Athletic Dept. Appoints New Coaches For M. Soccer, Squash, M. Basketball

This week was a busy one for the athletic department as three new coaches were selected for Harvard's men's soccer, men's basketball and squash teams.

John Kerr will replace Stephen R. Locker as the head coach for the Harvard Men's Soccer team, which finished 8-6-2 last season and holds 11 Ivy League titles.

"Steve Locker decided to step down after seven years as the head coach so that he could pursue other challenges," said Paul J. McNeeley, assistant director of sports media relations. Locker has not taken another job yet, according to McNeeley.

Kerr, who attended Duke University, has over ten years of experience as a soccer player nationally and internationally. He was a member of the US national team from 1984 to 1995, and has played professionally in many European countries.

Currently coaching the Boston Bull-dogs, he will be the 11th coach in the history of Harvard men's soccer.

Kerr, who was chosen by Director of Athletics William J. Cleary Jr. '56 and a search committee made up of members of the athletic department, admissions office and administration, was selected from a large pool of applicants, according to McNeeley.

Kerr was enthusiastic his future prospects at Harvard.

"I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to coach at a place like Harvard University and in a league as competitive as the Ivy League," Kerr said. "I am looking forward to leading the program back to the success it has enjoyed in the past."

Harvard also named Satinder Bajwa as a replacement to William J. Doyle, who has led the men's and women's teams for the past seven years, as their new head coach.

Bajwa has served since 1991 as the managing coach and consultant for Jansher Khan, who is ranked as the number one squash player in the world.

Harvard's squash team has always maintained a high standard of excellence, McNeeley said, and athletic officials foresee Bajwa extending that tradition.

"Harvard is the collegiate squash program that all other schools try to measure themselves against," McNeeley said.

The men's basketball team will also see a change in coaching positions as Kyle Snowden '97 will join the Crimson as an assistant coach. During his senior year at Harvard, he was the leading scorer for the team. This former starting forward still stands as Harvard's leading rebounder and was chosen as team MVP twice.

"Having Kyle back with our program will certainly be special," said Frank J. Sullivan, head coach of the men's team.

"His success as a player and overall passion for the game will be sterling examples for our players, and we truly believe that his keen basketball instincts will transfer easily to his coaching duties," Sullivan said.

Snowden will fill the place of Kevin O'Brian, who is taking an assistant coaching position at Boston University. Bill R. Holden will now be the senior assistant for the team.