On the eve of announcing the addition of varsity men's and women's ice hockey programs, Penn State named Joe Battista associate athletics director for ice arena operations and the director of the ice arena and hockey campaign. Battista is credited with securing the largest gift in university history for the planned facility and programs. Battista previously served as the executive director of the Nittany Lion Club from 2006 to 2009 and was most recently the director of major gifts for the university's college of business.

Other transactions

Assistant directors of athletics -- Amy Foster returned to the Seattle Pacific athletics department as assistant athletics director for business and operations. Foster spent the past five years as an assistant director for conference services for the university and previously worked in the athletics department in event management. She succeeds Bob Huber, who retired after 34 years on staff.

Coaches

Men's and women's lacrosse assistants – Holy Cross selected Patricia Sutton as assistant coach of the women's lacrosse program. Sutton spent the past two years as an assistant coach with the women's lacrosse program at Albany.

Men's and women's swimming and diving – St. Michael's promoted Eileen Hall to head coach of the men's and women's swimming and diving programs. Hall, who was an assistant coach last season, assumes the position following the retirement of Jim Donoghue after 12 seasons at the helm of both programs.

Milestones

Aurora women's soccer coach Kanute Drugan earned his 200th career victory with the Spartans' 4-0 win over Concord Sept. 19. Drugan is the first soccer coach at Aurora to surpass 200 wins. In his 14th season with Aurora, Drugan has compiled a 200-76-12 (.715) record.

Deaths

Former Delaware football student-athlete Gardy Kahoe died Sept. 17 at the age of 60. Kahoe competed for the Blue Hens from 1968 to 1971 and closed his career as the second all-time leading rusher in school history (2,374) while setting school records for rushing touchdowns (33) in a season and consecutive 100-yard rushing games (6). He was a consensus first team All-American in 1971 and was inducted into Delaware's athletics hall of fame in 2008 … Jesus Cruz, a Whittier wrestling student-athlete, collapsed during a weekend tournament and died at the age of 20. Cruz was a second-year wrestler and captain of the school's team.

Information for submissions

Send transactions – including hiring announcements, contract extensions, retirements, milestones and deaths – to transactions@ncaa.org.