Greg Ashton, who averaged nearly 18 wins per season and twice reached the NCAA Division III final four in four years at Trinity (Texas) University, was announced Tuesday as the head women's soccer coach at Davidson.
Ashton, a New Zealander who spent nine seasons at the San Antonio school, takes over for Kevin Hundley, who resigned in February after 13 seasons as Wildcats coach. Tiffany Tisdale served as interim coach the past two and a half months.
Ashton forged a 71-8-2 record at Trinity, including a 35-1 mark in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference matches, and won three SCAC titles. He was a Tigers assistant coach for five seasons prior to taking charge of the program in 2000.
Trinity was 16-1-1 last season.
''Greg's record of success in a highly selective academic setting makes him a great fit for Davidson,'' Davidson athletic director Jim Murphy said in a statement. ''We're very excited about he and his family joining our program.''
Ashton was a New Zealand youth international who played professionally in his native land from 1985 to 1992. He came to the United States to earn a bachelor's degree in kinesiology at UT San Antonio. He also holds a business degree from Auckland Technical University in New Zealand.
Davidson is the second Southern Conference university to hire a new women's soccer coach since the close of the 2003 season. Georgia Southern hired UAB assistant Ashley Hart in late December.
Elon, another SoCon school, is seeking a head coach after Paul Webster departed to take charge of the program at D3 Elmhurst (Ill.) College.
Other schools with coaching vacancies are Alabama State, which will play its first season next fall, Fresno State, Jacksonville and Long Beach State. Central Michigan's position also is open, although interim coach Tony DiTucci is considered likely to lose the ''interim'' part of his title.
NCAA DIVISION I COACHING CHANGES/HIRES
Alabama State (SWAC) — Open; new program
Arkansas (SEC) — Gordon Henderson (Idaho State head coach) for Alan Kirkup (contract not renewed)
Arkansas State (Sun Belt) — Jason Wharton (Cisco JC, Texas, head coach) for Kent Hefner (fired)
Cal State Northridge (Big West) — Tony Davila (CS Northridge men's head coach; will coach both teams) for Mac Thompson (interim coach)/Allison Lee (resigned)
Central Michigan (MAC) — Tony DiTucci (interim) for Mark Salisbury (hired at Idaho State)
Cleveland State (Horizon) — Derrek Fallor (DePaul assistant); first-year program
Colorado College (Independent) — Geoffrey Bennett (Hartwick men's assistant) for Erik Oman (interim)/Greg Ryan (U.S. Soccer Region II women's staff coach).
Davidson (Southern) — Greg Ashton (Trinity, Texas, head coach) for Kevin Hundley (resigned)
Elon (Southern) — Open; Paul Webster (hired at Elmhurst College).
Fresno State (WAC) — Open; Stacy Welp (resigned)
George Mason (CAA) — Diane Drake (Georgetown head coach) for Jac Cicala (resigned)
Georgetown (Big East) — Dave Nolan (Georgetown assistant) for Diane Drake (hired at George Mason)
Georgia Southern (Southern) — Ashley Hart (UAB assistant) for Tom Norton (resigned)
Holy Cross (Patriot) — Deborah Flaherty (West Chester head coach) for Mary Curtis (resigned)
Idaho State (Big Sky) — Mark Salisbury (Central Michigan head coach) for Gordon Henderson (hired at Arkansas)
Jacksonville (Atlantic Sun) — Open; Mike Johnson (hired as Jacksonville men's coach).
Long Beach State (Big West) — Open; Peter Reynaud (retired)
Mercer (Atlantic Sun) — Grant Serafy (Stratford Academy boys and girls coach) for Jodie Smith (resigned)
Minnesota (Big Ten) — Mikki Denney Wright (Missouri assistant) for Barbara Wickstrand (contract not renewed)
Montana (Big Sky) — Neil Sedgwick (USC associate head coach) for Becky Duerksen (resigned)
Morehead State (Ohio Valley) — Greg Sheen (Dayton Soccer Academy coaching director) for Leslie Faber (resigned)
Nevada (WAC) — Teri Patraw (former Arizona State head coach) for Dang Pibulvech (contract not renewed)
San Diego State (Mountain West) — Michael Giuliano (Westmont head coach) for Chuck Clegg (retired)
San Jose State (WAC) — Dave Siracusa (San Diego State men's assistant) for Cris Gilmore (resigned)
Temple (Atlantic-10) — David Jones (Temple men's assistant, served as interim 2003) for Seamus McWilliams (resigned)
Tulsa (WAC) — Rena Richardson (Alabama assistant) for Damon Gore (resigned)
Vermont (America East) — Kerry Dziczkaniec (Maryland assistant) for Jodi Kenyon (resigned)
Youngstown State (Horizon) — Anthony James (West Virginia Wesleyan head coach) for Elizabeth Bartley (contract not renewed)