Edgewood selected Ben Oestreich to lead its women’s tennis program. Oestreich, who will take the reins of the defending Northern Athletics Conference champion Eagle tennis team August 1, replaces interim head coach Stu Schaefer, who led the team through the spring season and into the NCAA tournament after former head coach Rob Barber resigned to pursue other career opportunities. Oestreich, a native of Portage, Wisconsin, returns to his home state after two seasons as the men’s and women’s tennis coach at Wartburg, where he guided both the men’s and women’s teams to two consecutive Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament berths.

Other transactions

Assistant athletics directors – Southern New Hampshire appointed Tricia Cote as an assistant director of athletics. She will serve as the athletics department’s business manager.

Coaches

Baseball – Philadelphia U. hired Mark Jackson as head baseball coach. Jackson won two Big East Conference titles as head coach at Pittsburgh. He also has been an assistant at Duquesne … UNC Asheville selected Tom Smith as the Bulldogs’ new head baseball coach. Smith has served on the UNC Asheville coaching staff for the past two seasons, first as a volunteer assistant in 2008 and as an assistant this past spring.

Men’s basketball – Dickinson picked Alan Seretti as its new head men’s basketball coach. Seretti spent the last four years directing the program at Penn State Altoona, leading the Lions to three consecutive Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference tournament appearances. He was an assistant at Washington & Jefferson for three years before that.

Men’s basketball assistants – Brian Burg was chosen as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Campbell. He spent the past two seasons as director of basketball operations at Middle Tennessee.

Women’s basketball assistants – South Carolina State added Ralph Patin III as an assistant women’s basketball coach.

Softball – Charlotte Slocum announced her retirement as head softball coach at Misericordia. In 30 seasons at the helm, Slocum compiled a career record of 676-307 for a .688 winning percentage. She ranks fifth all-time in NCAA Division III in victories and 29th in winning percentage … Maryville (Tennessee) selected former LaGrange graduate assistant Kim Woodard as the Scots’ new head softball coach.

Men’s and women’s track and field – Chicago chose Zeb Sion as associate head coach for track and field and cross country. Sion was an assistant for the last two years.

Men’s and women’s track and field assistants – Carthage added Josh Whisman to replace Joe Busalacchi, who resigned at the end of the school year. Whisman served as an assistant coach at Wayne State (Nebraska) in 2009 after two years as a graduate assistant coach. 

Staff

Athletic trainer – Jim Murdock has been named the head athletic trainer at Saint Michael’s. He spent the last 11 years as an athletic trainer at Vermont and was the director of sports medicine/head athletic trainer and assistant athletics director at Monmouth from 1986-98.

External operations – Newberry named Mike Mims and Tim Rath as external operations interns.

Sports information – Ryan Real and Nick Vlattas were hired as sports information assistants at Newberry … Rob Knox has been named sports information director at Kutztown after serving as an assistant AD for sports information at Lincoln (Pennsylvania) since 2007. Knox currently is president of the Black College Sports Information Directors Association.

Conferences

The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference named Meredith Mullins and Joe McCleese as administrative fellows for 2009-10 … The Centennial Conference named its officers for 2009-10. President Council members are John Strassburger of Ursinus, Jane Dammen McAuliffe of Bryn Mawr (chair) and Peyton R. (Randy) Helm of Muhlenberg. Franklin & Marshall Athletics Director Patricia Epps will chair the administrative delegates … John Semeraro was promoted to assistant commissioner for external operations at the Peach Belt Conference.

Deaths

Jack Mitchell, who coached the Kansas football team from 1958-66, died in Sun City, Arizona.  He was 85. Mitchell was 44-42-5 in nine seasons with the Jayhawks. His nine seasons remain tied with Glen Mason (1988-96) for the most years coached at the school. His 44 victories rank fourth all-time at the school behind A.R. Kennedy (52 from 1904-10), Mason (47) and current Jayhawks head coach Mark Mangino (45 since 2002) … Karen Page, coach of Hope’s women’s tennis team the past 12 years and a leader in the advancement of tennis at the high school, college and community levels, died July 3 after a long battle against cancer. She was 60. Page guided the Flying Dutch to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009. The 1998, 2000 and 2009 Flying Dutch earned a berth in the NCAA tournament. A recurrence of cancer this spring did not allow her to actively coach the team, but it did not deter her from being with her squad at the conference and NCAA tournaments.