SUNY New Paltz names assistant coaches

NEW PALTZ – — With the start of the school year approaching, the SUNY New Paltz Athletic Department has hired several assistant coaches for 2002-03.

Julie Clark has been named the assistant field hockey and assistant lacrosse coach. Clark was the assistant field hockey coach at Providence College a year ago. A former All-America field hockey player at Syracuse, she has also held assistant coaching positions at Richmond and James Madison and was the head field hockey coach at Drew University.

Former SUNY New Paltz men’s volleyball player Ian Walker will handle the assistant coaching duties for the women’s volleyball program. Walker was a four-year member of the team and earned his degree last December.

Tony Mohammed will serve as the assistant women’s soccer coach. Mohammed, a former soccer player at Kenyon College, has worked for Coerver Coaching for the last five years and is currently employed by the Lake Placid Soccer Center.

Ellen Strickler and Cassandra Quackenbush will be a part of the cross-country and track & field staff. Strickler, who is in her second year as an assistant at New Paltz, graduated from the University of Delaware in 1994 and was the North Atlantic Conference Outdoor Champion in the 3000 and 5000-meter events. Quackenbush begins her first year with the program. The SUNY New Paltz graduate was the conference champion in the javelin and the heptathlon in 2000.

Eric Gullickson will serve as the assistant coach for the tennis program. Gullickson was a varsity tennis player at SUNY New Paltz from 1999-2000. He is currently a writer and editor in the Office of Public Affairs at SUNY New Paltz.

Rory Becker and Chris Gondek both return as assistant men’s soccer coaches. Becker begins his third season with the Hawks. He spent seven years as the boy’s soccer coach at Washingtonville High School. Gondek, who enters his second year, was a two-time All-SUNYAC performer in soccer at Plattsburgh. He will also serve as an intern in the sports information office at SUNY New Paltz.

Matt Monette and Anthony Peppe will both begin their first year as assistant basketball coaches. Monette was an assistant coach at SUNYAC rival Potsdam last year. He earned a master’s degree in instructional technology/media management from Potsdam. Peppe played collegiate basketball at Molloy College for two years before finishing up his career at SUNY Brockport in 1999. He earned his master’s degree in physical education from Brockport last December.

Nicole Beauregard begins her first year as the assistant women’s basketball coach. She was an assistant coach at Potsdam during the 2000-01 school year. Beauregard also earned her undergraduate degree at Potsdam, and as a member of the women’s basketball team, scored more than 1,000 points during her career.

Dan Talleyrand, Mark Otto and Christine Foster will serve as assistant coaches for the swimming and diving program. A 1998 graduate of SUNY New Paltz, Talleyrand begins his fifth year on the staff. He was a captain for the men’s swimming team as a senior in 1997-98 and the ECAC Champion in the 50-freestyle in 1997. Otto was a SUNYAC Champion in the 200-freestyle and the 200-medley relay as a senior in 2002. Foster is a 2002 SUNY New Paltz graduate and was twice the team’s most valuable swimmer.

Scott DeGeorge and T.D. Mills will return for their third and fourth seasons respectively with the baseball program. DeGeorge will serve as the team’s hitting and outfield coach. His coaching resume also includes a managerial stint with the St. Cloud River Bats. Mills, a former standout catcher at Siena, will be the team’s catching and base-running coach. Mills has also been the player/manager for the Anaconda Colonials in the Collegiate Wood Bat League.

Elaine Torda will enter her third season as the assistant men’s volleyball coach. Her collegiate coaching resume also includes assistant coaching positions at Middlebury College, Potsdam and Mount Senario College. She played collegiate volleyball at St. Michael’s College and graduated in 1986.

Kenneth Swart begins his second season as the pitching coach for the SUNY New Paltz softball team. The Saugerties resident spent 29 years as a softball, baseball and basketball coach with the Saugerties Athletic Association.

Lillian Staab has been named the assistant women’s lacrosse coach for the Hawks. A four-year player and a three-year starter at SUNY Cortland, Staab earned All-America honors in 1999.