Voskes among finalists for S. Oregon coaching job
Phoenix High coach Hans Voskes, a former coach Southern Oregon University, is one of four finalists for the vacant SOU cross country and track and field head coaching position.
Raider Athletic Director Dennis Francois named four finalists on Tuesday: Voskes, Brent Ericksen, Karen Brandt and Matt Lydum. They will interview next week.
The cross country and track programs were restructured this past spring and will operate under one head coach. Marnie Binney resigned as the cross country coach in the spring, and track coach Mike Jones has stepped down but will remain at the school and teach health and P.E.
Voskes was the SOU head coach in cross country and an assistant in track from 1989-99. During that stretch, the Raiders had 14 national championship qualifiers in cross country, and he led SOU to a conference title in 1995.
In addition to his duties at Phoenix, Voskes is co-head coach of the North Medford cross country team.
Ericksen just finished his first year as associate head cross country and track coach at NCAA Division I Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
Ericksen was responsible for sprints, hurdles, jumps and multievents, which set 13 school records this year. Prior to Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Ericksen led Wisconsin-La Crosse to the NCAA Division III outdoor championship in 2007.
Brandt is the head cross country and track coach at Bloomsburg University in Bloomsburg, Pa. She was named both conference and regional cross country coach of the year in 2007 for the NCAA Division II school and her track program has set 11 school records since she took over in 1999.
Lydum spent this past season as an assistant at Defiance College after serving as the head cross country and track coach 2004-07. The Western Oregon University graduate spent time as an assistant at Arizona (2001-03) and was head coach for men's track at San Francisco State (1993-01).
Hall of Fame
Nominations for the 2008 Southern Oregon University Hall of Fame class are needed by the athletic department by Aug. 15.
Nomination forms are available at www.sousports.com or by contacting Hall of Fame committee chair Gail Patton at pattong@sou.edu or (541) 552-6563.
Former athletes, coaches, administrators and special contributors are eligible. Individuals must be five years removed from the school.
This year's class will be honored Oct. 17-18.
