The University of Vermont fired its men’s hockey coach on Tuesday following a four-month-long internal investigation over alleged “inappropriate” texts with a student. 

Coach Todd Woodcroft was let go after a formal complaint was filed in March after he allegedly exchanged the messages “with a UVM student on multiple occasions.”

“The University of Vermont Athletic Department has high expectations for the conduct of our coaches and all involved with our department,” athletic director Jeff Schulman said in a statement Tuesday. “After reviewing the findings of an investigation conducted by UVM’s Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity that was completed this week, it is clear that Coach Woodcroft failed to meet those expectations.

“The specific conduct leading to the investigation involved inappropriate text messages with a UVM student on multiple occasions that failed to maintain professional boundaries.”

He was not placed on leave as the school investigated the texts but was forced to work from home during the probe, the school said Wednesday.

“The complaint was only about inappropriate text messages,” Schulman said during a press conference on Wednesday. “And I guess I do want to just be really clear that there was no allegations or indication of anything beyond inappropriate text messages.

“[Woodcroft], in addition to being instructed not to have any contact with any of the students who were involved, was instructed to work from home until the matter was resolved, but he was not put on leave.”

The investigation began at the end of March and was wrapped up Monday, the day before the University of Vermont announced the decision to let Woodcroft go, the school said Wednesday.

The school’s probe began after a staff member inside the athletic department was made aware of Woddcroft’s conduct. 

The university did not say what the messages contained or who the student was.

Schulman, who said the conduct only involved the alleged texts, also indicated that it wasn’t “uncommon in a situation like this for there to be one student involved, but also witnesses and other students that are connected.” 

Woodcraft, who was named head coach of the men’s hockey team in 2020 and signed a five-year contract.

The 50-year-old was also told not to have any contact with the students involved in the case, Schulman said during Wednesday’s press conference. 

The investigation was handled by the school’s Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity, which turned its findings over to the AD. 

In a statement to the Burlington Free Press on Tuesday, Woodcroft’s attorney Andrew Miltenberg denounced the university’s handling of the incident. 

“We vehemently disagree with the process and the findings of a proceeding that lacked fundamental fairness and due process,” Miltenberg said. “We strongly believe the University’s decision was contrary to the facts and the law. We intend to pursue justice for Mr. Woodcroft, who has been an outstanding coach and community advocate for over two decades.”

Schulman said Wednesday that he was “confident” in how the school handled its investigation.

“I read his attorney’s comments, again I feel very confident in the university’s process,” Schulman said. “That it was thorough, that it was fair. That Todd was afforded due process throughout and when the final report came to me I was comfortable that the findings were substantiated. 

“And I was able to act on that information with a high level of confidence.”

Vermont named assistant coach Steve Wiedler as interim head coach. 

Woodcroft had previously worked as an assistant coach with the Winnipeg Jets from 2016-20.