JACKSONVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS - Key Persons
Aaron Everett is in his first season as the new pitching coach for the Gamecocks and was one of the first additions to Steve Bieser's first staff at Jax State.
A native of Loudon, Tennessee, Everett is a 2012 graduate of the University of Tennessee at Martin. He is married to his college sweetheart, Joanna Stewart Everett. They have three children, Rackley, Marion and Lila.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Trainer ( Baseball, Cross Country )
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- Coordinator of Baseball Operations / Director of Player Development
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- Student - Athlete Development Specialist
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- Football Video Coordinator
Napoleon comes to the Gamecocks from Rhode Island, where he served as the Rams' defensive backs coach in 2023. His unit at URI was led by cornerback Syeed Gibbs, who was named the 2023 CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year and an FCS Freshman All-American by numerous outlets, and All-CAA safety Brent Jackson.
He joined the Rams' staff from Sacred Heart, where he was the cornerbacks coach in 2022 and was on a staff that boasted the fourth-best pass defense in FCS. His unit included All-NEC corner Arsheen Jiles, who led the conference in pass break-ups.
Prior to Sacred Heart, Napoleon was a graduate assistant at Buffalo and also served stints at Kutztown University, Geneva College, Midwestern State and Susquehanna.
During his time at Susquehanna, Napoloen coached two-time All-American Daniel Shelton and led the River Hawks to a 10-1 record and a Centennial-MAC Bowl win in 2019.
A native of Rahway, N.J., where he was played in the U.S. Marines All-American Bowl, Napoleon signed with West Virginia and played for the Mountaineers before finishing his career at Kansas Wesleyan. He earned his degree in communications from Kansas Wesleyan in 2018.
Job Titles:
- Athletics Content Creator
- Title
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- Coordinator of Athletic Operations for Bowling
Bryan O'Keefe joined the Jacksonville State staff in 2023 to oversee operations for the Gamecock bowling team and serve as an assistant coach, bringing a wealth of experience at the collegiate and international level with him.
O'Keefe came to Jax State with his wife Shannon when she was hired as the program's first head coach before the start of the 2023-24 season - the inaugural one for the Gamecocks.
He was the director of bowling at McKendree University, while also serving as a coach for Team USA for more than a decade before being named head coach of the national team in 2021. O'Keefe served as an assistant prior to taking over for Team USA, where he'd led Junior Team USA for four years.
While at McKendree, O'Keefe oversaw operations for both the men's and women's bowling programs. During his time, the Bearcats won six national championships - four on the women's side and two more on the men's side.
During his time at McKendree, O'Keefe coached seven NTCA National Bowlers of the Year and seven conference bowlers of the year. He saw one of his players earn All-America honors over 40 times. There were 15 Bearcats that earned All-GLVC honors and over 40 GLVC All-Academic honorees in the four seasons since the conference started sponsoring bowling as a sport.
Job Titles:
- General Manager, JSU Gamecock Sports Properties
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- Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
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- Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach
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- Dir. of Player Personnel
- Title
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- Dir. of Football Operations
- Title
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- Sports Information Specialist - MBB, SB, TF & XC
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- Assistant Athletic Trainer ( Football, Cheer )
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- Athletics Graphics Designer
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- Assistant Men 's Basketball Coach
Dennan Morrow initially joined the men's basketball staff in October 2020 as the team's coordinator of basketball operations, and was elevated to floor assistant by head coach Ray Harper in June 2022.
Morrow, like the rest of the Gamecocks, meets a new challenge in 2023-24 as Jax State joins Conference USA for his second season as an assistant under Ray Harper.
After serving as the Gamecocks' coordinator of basketball operations for two season, Morrow made the move to floor assistant for the 2022-23 campaign, where JSU finished 13-18 after replace all five starters from its NCAA Tournament lineup the previous year. A Kansas State alum, Morrow spent five seasons as an assistant in the junior college ranks at Butler Community College, Chipola College in Florida, Daytona State and two seasons at Barton Community College in Kansas prior to arriving at JSU.
Initially arriving at Jax State in 2020, Morrow was responsible for overseeing the administrative duties of the men's basketball program, including team travel, budgeting, daily scheduling and equipment needs. He helped guide JSU through the Covid-19 pandemic season of 2020-21, and more recently helped the Gamecocks transition into the ASUN Conference for 2021-22, where JSU won the conference title in its first season in the league.
A 2013 and 2015 graduate of KSU, Morrow was a graduate assistant with the Wildcats from 2013 to 2015 and spent two years as head student manager for head coach Bruce Weber. Before heading to Manhattan to continue his education, Morrow was a student-athlete at both Barton Community College and Southwestern College. While at Barton (2008-10), Morrow led the Cougars to the Jayhwak West Conference Championship as a freshman and served as team captain as a sophomore. He spent his junior season at Southwestern where he was an Academic All-American and team captain.
Morrow earned his Associates of Science from Barton Community College in 2010, carrying a 4.0 GPA in his two years in Great Bend. He received his Bachelor's of Business Administration from Kansas State in 2013 and earned a Master's in Academic Advising from K-State in 2015.
He comes to take over the indoor and beach programs for the Gamecocks after serving the past six seasons in the same capacity at Mercer. He replaces Todd Garvey after he stepped down following a five-year stint that brought two Ohio Valley and one ASUN Division title to Jax State.
"When looking for a head coach to carry our volleyball program into Conference USA, we couldn't have found a better candidate than Derek," Seitz said. "He has had a great deal of success at each of his prior coaching stops and we're excited to see how he can build upon the success that we became accustomed to that last five years under Todd and his staff."
Schroeder brings a 250-179 career record with him to Jax State, including 169 wins in eight seasons at Samford from 2008-15 and 81 more in his six seasons at Mercer from 2017-22. He won back-to-back Southern Conference regular-season titles at Mercer in 2020 and 2021, the first two SoCon championships in program history. At Samford, he won the SoCon North Division title in his first season in 2008 before claiming the SoCon Championship and advancing to the NCAA Tournament in 2011 and 2014.
"Greg Seitz, Greg Bonds and the Jax State administration have been so great and patient through this entire process," Schroeder said. "I plan to repay that patience with a ton of hard work and tenacity to keep JSU volleyball on the successful path it has been on. Jenna and I are very excited to be a part of JSU and a part of this community. We hope to have many years of success and happiness here in Jacksonville."
Both of Schroeder's head coaching stops prior to Jax State have seen quick success. When he stepped into his first head coaching job at Samford in 2008, the Bulldogs had mustered single-digit wins in three of the four seasons prior to his arrival. He led them to a 28-5 record, the SoCon North Division title and the finals of the SoCon Championship in his first season.
He would go on to post seven winning seasons in eight years with the Bulldogs, including five seasons with more than 20 wins. He posted more than 20 wins in four-straight years from 2011-14, including SoCon Championships and trips to the NCAA Tournament in the 2011 and 2014 seasons. He won the SoCon North Division a total of four times at Samford.
He coached three different SoCon Players of the Year with the Bulldogs, in addition to one SoCon Freshman of the Year and one SoCon Libero of the Year.
Schroeder went to Mercer in 2017, and by 2018 he led the Bears to more wins than in any other SoCon season in program history with 16. He would go on to lead the Bears to the SoCon titles in the 2020-21 spring season and again in the fall season in 2021.
The 2021 season saw three Bears earn All-SoCon honors, including Libero of the Year Megan Smith, while Schroeder was named the SoCon Coach of the Year and had three more All-SoCon players in the spring season.
Schroeder got his start in the coaching profession at Furman in 2003, when he began a four-year stint as the Paladins' assistant coach. He spent the 2007 season as an assistant at Saint Louis, leading the Billikens to a 23-7 record before being tabbed as the head coach at Samford.
