Southern Indiana has hired Mat Santoro as the new head men’s soccer head coach. Santoro was an assistant men’s coach at Memphis last season. Before that, he served as the head women’s soccer coach at Davis and Elkins for four seasons. Under his leadership, the Senators set school records for overall wins, conference wins, goals scored, and all-conference selections. He made the move to Davis and Elkins after spending four years as the assistant men’s coach at Rowan. Santoro played collegiately for one season at Maryland before transferring to Rowan, where he was named all-conference three times.

Other transactions

Athletics directors – Gannon named Don Sherman as interim director of athletics, effective immediately while a national search for a permanent AD is conducted. Sherman was Gannon’s first full-time associate AD in 2004, serving under former athletics directors Bill Elias and Gilbert “Griz” Zimmerman … Mercyhurst Athletics Director Craig Barnett resigned. Assistant Athletics Director Aaron Kemp will serve on an interim basis with help from Assistant AD Sara Headley. School official said a national search will begin immediately.

Associate athletics directors – Oregon State promoted Matt Arend from assistant to associate athletics director for external operations.

Staff

Ticket operations – Oregon State promoted Cecil Hairston to director of ticket operations. He had been the assistant director since 2005.

Promotions – Oregon State promoted Nikki Pruett to director of promotions and fan development. Ben Little also joined the staff full time as director of advertising, Web design and branding.

Coaches

Men’s and women’s cross country – Jim Fields was selected as head men’s and women’s cross country coach at Tusculum. Fields previously served as head coach of the Tusculum cross country program for five seasons (2000-04).

Field hockey – Northwestern hired former Michigan associate head coach Tracy Fuchs as the Wildcats’ new head coach. Fuchs also is the current head coach of the United States Junior National field hockey team. She was a three-time all-American as a student-athlete at Connecticut and is a two-time USA Field Hockey Athlete of the Year (1990, 1993).

Football – Presbyterian hired Harold Nichols as head football coach. Nichols, a 1989 alumnus of Presbyterian, returns to the program from Bucknell, where he was the offensive coordinator and assistant coach since January 2008 … Massachusetts promoted offensive coordinator Kevin Morris to head football coach. The Minutemen’s Morris-led offense has helped the team experience its winningest five-year period in program history. Morris replaces Don Brown, who left earlier this month to become the defensive coordinator at Maryland.

Men’s and women’s soccer – Gonzaga head women’s soccer coach Shannon Stiles announced her retirement from head coaching. Stiles, who just completed her 10th season as the head coach of the Bulldogs, plans to focus her time on her husband and three children … Charlotte hired John Cullen as head women’s soccer coach. Cullen, who played on the 49ers nationally ranked men’s soccer team in the early 1990s, succeeds Jon Lipsitz, who resigned to take the head coaching position at Kentucky … Francis Marion head women’s soccer coach Marty Beall has resigned his position to take the head coaching job with High Point. Beall completed his sixth year at the helm of the Patriots women’s program and owns a 56-44-7 coaching mark. He guided the program in its recent move from NCAA Division II to Division I membership. Beall served as an assistant coach at Francis Marion for four years before taking over the head coaching reigns in 2003. He attended Maryland-Eastern Shore and Montgomery (Junior) College before earning his undergraduate degree from Francis Marion.

Men’s and women’s tennis – Steve Tyler was hired as the head women’s and men’s tennis coach at Central (Iowa).  

Men’s and women’s volleyball – Jennifer Addison stepped down as head coach of the Mercy women’s volleyball team after six seasons … Colorado-Colorado Springs hired Keith Barnett as the school’s new women’s volleyball coach. Barnett was a member of the U.S. National Team in 2001-02 and 2005-06. He replaces Jessica Wood, who became an assistant athletics director at the school.

Men’s and women’s track and field – Central Michigan head men’s track and field coach Jim Knapp announced he will retire at the end of the outdoor season. Knapp is in his 24th season in charge of the Central Michigan men’s track and field program.

Deaths

Sul Ross State football student-athlete Jermaine Swearington died of gunshot wounds January 18 in Midland, Texas. Swearington, 23, was in his first year at Sul Ross State. He had been named first-team all-American Southwest Conference as a freshman after rushing for 909 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns.