Chancellors and presidents

Bethany (West Virginia) named Scott Miller president … Leonard Schlesinger was named president at Babson, effective July 1 … Southeastern Oklahoma hired Michael Turner as president, effective January 1 … Clifford Kendall was tabbed as president at Coppin State.

Directors of athletics

Tusculum hired Frankie DeBusk as director of athletics. DeBusk served the last four months in an interim capacity and has spent the last 10 years at the helm of the Pioneers football program … North Carolina A&T reassigned Delores Todd to the school of education … Steve Pederson was named athletics director at Pittsburgh … Bill Hayes was named director of athletics at Florida A&M. He previously held the same position at North Carolina Central.

Associate director of athletics

John Barranco was named associate athletics director for external operations at New Orleans … Colorado College Associate AD Anne Goodman James was designated senior woman administrator. She currently is in her second year as director of aquatics and head swimming and diving coach.

Assistant director of athletics

Portland State named Barb Dearing assistant athletics director for business operations.

Coaches

Baseball assistant — Longwood tabbed Billy Daniels as an assistant.

Men’s basketball — Joel DePagter was named at Lawrence. He had been leading the program on an interim basis … Arizona basketball coach Lute Olson extended his leave of absence through the end of the season. The institution released a statement indicating Olson will return for the 2008-09 season.

Men’s and women’s cross country — Plattsburgh State named John Lynch director of the cross country and track and field programs … Sheldon Webster resigned his post as head cross country and track and field coach at Maryville (Missouri). Todd Wallace was appointed interim coach … Jackie Sgambati resigned at Elon.

Football — Baylor hired Art Briles as head coach. The former Houston coach replaces Guy Morriss … Virginia extended the contract of head coach Al Groh through 2011 … Jeff Bower resigned after 17 years at Southern Mississippi … Bill Doba will not return to Washington State … Sonny Lubick left Colorado State. He was 108-74 in 15 seasons at the helm … Joe Novak announced his resignation after 12 seasons at Northern Illinois. Novak led the Huskies to a pair of bowl appearances … After resigning as head coach at Arkansas, Houston Nutt was tabbed at Mississippi. Nutt is 111-70 in 15 years as a head coach at Arkansas, Boise State and Murray State. He replaces Ed Orgeron … Greg Robinson will return for a fourth season at Syracuse … Bo Pelini was named head football coach at Nebraska. Pelini has spent the past four years as defensive coordinator at LSU. He served as an assistant at Nebraska in 2003 and was interim coach for the Cornhuskers in their Alamo Bowl victory over Michigan State that year … UCLA released head football coach Karl Dorrell after a 6-6 season. Dorrell was 35-27 during his five-year tenure with the Bruins … Jamie Zorbo was selected as head football coach at Kalamazoo. A 2000 graduate of the college, Zorbo spent six seasons as an assistant at his alma mater before joining the DePauw staff in 2006. He replaces Terrance Brooks, who resigned … Tommy Tuberville signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at Auburn through 2013 … Alabama A&M inked Anthony Jones to an extension that will keep him with the program through 2011. Jones has compiled a 49-21 record during his six-year tenure with the program … Marty Schaetzie signed a two-year extension with Mercyhurst … Northeastern State hired Kenny Evans … Trent Miles was named head coach at Indiana State … Oklahoma State extended the contract of Mike Gundy through 2013 … Phil Fulmer received a contract extension through 2012 at Tennessee.

Football assistants — Penn State named Kermit Buggs safeties coach. He replaces Brian Norwood, who was named defensive coordinator at Baylor … Mitch Browning was named offensive coordinator at Syracuse. He replaces Brian White.

Men’s and women’s soccer — San Jose State chose not to renew the contract of head women’s coach Dave Siracusa … Baylor hired Marci Miller Jobson … Molloy hired Mark Dawson to lead its women’s program. Dawson served as head women’s coach at Southampton from 1998-2004, compiling an overall record of 80-50-6 … Alex Silva resigned as head women’s coach at Massachusetts-Dartmouth.

Men’s and women’s track and field assistants — Ted Santaniello will serve as an assistant for the track and field programs at Plattsburgh State.

Men’s and women’s volleyball — Montana State’s Miya Malauulu stepped down from her post as head women’s coach. She had led the program for the past five seasons … Ruben Nieves resigned his position at Fresno State … Christopher Feliciano resigned his post as men’s coach at New Jersey City. Carlo Edra will replace Feliciano, who will remain as head women’s coach.

Men’s and women’s water polo — Mike Maroney resigned as head coach of the Pacific men’s program.

Notables

Missy Slay was named executive director of the local organizing committee for the 2009 Women’s Final Four in St. Louis … The National Football Foundation announced its 2007 Scholar-Athlete winners: Alex Brink (Washington State), John Carlson (Notre Dame), Nick Clark (Texas State), Brandon Cramer (Dayton), Dennis Dixon (Oregon), Michael Eubanks (Delta State), Dallas Griffin (Texas), Mike Klinkenborg (Iowa), J Leman (Illinois), Brandon Renkart (Rutgers), Eric Safran (Mount Union (Ohio)), Paul Smith (Tulsa), Jacob Tamme (Kentucky), Jake Weller (Illinois College), Danny Woodhead (Chadron State) … Archie Manning will replace Ron Johnson as chair of the National Football Foundation … The National Soccer Coaches Association of America selected former Indiana men’s coach Jerry Yeagley as a member of its Hall of Fame.

Corrections

In the December 3 issue of The NCAA News, it was incorrectly reported that Middlebury was credited with a 1-0 victory over Trinity (Texas) in the final game of the Division III Men’s Soccer Championship. The game actually is recorded as a scoreless tie, with Middlebury winning the championship on penalty kicks, 4-3... Also, the placement of teams at the Division II Men’s Cross Country Championships was incorrectly reported. Western State (Colorado) and Adams State tied for second place.

Conferences

Atlantic 10 Conference Com­missioner Linda Bruno announced her resignation, effective June 30, 2008. Bruno has served as commissioner since June 1994 … The Eastern College Athletic Conference named Karen Roberts director of finance.

Deaths

Bill Willis, the first black football all-American at Ohio State, died November 27. He was 86 … Former Kentucky basketball great Ralph Beard died. He was 79 … Former Truman sports information director Melissa Ware died November 30. She was 42 … Former Southern Methodist all-American football player Dick Hightower died at the age of 77 … Former Notre Dame football student-athlete Don Hogan died … Jerry Meyers, who played football at Northern Illinois, died November 16 at the age of 53.