He is a native of Wheatley, Ontario, Canada, and a 1998 graduate of the University of Windsor, where he earned his bachelor's degree in human kinetics.
Job Titles:
- Coordinator of Athletic Operations
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- Assistant Women 's Basketball Coach
Destiny Thomas was hired by Jacksonville State on Aug. 11, 2023, and will enter her first season as an assistant coach on the staff in 2023-24.
Thomas comes to Jax State from Anderson University, where she helped guide the Trojans to an 18-13 campaign last season, including 10 league victories and an appearance in the South Atlantic Conference Championship Game. In her time in Anderson, S.C., she coordinated recruiting efforts, provided on-floor coaching and development, and assisted in opponent scouting reports for a successful Division II program. Furthermore, she played a hand in the development of Second-Team All-SAC performer Diamond McDowell and SAC All-Freshman Team selection Ashlyn Sheridan.
Prior to landing her first full-time job in women's basketball, Thomas spent one year as a graduate assistant at Tulane University. She was on the staff in the 2021-22 season when the Green Wave scored 21 wins and advanced to the American Athletic Conference Quarterfinals before topping Jax State in the First Round of the WNIT.
Jacksonville State's newest assistant coach played four seasons at Clemson University. She appeared in 119 games in four seasons in the Palmetto State, helping the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament in 2018-19 and the WNIT in 2020-21.
Thomas worked youth basketball camps at her alma mater in 2018 and 2019 and volunteered at Pelham (Ga.) High School's summer basketball camps in 2018.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Trainer ( Women 's Basketball, Rifle )
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- Manager of Athletic Marketing & Promotions
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- Coordinator, Athletic Ticket Sales & Special Projects
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- Faculty Athletic Representative ( FAR )
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- Assistant AD for Football
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- Assistant Women 's Basketball Coach
2023-24 will mark the eleventh season for Eric Wise with the Jacksonville State women's basketball program. Rick Pietri's first addition once named head coach at Jax State, the two had previously worked together for eight seasons at South Alabama.
Wise mentors the Gamecock post players along with steering the program's recruiting efforts and handling the club's travel logistics. He helped former Gamecock Miranda Cantrell transform into one of the Ohio Valley Conference's top post players during her career, finishing with over 600 rebounds and a viable scoring threat in the paint. Wise then mentored Tyler Phelion (2013-17), who ranked fifth on the school's all-time rebounding list by the end of her tenure with 725 boards. Most recently he instructed Chloe Long (2015-20), who completed her career with 700 rebounds and earned Jacksonville State's prestigious Eagle Owl Award. Under Wise, the Gamecocks' post presence has ranked among the leaders in the league.
He helped the Gamecocks to a 14-18 overall mark in the staff's first season, which induced a 13-win turnaround from the 1-27 season in 2012-13. The turnaround was one of the best in NCAA Women's Division I Basketball.
The Gamecocks had a historic outing in the 2022-23 campaign. Pietri, Wise, and the rest of the coaching staff guided Jacksonville State's women to a Division I program-best 24-8 record. Jax State claimed the ASUN West Division title in their first season back in the league and earned a bid to the WNIT, marking the program's first postseason appearance in Division I competition.
Wise helped lead the Gamecocks to a 16-14 record in 2022-23 as they posted their fourth winning season in the last five years. Their 9-9 mark in ASUN competition served as the sixth consecutive season with a .500 or better record in conference play. Kennedy Gavin, the team's leading scorer and rebounder, netted selections to the ASUN Conference's Second-Team All-Conference and Women's Basketball All-Academic squads. Jax State started the year off hot, breaking program records for points in a game, margin of victory, field goals, and field goals in a half in a 114-33 drubbing of Shorter in the season opener on Nov. 7. Following another successful season against challenging non-conference and conference slates, the Gamecocks once again advanced to the ASUN Tournament in March.
