Ferrum hired Jonathan Freeman as head coach to replace Rod Baker, who stepped down after three years. For the past five years, Freeman has been an assistant men’s and women’s soccer coach at Ashland and formerly was an assistant men’s coach at Radford, where he served as recruiting coordinator and was on staff when the Highlanders won the 2000 Big South title and made an appearance in the NCAA Division I tournament.

Other transactions

Assistant athletics director – Craig Turnbull was promoted to assistant athletics director for internal operations and director of NCAA compliance at Catawba. With the promotion, he resigned as men’s soccer coach after 11 years.

Men’s and women’s cross country – Peace tapped Jerry Nuesell as head coach. Nuesell, who also serves as the associate dean for advising and retention at the school, succeeds Rob King.

Football – Bradley Dale Peveto, co-defensive coordinator at LSU, was chosen as head coach at Northwestern State to replace Scott Stoker. Peveto, who has been at LSU for the past four years, formerly was defensive coordinator at Northwestern State from 1996-98.

Men’s and women’s golf – Ed Caesar assumed additional responsibilities as interim head men's and women’s coach at New York University. He has served as the Violets' head women's volleyball coach for the past seven seasons, compiling a 226-77 record and guiding the program to five NCAA Division III championship appearances, including a national runner-up performance in 2003 and a national semifinal appearance in 2004. 

Women’s volleyball – Peace’s Beverly Lineberger resigned as head coach after two seasons in charge of the program.

Notables – John Gagliardi, longtime head football coach at Saint John’s (Minnesota), was named as the recipient of the 2009 American Football Coaches Association’s Amos Alonzo Stagg Award. In 2008, Gagliardi, who was the first active head coach to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (Class of 2006), completed his 60th season as a collegiate head football coach and 56th season as head coach at Saint John’s (Minnesota). Gagliardi has coached four national championship teams (1963, 1965, 1976 and 2003).

Deaths – Former Cincinnati student-athlete, coach and administrator Jim Kelly Sr., died January 12. He was 81. As a receiver for the Bearcats from 1947-50, he played on two Mid-American Conference championship teams. The two-time all-MAC selection led the team in receiving during both championship seasons and registered the first 100-yard receiving game in school history. Kelly, who also played baseball for the Bearcats, was an assistant coach for the football team from 1960-76 and from 1977 until his retirement in 1994, he worked as an assistant athletics director for operations and management.