Nicholls State and St. Francis, Pa., have hired head women's soccer coaches as the 2004 season nears.

Cindy Piper, who played at Gardner-Webb, was announced Wednesday as the coach at Nicholls State, which plays in the Southland Conference.

Piper, 25, was 14-19-5 in two seasons has head coach of Barton County (Kan.) Community College. She takes over for Jim Zakel, who resigned following a 4-16-0 campaign in 2003.

Former Dutch national team player Brenda van Stralen takes charge at St. Francis following three seasons as assistant coach at Southern New Hampshire, which reached the NCAA Division II tournament all three years. As a player, Van Stralen helped Franklin Pierce to NCAA Division II championships in 1996, 1997 and 1999.

At Southern Mississippi, former Lady Eagles standout Gail Macklin — an assistant coach the past three seasons — has been promoted to head coach. Macklin, a former Northern Ireland national-teamer, was named interim coach in late May after Matt Clark's departure for Elon.

There are four open head-coaching positions in Division I following John Garvilla's resignation as Troy State's head coach to become athletic director at NAIA school Belhaven College in Jackson, Miss. Garvilla was in charge two years at Troy State and building Milligan College into an NAIA women's soccer power.

First-year program Alabama State has not hired a coach, and Tennessee Tech has not announced a successor to former Penn State and New York Power head coach Patrick Farmer, who has taken charge at Syracuse.

Sacramento State hasn't hired a replacement for Karen Hanks, but Katie Poynter is serving as interim head coach.

NCAA DIVISION I COACHING CHANGES/HIRES
(Since close of 2003 season)

Open positions

Alabama State (SWAC)
*Sacramento State (Big Sky)
Tennessee Tech (Ohio Valley)
Troy State (Atlantic Sun)

* — announced interim head coach in place

Hires/Changes

Alabama State (SWAC) — Open; first-year 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 (Central Michigan assistant coach) 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 (hired in early 2003 as U.S. Soccer Region II women's staff coach)

Davidson (Southern) — Greg Ashton (Trinity, Texas, head coach) for Kevin Hundley (resigned)

Elon (Southern) — Matt Clark (Southern Mississippi head coach) for Paul Webster (hired at Elmhurst, Ill., College)

Fresno State (WAC) — Steve Springthorpe (Florida assistant) for 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)

Hartford (America East) — John Natale (former Boston Breakers assistant) for Eva Bergsten (hired at Wesleyan, Conn., College)
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) — Chris Kouns (Penn assistant) for Mike Johnson (hired as Jacksonville men's coach)

Long Beach State (Big West) — Mauricio Ingrassia (Long Beach, Calif., City College head coach) for Peter Reynaud (retired)
Louisiana Tech (WAC) — Jennifer Soileau (Baton Rouge, La., Bishop Sullivan HS head coach); first-year program

Mercer (Atlantic Sun) — Grant Serafy (Macon, Ga., Stratford Academy boys and girls coach) for Jodie Smith (resigned)
Minnesota (Big Ten) — Mikki Denney Wright (Missouri assistant) for Barbara Wickstrand (contract not renewed; hired as Georgia assistant coach)
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; hired as Tulsa assistant coach)
Nicholls State (Southland) — Cindy Piper (Barton County, Kan., Community College head coach) for Jim Zakel (resigned)

Sacramento State (Big Sky) — Katie Poynter (interim) for Karen Hanks (resigned)
St. Francis, Pa. (Northeast) — Open; Michael Coll (hired as Penn State assistant coach)
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)
Southern Mississippi (Conference USA) — Gail Macklin (Southern Miss assistant coach) for Matt Clark (hired at Elon)
Syracuse (Big East) — Patrick Farmer (Tennessee Tech head coach) for April Kater (resigned)

Temple (Atlantic-10) — David Jones (Temple men's assistant, served as interim 2003) for Seamus McWilliams (resigned)
Tennessee Tech (Ohio Valley) — Open; Patrick Farmer (hired as Syracuse coach)
Troy State (Atlantic Sun) — Open; John Garvilla (hired as Belhaven College athletic director)
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)