BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Adam Howard, a former student manager at Indiana who worked his way up to the role of assistant director of recruiting and operations this summer, has been fired and is no longer with the program, according to sources.

The news of Howard’s departure broke Friday night, and came as something of a surprise. Howard is well-liked and comes from an Indiana basketball family. He was just seen last Friday hugging his father Todd on the Assembly Hall floor after the Hoosiers’ exhibition game with Marian. Todd, a long-time successful high school coach in Indiana, is an assistant coach on Pat Knight’s staff at Marian.

Indiana basketball officials declined to comment Friday night.

Howard is in his third year with Mike Woodson’s basketball program, and he was promoted to assistant director of recruiting and operations in July. A native of Indianapolis who played basketball at Brebeuf High School for his dad, he joined the coaching staff as a graduate manager for two seasons in 2022 and 2023. He wa a student manager for four years prior to that.,

Howard was named the National Student Manager of the Year at the 2022 NCAA Final Four in New Orleans by the Grow the Game manager community. His mother, Patti Howard, is a 1993 graduate of the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. Adam has one sister, Katie, who is also an Indiana graduate.

Indiana has played two exhibition games so far this season, and had its season opener on Wednesday night at Assembly Hall. They play again on Sunday against Eastern Illinois.