Chancellors and presidents
Doug Whitlock was selected as president at Eastern Kentucky. Whitlock had been serving as president on an interim basis.

Directors of athletics
Georgia State Athletics Director Mary McElroy signed a four-year contract that runs through June 2011 … Leslie Danehy, the director of athletics and recreation at Cabrini, has announced her resignation and will join the NCAA national office as associate director of playing rules administration. Danehy has been director of athletics at Cabrini since 2003 … North Dakota athletics director Tom Buning resigned. He had held the position since July 2005, previously serving as associate athletics director at Army … Mount St. Mary’s hired Lynne Robinson.

Associate directors of athletics
Brian Gordon was named senior associate athletics director at Saint Rose … San Jose State promoted Kellie Elliott to deputy director of athletics and Vince Otoupal to senior associate athletics director for development and donor relations. Tom Hastings was named associate athletics director for communications at the university.

Coaches
Baseball assistants — Ted Silva was hired as pitching coach at UC Irvine. Silva spent the 2007 season as an assistant at Fresno State. Jason Dietrich also joined the UC Irvine staff as director of baseball operations … Maryland-Eastern Shore selected Michael Bigwood.

Men’s basketball — Lute Olson is taking an indefinite leave of absence from his duties as head men’s basketball coach at Arizona. Kevin O’Neill will lead the Wildcats on an interim basis during Olson’s absence.

Men’s basketball assistant – Rob Senderoff resigned his post at Indiana.

Women’s basketball – Cecelia DeMarco was named interim head coach of the women’s basketball program at MIT. Previously the head coach at Yale and New Hampshire, DeMarco also spent time as director of athletics at Bridgewater State … Saint Louis extended the contract of women’s basketball coach Yeshimbra Gray-Miller through the 2011-12 season.

Women’s basketball assistants – Colorado named Ann Strother director of women’s basketball operations … Felician added John Brennan to its staff. He replaces Rich Lee, who retired after more than 30 years in the coaching profession … Bentley tabbed Kathy Karlsson, who previously coached at Brandeis, Boston U., Merrimack and Maine.

Football — Southern Methodist released Phil Bennett from his post as head football coach. Bennett spent six seasons at the helm of the program and compiled an overall record of 18-48 during his tenure. Bennett will coach the remaining four games on this season’s schedule … DuChon Burns was named interim coach at Texas Southern.

Men’s and women’s golf — Coker hired Tommy Baker as its head men’s coach. Baker spent the past year as a graduate assistant at North Carolina-Pembroke.

Men’s and women’s ice hockey — Western Michigan extended the contract of men’s coach Jim Culhane.

Men’s and women’s ice hockey assistant — Wayne State selected Nicolette Franck as an assistant coach.

Softball — Georgia Tech extended Sharon Perkins contract by one year, through the 2010 season.

Men’s and women’s swimming and diving assistants — Ava Massoud and Tim Kearney were named assistant coaches at Hamilton.

Men’s and women’s volleyball — Ernie Gilbert resigned his post at Wayne State after four years at the helm.

Staff
Academic services — St. John’s (New York) hired Jennifer Lebowitz as an assistant director in its student development department. She will serve as the academic advisor for baseball, men’s golf and men’s and women’s tennis.

Administrative — Delaware promoted Jerry Oravitz to special assistant to the director of athletics. Oravitz has been with the athletics department since 1997, including the last three as director of football operations.

Assistant athletic trainer — Meaghan Jones accepted a position at Mount St. Mary’s.

Development — Ken McDonald was selected as executive director of the Spartan Foundation at San Jose State.

Sports information — Joe Monaco was named assistant director of athletics media relations at Texas Christian. Monaco spent the previous three years in a similar capacity at Texas-Pan American.
Conferences

The Pacific-10 Conference selected Kathy Lynch as director of business and finance. Lynch spent the past two years working as assistant business manager at Maryland.

Deaths
Former Baldwin-Wallace football coach Bob Packard died October 22. Packard led the Baldwin-Wallace program from 1981-2001 … Wabash freshman swimmer Patrick Michael Woehnker died October 28 … Former Maryland football standout Dick Nolan died November 11 at the age of 75. Nolan is the former head coach of the San Francisco 49ers … Former Connecticut football player and assistant coach Thomas Kopp died November 10. He was 69.