January 11, 2010
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LAURINBURG, N.C.—St. Andrews Presbyterian College Director of Athletics, Glenn Batten, has announced a change at the head coaching position of the Knights men’s soccer program on Monday. Former head coach Stevan Hernandez will return coaching as the head men’s soccer coach as current coach Leto Alibaruho will be leaving the program effective immediately.
“I would like to thank Leto Alibaruho for his hard work at St. Andrews for the past four years,” said Batten. “While tough, this decision is in the best interest of the Knights men’s soccer program and the St. Andrews community.”
Hernandez, who has spent the past two years as the Director of the St. Andrews Annual Fund, will return to the sidelines as the men’s soccer head coach. Hernandez decided to step aside from coaching in 2008 after spending 10 years in the Knights athletics department including four seasons as the men’s soccer coach (2004-2007) but has wanted to return recently after spending some time away.
“I am excited to return to coaching and to be part of the Knights athletics department again,” said Hernandez. “I missed the relationship with student-athletes as a mentor and coach. I would like to thank Glenn Batten for giving me the opportunity to return to a sport I love to coach at great institution that means so much to me.”
In his first 10 years with the St. Andrews athletics department, Hernandez made a major impact to the Knights programs. Hernandez has the Division II record for most total wins as head coach for three sports at St. Andrews including men’s soccer, women’s soccer, and softball. He also has the single-season wins record in all three sports.
Hernandez (37-32-7) accumulated a winning record in his first four year stint as the SAPC men’s soccer coach including three consecutive winning seasons. The men’s soccer program won a program-record 13 games in 2006 including a run in the conference tournament that included a 0-0 tie in the championship game. St. Andrews was the runner-up in the tourney losing the title in a shootout. The Knights followed up with another double-digit win season with 11 victories in 2007.
Hernandez joined the department in the summer of 1998 beginning his tenure as head softball coach in the spring of 1999 and assumed the responsibilities of coaching the re-instated women’s soccer program in the fall of that same year. Hernandez coached the women's soccer program for seven years and led the Knights to their first conference playoff berth in 2003. Hernandez moved from the women’s team to the men’s in February of 2004 before becoming head coach of both programs for the 2006 and 2007 campaigns.
Hernandez will fulfill his responsibilities as the Director of the Annual Fund through the spring semester before moving back to athletics full time in May, at which time St. Andrews will look for a new Director of the Annual Fund.
Alibaruho accumulated an 11-22-1 record in his two year head coaching tenure at St. Andrews. Alibaruho was an associate head coach under Hernandez for two seasons prior to becoming head coach. Alibaruho’s future plans were not disclosed.
About St. Andrews Presbyterian College
St. Andrews Presbyterian College is a four-year liberal arts and sciences college situated on 600 acres around a 70-acre lake in the Sandhills region of North Carolina. Long known for its innovation and academic excellence, the college boasts an unparalleled interdisciplinary curriculum, a study abroad program on three continents, a multidisciplinary science lab the size of an indoor arena, the first undergraduate college press in the country, the first four-year degree in therapeutic horsemanship and equine business management, and an award-winning bagpipe band. Students enrolled at St. Andrews come from 42 states and eleven countries. SAPC sponsors 16 NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics programs that compete in Conference Carolinas.
Further information may be obtained by visiting the College's website www.sapc.edu, calling admissions at 800-763-0198, or by sending an e-mail to admissions@sapc.edu.
