Gannon sheds coaching post for other jobs

For the first time in more than 15 years, Southeast Missouri State University will have a new head volleyball coach when the season opens this fall.

Southeast announced Wednesday that Cindy Gannon is stepping down as the Redhawks' coach to assume expanded duties as an administrator in the athletic department.

Renata Nowacki, Gannon's assistant the past four seasons, was named to replace Gannon.

"It was not an easy decision, but I just felt like the timing was right for this," Gannon said.

Gannon, Southeast's coach the past 16 seasons, also had been an assistant director of athletics and senior woman administrator the last two years.

In her new position, Gannon will have the title of associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator, and will also have teaching responsibilities. In addition, she will assume added administrative duties including event management, sports supervision, personnel recruitment, monitoring the athletic department's compliance with gender equity and serving as an institutional representative to the Ohio Valley Conference.

"I look at this as an opportunity to take on additional responsibilities in the athletic department," said Gannon, a Southeast graduate. "I really enjoyed coaching, and I'm sure I'll miss the association with the student-athletes, but it was difficult coaching and being assistant athletic director at the same time."

Gannon had a 366-211 record at Southeast, including eight Ohio Valley Conference regular season titles, five OVC tournament titles and four NCAA tournament appearances. But the last two seasons marked the Redhawks' only two losing records under Gannon, including 11-17 last year with a young team.

Asked if having to handle administrative duties in addition to coaching played a role in the program struggling recently, Gannon said, "Any time you have to split your time it's difficult, but I have no excuses for maybe not having great seasons lately.

"But I think this will really help the program. I feel good about Renata taking over the head coaching duties. She has proven to be a hard-working and loyal coach who is respected nationally in the volleyball community, by the student-athletes on the volleyball team and locally for her work with the area volleyball programs. Renata will do a wonderful job, and I really feel like we're going to move forward and things will be better."

Nowacki, a standout volleyball player at the University of Mississippi who graduated in 2001, has been a full-time assistant coach under Gannon the past two years after serving two years as a graduate assistant. Nowacki has also been director for the SEMO Attack Volleyball Club the past two years.

"I am very excited, and I feel absolutely I'm ready for it," Nowacki said. "I feel like I've had a great learning experience under coach Gannon, and I wouldn't take on this role if I wasn't prepared.

"I am thankful that coach Gannon and [Southeast athletic director] Don Kaverman had confidence in my abilities. I want to continue and expand on the rich Southeast volleyball tradition built by coach Gannon. We have an amazing group of young women in our volleyball program and our goal is to compete for the OVC championship."