Wise was instrumental in the success of the USA program in Mobile, Ala. Alongside Pietri, the Jaguars were a contender in the Sun Belt Conference, capturing back-to-back Sun Belt West Division titles in 2003 and 2004. South also made consecutive WNIT postseason appearances in 2003 and 2004. The Jags finished with a winning record in five of his last six years, including three straight years with a 17-13 record from 2010-11 through the 2012-13 season.
Prior to his stint in Mobile, Wise coached at McNeese State and Bethune-Cookman University. While at UL-Monroe, Wise was a staff member of one of the program's all-time great teams, as the 2000-01 squad finished 20-9 overall and 17-3 in Southland Conference play.
Before entering the college ranks, Wise spent four years (1996-2000) as the head girls' coach at West Feliciana High School. He led his teams to the playoffs every year and won three district titles and was named Coach of the Year three times.
He began his coaching career as the boys' basketball head coach at Opelousas Catholic. There, he produced one co-district championship team in his four-year stint (1992-96). His 1993-94 and 1994-95 teams advanced to the playoffs.
Jacksonville State head coach Sean Fraser has added Felipe Venegas to his soccer staff as a graduate assistant.
Venegas, a native of Santiago, Chile, comes to Jacksonville after completing his undergraduate degree in business administration from York University in Nebraska. While at the Midwest school, Venegas served as an enrollment counselor that collaborated with the athletic department for the YU Panthers. He organized campus tours and provided academic information to prospective students. He was also a valuable asset to the university administration by serving as an intern in president's office at York.
On the pitch, he played for the Panthers of YU in the midfield and at his stops at Riverland Community College and the University of South Carolina at Salkehatchie.
Prior to his time in Nebraska, he attended RCC in Austin, Minnesota and at the USCSU. While in Nebraska, he got involved in youth soccer club organizations as a head coach through summer internships. Venegas served as a coach for the Minnesota Rush Soccer Club. He led two teams and worked with three (U4/U9/U13 men's) and claimed the Tonka Cup in Minneapolis with the U13 team. His experience on the soccer sidelines led him to serve as a volunteer with the York soccer programs.
Job Titles:
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
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- Director of on - Campus Recruiting / Scouting
Garrett Skelton joined the Gamecocks staff full-time in the summer of 2023 following his tenure as head manager for the program while he was in school. In the transition to full time, he will handle player development and operations activities for the Gamecocks as they embark on a new journey with Conference USA.
"Garrett (Skelton) has proven he is a vital piece to our softball program. He is an alumni, and after spending several seasons as our head equipment manager, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to hire him full time," said head coach Jana McGinnis during his hiring.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Men 's Tennis Coach
Gonzalo Garcia-Nieto enters his second season as an assistant coach with the Jacksonville State men's tennis program in 2023-24.
Garcia-Nieto stayed busy during the Fall of 2023 as Jax State men's tennis impressed in numerous invitationals, ITA Regionals tournaments, and ITF Futures events. He coached Ivan Marrero Curbelo to a national ranking of No. 45 in the country, a first in the program's history.
After concluding his collegiate playing career in June 2022, Garcia-Nieto accepted an assistant coaching position within the Jacksonville State tennis program. He immediately helped in the team's recruiting efforts, playing a part in Jax State's 33 rd-ranked class nationally according to the Tennis Recruiting Network. Garcia-Nieto assisted in the team's 13-win campaign in the Spring of 2023, a season in which the team scored its first win over rival Kennesaw State in nine years and defeated Eastern Kentucky in the First Round of the ASUN Tournament, serving as Jacksonville State's first postseason win since 2019.
His tennis reach extends far beyond the Jax State Tennis Courts. Garcia-Nieto has coached and trained at the MBA Tennis Academy in Cabrils, Barcelona, which is owned by mentors Jordi Burillo and David de Miguel. Burillo and de Miguel, who both coached Gonzalo, are former ATP Tour competitors who accomplished worldwide rankings of No. 43 and No. 81 respectively.
