Providence AD Apologizes To BYU For Offensive Chant During Basketball Game
Dec 4, 2024, 8:21 AM | Updated: 10:33 am
BYU basketball faced the Providence Friars at The AMP. (Courtesy of @BYUMBB)
(Courtesy of @BYUMBB)
PROVO, Utah – BYU basketball was on the receiving end of an offensive chant during Tuesday night’s game at Providence.
The Providence student section chanted a message about people affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. BYU’s ownership group is the Latter-day Saint Church.
One BYU fan in attendance at the game captured a video of the offensive chant from Providence’s student section and shared it on social media (Warning: explicit language).
I want to apologize to @BYUMBB, their coaches & institution for unacceptable chants by our student body tonight. Once it was brought to my attention, I went to the student body & had them stop. That does not represent who Providence College is & what we stand for. We are sorry.
— Steven Napolillo (@nap16) December 4, 2024
Providence Athletic Director Steven Napolillo issued an apology on X to BYU.
“I want to apologize to @BYUMBB, their coaches & institution for unacceptable chants by our student body tonight. Once it was brought to my attention, I went to the student body & had them stop. That does not represent who Providence College is & what we stand for. We are sorry,” wrote Napolillo on X.
Providence College is a private, faith-based Catholic university in Providence, Rhode Island.
BYU had made its first trip to Providence since the 1981 NCAA Tournament. They had never faced the Friars on their home court before. Providence won the game 83-64. The matchup was part of the BIG EAST-Big 12 Battle.
This is the first time in recent years that BYU basketball has received an offensive chant towards them.
BYU football was on the receiving end of similar chants at USC in 2021 and Oregon in 2022. Both institutions issued apologies the following day after the chants.
BYU basketball doesn’t have another road game until next month, when they travel to face nationally ranked Houston on January 4 in Big 12 play.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
