### Wake Forest Baseball Coach Apologizes for Homophobic Slur During Loss to Tennessee

Wake Forest baseball coach Tom Walter has publicly apologized after a video surfaced during Monday night’s game against Tennessee that appeared to show him using a homophobic slur. The incident occurred during an at-bat by Tennessee infielder Andrew Fischer, as Wake Forest's season came to an end with an 11-5 loss.

"I am very sorry for my outburst in frustration last night, and I recognize the hurt and disappointment it has caused," Walter said in a statement. "I have seen the videos and while I do not remember the specific moment clearly, that language doesn't reflect my values or the standards of the program. Regardless, I own the consequences and I apologize to the University of Tennessee, to Wake Forest University, and the SEC & ACC."

To this point, Wake Forest's official statement has not mentioned whether Walter, who has been head coach since 2010, will face further disciplinary action. The unsavory moment happened in the fourth inning with Tennessee leading 6-2. ESPN's cameras caught Walter speaking in the direction of someone on the field, making his words easy to lip-read despite the lack of audio. The clip quickly went viral on social media.

Athletic Director John Currie expressed his disappointment in Walter's actions. "I am both surprised and deeply disappointed in our head coach Tom Walter for his outburst during last night's baseball game," Currie remarked. "I feel badly for those most hurt by such words. I spoke with Coach Walter immediately after the game and again this morning to address this incident, which is completely out of character for him and does not meet the standards of Wake Forest Athletics, Wake Forest University or the Atlantic Coast Conference."

This incident marks the second notable example of a coach behaving poorly during this year's NCAA baseball tournament. Kevin O'Sullivan, coach of Florida, was critiqued by his own athletic director for a tirade against tournament officials at the Coastal Carolina-hosted regional game. O’Sullivan later apologized, stating he "let my emotions get the best of me and channeled that energy in a way I should not have."

Walter has led Wake Forest to significant achievements, including a College World Series appearance in 2023. However, this incident poses potential challenges for both his reputation and the program’s image moving forward.