Volleyball and Tennis coaches resign

Volleyball Coach Sharon Bonaventure and Tennis Coach David Stroud each resigned from their coaching duties at Franklin Pierce.

Volleyball

Bonaventure was the first to resign, as she informed her team in late March that she was not returning for another season. According to Vice President & Director of Athletics Bruce Kirsh, she resigned and accepted a new position at Augusta State University in Georgia.

Senior volleyball captain Karissa Hookstadt and her teammate and classmate Nicole Buchholz were upset about the timing of Bonaventure's departure. The two graduating seniors believe Bonaventure should have worked harder at recruiting for next season before she decided to leave.

"She attempted, but she didn't finish recruiting," said Hookstadt. "We're going to be here next year, but I feel like when you start something, you should finish it. At the same time I would rather see a team with a happy coach than a non happy coach."

"I understand her reasons for leaving," said Buchholz. "Every coach has to do what's going to be good for them in the long run for their career. I don't think she felt that Franklin Pierce was going to help her career because her long term goal was to be an A.D. (athletic director)."

Hookstadt and Buchholz are concerned with their team's future. "It's tough to bring in recruits without a coach," said Hookstadt. "We've been here for four years now and the last thing we want is to see the program fall."

Buchholz added: "We don't want to see our legacy die."

Buchholz and Hookstadt are prepared to help their assistant coach recruit. The seniors also said that Kirsh will ask the team for input when hiring a new head coach.

According to Buchholz and Hookstadt, the sports department is in the process of looking for a female to fit the position of Head Volleyball Coach and Senior Women's administrator.

Although the team may struggle finding recruits, Hookstadt still believes the team will do well next season.

"I think even with coach leaving, it's up to the team to continue, to do their best, and succeed," said Hookstadt. "With the players we still have, they have a great chance [next season]."

Junior captain Katie Ristow said she is looking for a fresh new start next season, and feels confident about her senior year.

In her three years at Franklin Pierce, Bonaventure finished with a 53-44 overall record.

In 2006 Bonaventure arrived at Franklin Pierce with seven incoming freshman recruited by the previous coach. Since arriving she had only recruited four players who are on the active roster. Tennis

Just a few weeks after Bonaventure resigned, men's and women's tennis coach Stroud resigned from his coaching duties at Franklin Pierce. Stroud's announcement came during the first week of April, just a half month before the tennis seasons ended.

Kirsh did not comment on why Stroud resigned but according to tennis sophomore Lauren Smilovich and freshman Suzanna Deronjic, Kirsh informed the team that Stroud was not a good fit for the school.

Although Smilovich and Deronjic do not know exactly why Stroud left during mid-season, they do believe it had something to do with an altercation he had with a member of the team on the bus to a road match.

Smilovich and Deronjic said that Stroud was driving recklessly to an away match, and when asked to slow down by a team member, he got into a verbal confrontation with her on the team bus.

Men's tennis captain Helder Noguiera said he heard rumors on why Stroud left but he does not know the real reason he resigned.

In Stroud's place, Kirsh named Alex Eckhardt as the interim head coach of the men's and women's tennis teams for the remainder of the 2008-2009 season. Eckhardt, a 2008 graduate from Stonehill College is also in her first year as assistant coach of the women's soccer team at Franklin Pierce.