Job Titles:
- Business Operations
- Senior Associate AD
- Title / Senior Associate AD
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- Athletic Director
- Athletics Administration
- Jax State Athletics Director
- Title / Athletic Director
Greg Seitz was named Director of Athletics at Jacksonville State on February 26, 2016 after more than two decades of service to the University.
Seitz, who is in his 28th year in the athletic department at JSU, served as interim Athletic Director for 14 months, marking his third term as the interim Athletic Director for the Gamecock athletic department.
In Seitz's five-plus years at the helm, the Gamecocks have seen unprecedented success on the field and in the classroom. The 2015-16 season saw JSU's highest ever finish in the men's Capital One Cup at No. 18, ranking the Gamecocks in the top 20 athletic departments among 347 NCAA Division I athletic programs. The 2016-17 season also saw JSU finish in the top 40 at No. 39, tied with Louisville, Harvard and South Carolina and 35 spots ahead of the next Ohio Valley Conference program.
Seitz has been with JSU since 1993, when he began working as assistant sports information director. In 1999, he became Sports Information Director and was promoted to Associate Athletic Director in 2002, before being promoted to Senior Associate Athletic Director in 2011.
Seitz has been instrumental in many of the facility upgrades at Jacksonville State, including renovations at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium, Pete Mathews Coliseum, the Athletic Sports Performance Center and the lobby of the football field house. Seitz was also involved in the design and addition of the football stadium, and the recent softball stadium and dressing room expansion.
Seitz has served on the NCAA Men's Final Four Media Coordinator team for the last nine years and is currently a member of the NCAA Championships Financial Working Group that was formed in 2019. He was named to the NCAA FCS Football Committee in 2016 and served as the chair of that committee in 2019. In addition, he served as a member of the NCAA Football Oversight Committee in 2019-20 and is as a site representative for the NCAA during the Division I Baseball Regionals and Super Regionals.
Jax State Athletics Director Greg Seitz announced the hiring of Derek Schroeder in May 2023, bringing a coach that has won five conference titles in previous stops at Samford and Mercer.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Trainer ( Softball, Bowling )
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- Director of Basketball Operations
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- Administrative Graduate Assistant
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- Assistant Volleyball Coach
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- Cross Country and Track & Field Head Coach
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- Associate AD for Media Relations - FB, MGOLF, WGOLF
- Athletic Media Relations and Communications
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- Assistant Athletic Trainer ( Football, Golf )
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- Athletics Video Production Specialist
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- TF / XC Graduate Assistant
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- Executive Secretary to the Athletic Director
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- Assistant Men 's Basketball Coach
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- Athletic Operations Assistant
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- Head Women 's Tennis Coach
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- Head Athletic Trainer ( Football )
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- Development
- Major Gifts Officer for Athletics
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- Men 's Golf Assistant Coach
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- Account Executive, JSU Gamecock Sports Properties
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- Head Strength and Conditioning Coach
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- Special Teams Coordinator / Bandits
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- Assistant Director of Football Operations / Player Personnel
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- Athletic Business Assistant / Camps
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- Sports Information Specialist - VB, WBB, TEN
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- Associate Head Athletic Trainer ( Men 's Basketball, Tennis, Soccer )
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- Creative Content Coordinator
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- Head Men 's Basketball Coach
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- Head Women 's Basketball Coach
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- Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Athletic Operations
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- Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks
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- Coliseum Sports Facility Coordinator
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- Defensive Graduate Assistant
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- Assistant Track & Field / Cross Country Coach
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- Head Baseball Coach
- Jacksonville State Head Coach
Jacksonville State Head Coach Steve Bieser has added a former player of his to lead the Gamecocks' offense with the addition of Brian Sharp to his first staff at Jax State.
Job Titles:
- Director of Skill Development
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- Offensive Graduate Assistant
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- Assistant Volleyball Coach and Recruiting Coordinator
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- Assistant Men 's Basketball Coach
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- Sports Information Specialist - BB, WSOC, RIFL
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- Assistant AD / Academics / SWA
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- Assistant Baseball Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
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- Assistant Women 's Tennis Coach