A search for a new Head Coach for the men’s basketball team is currently underway.
Following the end of the season, acting Head Coach David Hastings was determined not eligible to continue as Head Coach because of the lack of a bachelor’s degree.
The position was officially posted on the University System of New Hampshire (USNH) job board on March 19.
Keene State President Melinda Treadwell said on Monday, March 25 a bachelor’s degree for the head coach position is a requirement set by USNH. However, she noted she is able to waive the requirement, but said it is not something she will do.
“I felt lowering the standards for this job would set a precedent that for every head coaching position, we’d potentially have to lower the standards for that job,” Treadwell said.
The Equinox reached out to the University System of New Hampshire Media Relations, Lisa Thorne, for comment and to confirm the USNH requirement.
Paul Miller, director of strategic communications for KSC, sent an email to The Equinox on March 14 to clarify that the matter is not a USNH issue. It is in turn a degree requirement that has been set by the college.
“USNH schools have the flexibility to choose their job requirements, and this degree requirement for full-time head coaches has been in place at Keene State for many years,” the email states.
Similar to Treadwell, in interviews with Hastings, Director of Athletics Marty Testo and Associate Athletic Director, Internal Operations Abe Osheyack all said the requirement has been set by USNH policy.
In an interview with both Testo and Osheyack and The Equinox on March 25, the inconsistency of which institution carries the policy was brought up. Both switched to reference it as the school’s policy.
Osheyack said, it was found that across the university system, all head coaches have a bachelor’s degree.
Regardless of which institution carries the policy, Testo said, “Treadwell made her decision and in the Athletic Department, we fully support her decision.”
Testo expressed his excitement about the search for a new head coach, “We want to get a coach here as soon as possible to meet his team … We don’t want to slight the process by any means, we’re going to do it right, feel very good about it.”
Despite the degree requirement, Hastings told The Equinox in a March 14 interview, he intended on still applying for the position of head coach.
He noted he was aware of the requirement, but hoped the terminology of the requirement would be altered to give the potential to be officially hired into the position.
However, Hastings said, “I’m being told it’s the University of New Hampshire that oversees what Keene is doing now, the HR department there said, ‘no, they’re not changing any terminology.’ ”
Hastings said he brought to attention that a lot of division I schools have a requirement, but the language allows for the equivalent of a degree.
“I started out here as just an assistant coach to Ryan for two years,’ he said. “Then he promoted me to the associate head coach for five years and then this year is the acting head coach. I think my record kind of speaks for itself.”
Additionally, before being with KSC Hastings served in the military and in law enforcement for several years.
“I was blessed to do this job for one year, and hopefully I’m blessed to do it for four more years, Hastings said. “We’ll just have to see.”
On the possibility of him staying with the college, Hastings said it would be up to whoever becomes Head Coach.
Alternatively, Testo said he could not comment on the matter.
Tim Bruns can be contacted at
tbruns@kscequnox.com
In an earlier version of this article Associate Athletic Director, Internal Operations Abe Osheyack’s name was spelled incorrectly. The Equinox apologizes for this error.
