West Virginia assistant coach Noel Devine arrested on felony strangulation charge
West Virginia assistant running backs coach and offensive analyst Noel Devine was arrested on Sunday on a charge of felony strangulation and booked into the North Central Regional Jail with bail set at $40,000. Devine, 38 and a former standout running back for the program, entered a not guilty plea; a preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 23. Head coach Rich Rodriguez placed Devine on indefinite leave pending further investigation.
Noel Devine, 38, a West Virginia assistant running backs coach and offensive analyst, was arrested on Sunday on a charge of felony strangulation, according to ESPN. Devine was booked into the North Central Regional Jail at 12:45 p.m. ET on Sunday with bail set at $40,000. He entered a plea of not guilty according to online case records, per ESPN's reporting. A preliminary hearing is set for September 23.
Devine has been serving as an assistant running backs coach and offensive analyst for West Virginia and joined the coaching staff when head coach Rich Rodriguez returned to the program.
In response to the arrest, Rodriguez stated, per ESPN: "Upon receiving information of the arrest, I have immediately and indefinitely put Noel Devine on leave from the Mountaineer football coaching staff. Any future decision on his status will be determined after more information becomes available."
Devine was a standout running back for West Virginia during his playing career. According to ESPN, he ranked third in team history with 4,315 rushing yards and set a West Virginia team record with 5,761 all-purpose yards. Devine earned All-Big East honors and was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.
Noel Devine, a West Virginia assistant coach and former program star, was arrested Sunday on a felony strangulation charge and placed on indefinite leave by head coach Rich Rodriguez.
Devine remains on indefinite leave pending the September 23 preliminary hearing. The circumstances of the alleged strangulation and the identity of the alleged victim have not been disclosed in available reports. Any further action regarding his employment status depends on developments in the case.
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Single-source report. As published, only ESPN had reported this development. No independent outlet had corroborated it.
Also reported by The News-Press, Times West Virginian, On3, West Virginia University Athletics. Independent coverage of the same development, found by search; not this story's sources.
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