announced Monday they were suspending McCullough pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation.

The cause of the investigation and subsequent firing wasn’t disclosed. McCullough coached only one game at Gardner-Webb, a 35-17 season-opening loss to Austin Peay on Thursday.

Pete Bennett, who joined Gardner-Webb’s staff as a special teams coordinator in 2024, was announced on Monday as the interim head coach.

Gardner-Webb is a Championship Subdivision program in the Ohio Valley Conference.

McCullough had taken over Gardner-Webb’s program in December after Cris Reisert stepped down. McCullough coached Division II program Texas Permian Basin from 2023-25.

Reisert, who led Gardner-Webb to a 7-5 record last season, moved to the Bowl Subdivision ranks as Toledo’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

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