Arizona Athletics added a plethora of new head coaches, assistant coaches and volunteer coaches to the 17 Division I collegiate sports this summer.
Arizona gymnastics head coach Tabitha Yim and baseball head coach Jay Johnson were both added to the program this summer.
Yim had coached at Pac-12 Conference foe Stanford for the past five seasons and was one of their most decorated gymnasts in the program’s history when she competed for them from 2005-2008. Yim brought David McCreary to the program from the University of Washington after his nine year stint with the Huskies.
“I have always loved coaching and teaching,” said McCreary in a press release. “I enjoy being around motivated, passionate athletes and people in general. Gymnastics is my vehicle to do what I am truly passionate about.”
Both Yim and Johnson have one major theme in common. They both are taking over programs with tenured coaches that had been in their roles at Arizona for years. Former gymnastics head coach Bill Ryden and former baseball head coach Andy Lopez had been in their roles for 25 and 14 years, respectively.
Johnson most recently coached at the University of Nevada and captured the schools first ever Mountain West title. Johnson even told Fox Sports that this was his “dream job” and the day that he won the position was “the greatest day in [his] life.” Those are strong words that show one motivated head coach.
The Wildcats hired Mark Phelps after Damon Stoudamire, former men’s basketball assistant coach, left the program in May. A graduate of Old Dominion, Phelps has 19 years of experience coaching on the collegiate level. He also brings postseason experience to a team that has fallen apart in the Elite Eight the last two seasons.
UA women’s basketball added Alli Gloyd as the new assistant of basketball operations. Gloyd may seem familiar to Wildcat fans since she started as the team’s forward the last two seasons.
“We’re so excited to have [Gloyd] join our staff,” said head coach Niya Butts in a press release. “I have so much respect for the way she represented our program and athletic department as a student-athlete. She’s a hard worker and will be a great asset to our team.”
Arizona women’s tennis head coach Vicky Maes added two new coaches to her staff with Santiago Lobelo as the volunteer assistant and Marco Matteucci as the assistant. Matteucci brings eight years of experience at the collegiate level and had assisted at Baylor University. Lobelo served as a student assistant at Bethune-Cookman University most recently.
For many, change is never easy. With so many changes, transition will be key in the coming weeks. Yet, with school already in session and many seasons underway, it’s time for the rust to fade and for these new coaches to become seasoned mentors.
Follow Matt Wall on Twitter.