Athletics

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Michelle Manning, the former head coach at Albion College and Shenandoah University, has been named head softball coach at Transylvania, Pioneers’ athletics director Jack Ebel said Friday. Manning, a former all-conference player at Mount Union College, has also coached at Bethany College during her career. She took over a struggling Albion program two years ago and had an immediate impact, posting records of 18-18 and 20-20. At Shenandoah, the team posted the second most wins in school history under Manning’s leadership. “Michelle has demonstrated her ability to coach and recruit NCAA Division III athletes successfully,” said Ebel. “I think she will do a great job at Transylvania and we are delighted to have her join our staff.” Manning has also coached volleyball at the collegiate level. She replaces Kelley Anderson, who guided the Pioneers for nine years and posted a 231-92-4 record, including four Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season titles and an appearance in the NCAA Division III tournament in 2006. Three Albion players earned All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors last season and her team ranked in the top 10 academically. As a graduate assistant at Bethany, Manning was a member of the East Region Coaching Staff of the Year in 2002 following a 32-10 record and an NCAA regional championship. Bethany was 31-8 in 2003. Transy was 32-12 last year, the fourth time in school history the Pioneers have won 30 games in a season.

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LEXINGTON, Ky. – George Villarreal, the former head coach at Chicago and Frostburg State, has been named to lead the Transylvania swimming and diving program, Pioneers’ athletics director Jack Ebel said Monday. Villarreal replaces Ebel, who coached the Transy swimmers for 27 years before moving up to athletics director earlier this year. Vilarreal becomes just the second head coach in the history of the program. Transy’s men finished second in the Bluegrass Mountain Conference last year while the women were fourth and combined for a third place finish. The Pioneers compete as members of the NCAA’s Division III. Villarreal compiled a dual meet record of 12-9-1 at Chicago last year and over the last three seasons, he guided the Maroons to a pair of NCAA Division III top-40 finishes. Under his leadership, Chicago posted its best ever University Athletic Association finishes, getting back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in nearly two decades. “George is a proven head coach at the NCAA Division III level,” said Ebel. “He is in excellent fit for Transylvania and we look forward to having him on our coaching staff. He’s the perfect person to help us become competitive in Division III swimming and diving.” Under Villarreal’s leadership, Chicago set 28 new school records in 14 events with relay teams meeting the qualifying times for the NCAA Division III Championships for the first time. In addition to his position at Chicago, Villarreal was the head

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