Westminster's Hand resigns

Jeff Hand
Former Waynesburg coach
was 34-55 at Westminster

Westminster College football coach Jeff Hand resigned Monday after nine seasons with the Titans.

A native of Ellwood City, Hand compiled a 34-55 record, including a 4-6 mark this season. Hand also coached Westminster's all-time leading passer, all-time leading receiver, the fourth all-time leading pass rusher and the fifth all-time leading rusher, as well as 45 all-conference selections.

“I thank Jeff Hand for all of his hard work and effort during his tenure as head football coach at Westminster, and I have been especially appreciative of his commitment to the college, to Titan athletics and to the student-athletes in our football program,” Westminster athletic director Jim Dafler said. “I wish Jeff only the best in his future endeavors.”

Prior to Westminster, Hand spent four seasons (2001-04) as the head coach at Waynesburg, where he compiled a 24-17 record and guided the Yellow Jackets to the PAC championship in 2003 and the school’s only appearance in the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Westminster is one of two PAC schools that will have new head coaches next season. Saint Vincent fired Bob Colbert last week after the Bearcats lost 21 games in a row.

Waynesburg to play in ECAC bowl game

For a third consecutive year, the Waynesburg University football team is heading to the postseason. The Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) announced its bowl pairings, and the Yellow Jackets (7-3) will play Saturday at the College at Brockport (7-3) in the ECAC Northwest Bowl. Kickoff is tentatively scheduled for noon.

The Yellow Jackets hold a 1-3 record all-time in ECAC bowl games with their lone win coming last season over Carnegie Mellon, 28-24, at John F. Wiley Stadium.

Waynesburg finished in third place in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference. Brockport is co-champion of the New Jersey Athletic Conference with a 6-1 conference record. The Golden Eagles lost the tiebreaker to co-champion Rowan.