OLYMPIA, Wash. – Following a national search, The Evergreen State College has hired Matt Newman as Director of Recreation and Athletics.  He will take over for Wendy Endress, who has served as Interim Director of Recreation and Athletics since November 2010 and will be returning to her permanent position as Executive Associate to the Vice President of Student Affairs.

“For all of the right reasons, Evergreen offers a broad-based Recreation and Athletics program in an effort to provide positive and healthy opportunities for students, faculty and staff, alumni, and the community,” said Newman.  “This fits with my philosophy about the role of athletics in higher education, and I couldn’t be more honored and excited to become part of the Evergreen team.”

Newman comes to Evergreen following three years as commissioner of the NCAA Division III Northwest Conference, where he planned and oversaw operations for the 18-sport and 3,600-student-athlete league.

“I am excited to have Matt join us,” said Vice President of Student Affairs Art Costantino.  “He has experience in all aspects of the job, a reputation as a strong administrator and a real interest in working at Evergreen.”

Prior to the Northwest Conference, Newman was Associate Dean of Students and Director of Athletics and Recreation at Cazenovia College in Cazenovia, N.Y.  Newman also has athletic administrative experience at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne and Savannah College of Art and Design and has coached at both the high school and collegiate levels, including six years as a collegiate baseball head coach in both the NAIA and NCAA.

Newman has worked extensively with both the NAIA and NCAA and their respective committees, including Committee on Women’s Athletics, Student Records Review Committee and Regional Advisory Committees for both baseball and golf.

A 1990 graduate of University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science in speech and hearing science, Newman also holds a Master of Science from Idaho State University and is in the final stages of his Doctor of Education coursework at University of Virginia.

Newman, and his partner Monica Nixon, who is currently the Director of Multicultural Affairs at Seattle University, reside in Seattle.

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Looking forward to the 2011-12 season, the Evergreen Geoducks have permanently appointed two coaches for the fall, filling a pair of interim positions from the previous season.  Evergreen alumnus Adam Fenster will retain control of the women’s soccer program while Greg Spector has been hired to head up the women’s volleyball team.

Fenster, a 1997 graduate of The Evergreen State College, will continue to lead the women’s soccer team that he took over in 2010.  Prior to Evergreen, he was the head men’s soccer coach at Bellevue Community College, where he was named NWAACC Coach of the Year in 2009 after leading the Bulldogs to the conference title.

“As an alum, Adam brings great passion for the Evergreen educational experience partnered with his success in coaching and regional connections in the soccer community,” said interim director of recreation and athletics Wendy Endress.  “We are fortunate to have him continue his relationship with Evergreen in this capacity!”

Adam played four years for the Geoducks, twice being named All-PNWAC Second Team.  A native of Seattle and graduate of Seattle Prep, he is one of three siblings to attend Evergreen, including NAIA All-American soccer player Tiffany Fenster.

“I’m very excited about being head women’s soccer coach,” said Fenster.  “It’s been a position I’ve wanted to hold since my graduation from Evergreen back in 1997.  I look forward to the future of Geoduck soccer.”

While the women’s soccer program will have a longtime Geoduck at the helm, the volleyball program will be bringing in a new coach for the sport’s 11th season at Evergreen in Spector.  Formerly the head women’s volleyball coach at NCAA Division III Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Va., Greg brings a wealth of volleyball experience to Olympia.

“Greg will bring enthusiasm and skill to Evergreen’s volleyball program, with significant college and post-college experience in many parts of the country,” said Endress.  “We’re looking forward to welcoming him to the Geoduck team!”

Prior to Bridgewater, he was the assistant women’s volleyball coach and recruiting coordinator at NCAA Division I Marshall University, helping the Thundering Herd earn back-to-back trips to the Mid-American Conference finals.  Spector has also coached at Urbana University in Urbana, Ohio and Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis.

A graduate of San Diego State University, Spector played two years of men’s volleyball for the Aztecs.  He was also a member of the U.S. Men’s National Team for the World Maccabi Games, earning the bronze medal in 1993 and 1997 and a silver medal in 2001.

“I’m really looking forward to the opportunity for everyone to come together and build upon,” said Spector.  “I expect great things over time. It’s a fantastic time to join the program and build Geoduck volleyball throughout the community.”

The Geoduck women’s soccer team will open up the 2011 season on August 20 against Trinity Lutheran College in Everett, Wash.  The Evergreen volleyball program will hit the court for their first match on September 2 as they jump right into conference play with a Cascade Conference counter at Eastern Oregon.

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Under sunny skies, the Evergreen Geoducks broke out the barbeques on Friday afternoon and celebrated all that was achieved in 2010-11. A number of awards were recognized and given out, including the inaugural Geoduck Achievement and Most Outstanding Athlete awards, as student-athletes and staff from around the college recognized the year that was for the green and white.

The celebration began with men’s basketball assistant and college academic specialist Corey Lenecker saying a few words in recognition of our graduating seniors.  Assistant Director for Operations Andrew Beattie handed out awards to the student and event employees who help make the CRC run as effectively as possible.

Head women’s basketball coach and assistant athletic director Monica Heuer handed out gifts to the members of SAAC who were in attendance before sports information director Chris Thompson helped recognize all the student-athletes who earned Cascade Conference or NAIA honors over the course of the season.

The Geoducks also announced the winners of the 2010-11 Most Outstanding Athlete awards as men’s basketball senior Josh Troyer (Vancouver, Wash./Evergreen HS/Lower Columbia College) and women’s cross country and track and field junior Karissa Carlson (Pateros, Wash./Pateros HS) earned the first ever awards.

Troyer was named Most Outstanding Male Athlete after ranking third in the Cascade Conference in rebounding with 7.2 per game, including a conference-best 6.08 defensive rebounds per game.  He also led the conference in minutes played at 33.14 per contest.

Carlson was named Most Outstanding Female Athlete after earning two trips to the national championships.  Carlson took 11^th in the 800m run at the 2011 NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships and most recently placed 10^th in the 800m run at the 2011 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Five student-athletes were also honored for lettering all four years for the Geoducks.  Men’s cross country and track runners Tyler Luce (Seattle, Wash./Roosevelt HS) and Chris Johnson (Bonney Lake, Wash./Spanaway Lake HS) were recognized, as were women’s soccer players Sonya Daisely-Harrison (Tahoma, Wash./Tahoma HS) and Nina Hinton (Mt. Vernon, Wash./La Conner HS) and men’s soccer player Caleb Maltsberger (Tukwila, Wash./Foster HS).

The program concluded with interim director of athletics and recreation Wendy Endress taking a few minutes to acknowledge the students and staff who have served on the many hiring committees this year.  Endress also handed out gifts to a pair of staff members who are leaving the department:  Women’s volleyball coach and director of recreation Mike Bryant and cross country and track and field coach Jason McConnell.