Liberty announced Dale Layer as the program’s eighth head men’s basketball coach. Layer returns to Liberty after previously serving as an assistant coach for the Flames during the 2007-08 season. This will be Layer’s third head coaching stint and first since leaving Colorado State in 2007.  Layer was an assistant coach at Marquette this past season. Layer has a career 270-193 record in 16 years as a head coach, including nine seasons at the helm of Queens (North Carolina).  He also served as the athletics director there and started the basketball program in 1989 from scratch. 

Other transactions

Men’s basketball – Siena signed head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery to an eight-year contract.

Men’s basketball assistants – Kentucky named John Robic and Orlando Antigua as assistant coaches and Rod Strickland as director of basketball operations.

Women’s basketball – Hawaii released head women’s basketball coach Jim Bolla … Southern California women’s basketball coach Mark Trakh resigned … Long Beach State named Jody Wynn head women’s basketball coach.

Football assistants – Wayne State (Michigan) promoted Keith McKenzie to linebackers coach. McKenzie had been an assistant linebackers and defensive line coach.

Conferences

Brad Walker has been selected to serve as the Ohio Valley Conference’s commissioner on an interim basis, effective May 1. Walker, who has served as associate commissioner/chief operating officer at the OVC since November 2007, replaces Jon A. Steinbrecher, who resigned earlier this month to take the commissioner’s job at the Mid-American Conference. Walker joined the OVC after more than seven years at the West Coast Conference. He also has experience at the Summit League and at Holy Cross. He was an all-conference basketball player at Bentley, serving as team captain his senior season.