UGF names new athletics director

By The Associated Press - 08/03/2007

GREAT FALLS (AP) — Former Fresno Pacific women’s basketball coach Jim Hall has been named the director of athletics at the University of Great Falls, school president Eugene McAllister announced Thursday.

Hall replaces Eric Van Kley, who also served as wrestling coach, before resigning to take the head wrestling position at Central College in Pella, Iowa, in May.

Hall has been women’s basketball coach at Fresno Pacific for the past two seasons. He left March 1 because he wanted to pursue administrative options. He has also coached women’s basketball teams at Simpson University in Redding, Calif., and at University of Minnesota-Morris.

‘‘This will be Jim’s first time serving as an athletics director but he has broad administrative experience,’’ McAllister said. ‘‘He got his start managing athletic facilities. He has served as Title IX compliance officer, been responsible for tracking and certifying eligibility of student athletes, was responsible for game management, planned and organized regional tournaments, and engaged in fundraising.’’

Hall is a native of Bedford, Ind., and graduated from the Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in history. He led NCAA Division III Grinnell College in scoring as a junior and a senior. In 1997, he attended Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Mo., where he completed a master of science degree in health and physical education.