Cross country assistant coach Christopher Straub left his position, the college confirmed this week.

A new track and field coach will be hired before the next season begins in the fall, Vice President for Campus Life Annette Diorio said. College officials would not elaborate on the reason for his abrupt departure.

Straub was at Elizabethtown College between 1998 and 2011, after which he spent a year at Walsh University in Ohio and Bucknell University each, before being hired at Lafayette last fall.

The Lafayette contacted Straub multiple times but he did not respond in time for deadline.

According to players, Straub told the cross country team at a picnic the beginning of last season that he spent time in a rehabilitation center after being close with a student who died at Elizabethtown. They said he told them this to ensure that they heard it from him.

Will Howes ‘18, who was at the picnic but quit the team later that semester, remembered that Straub said only that he was close to the student, and that her death affected him greatly. It is unclear why he left Elizabethtown in 2011 after a record that included 26 Middle-Atlantic Conference team titles since 1999. Elizabethtown did not respond for comment in time for deadline.

At Walsh University a year after leaving Elizabethtown, he left mid-season for “personal reasons,” according to a deleted press release on the Walsh Athletics page.

At Bucknell, he worked as a volunteer assistant coach. It is unclear why he left Bucknell and Walsh did not respond for comment in time for deadline.

Lafayette Human Resources said they subject every potential employee to a background check in accordance with state policy. Athletic Director Bruce McCutcheon did not answer by deadline whether a background check was conducted. Current head coach Michelle also did not respond for comment before deadline.