Women’s Golf: Allen Named Head Coach
Greg Allen has joined the Vanderbilt sports community as the new women’s golf coach. He comes to Vanderbilt from the University of Arizona, where he had coached the women’s team since 2000. During his tenure his teams won two Pac-10 conference championships and finished as an NCAA runner-up in 2002.
“We conducted an intensive national search, and everyone has good things to say about Greg Allen,” says David Williams II, vice chancellor for university affairs, general counsel, and secretary of the university. “His vast experience running a top-10 program, his record as one of the nation’s top recruiters, and his down-to-earth personality make him an ideal fit for us at this time.”Allen has named former Commodore golfer Nicki Cutler, BS’03, a two-time All-SEC performer, as assistant coach. Allen succeeds former Coach Martha Richards, who accepted the same position at the University of Texas.
Men’s Basketball: Nigerian Post Player Joins Commodores
Coach Kevin Stallings has added a sixth player to this year’s class, Festus Ezeli, a 6-foot-11, 245- pound Nigerian. Ezeli also was recruited by Florida, Ohio State and Georgetown. “I’ve always told our staff not to worry about who else is recruiting a kid; he’s got to be a player in our eyes,” Stallings says. “But it obviously validates the young man’s potential that other people viewed him the same way we do.” At his request, Ezeli will be redshirted his freshman year. This year’s signees include point guard Keegan Bell, forward Andre Walker, post player A.J. Ogilvy, forward Darshawn McClellan and wing Charles Hinkle.
Track and Field: Former Olympian Named Head Coach
D’Andre Hill, a former Olympic sprinter, has been named head coach of the women’s track and field program. She comes to Vanderbilt after serving three years as an assistant coach for sprinters and relays at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. Before joining TCU she was head coach at Dayton University in Ohio. She represented the United States in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and is the first African American head coach of a Vanderbilt sports program.
“We were fortunate to attract our top candidate to Vanderbilt,” says Vice Chancellor David Williams II, “and believe D’Andre is the right person to develop the track and field program into a Southeastern Conference and national contender.” Hill competed for Louisiana State University during her collegiate years, helping lead the Tigers to three straight national championships while running the 60, 100 and 200 meters as well as relays. She was a twotime NCAA individual outdoor champion in the 100 meters. While she directs the women’s track and field program, Steve Keith, BA’81, will serve as head coach of Vanderbilt’s women’s and men’s cross country teams and distance runners.
Women’s Basketball:Vandy 3, Spain 0 in Summer Competition
Coach Melanie Balcomb saw her Commodores log a three-win, no-loss campaign in Spain during the summer. The team concluded its Spanish tour with a 101-59 victory over the Madrid All-Stars. Senior Liz Sherwood led Vanderbilt with 24 points and 17 rebounds. Five Commodores scored in double figures, including junior Christina Wirth and sophomores Lauren Lueders, Jessica Mooney and Amber Norton.