Published: November 28, 2007 11:19 pm      

Bluefield hoops coach, athletic director resigns

BLUEFIELD, Va. — Her time is done at Bluefield College. Cheryl Fielitz-Scarbrough, the women’s basketball coach and athletic director at Bluefield, resigned from both positions on Wednesday, according to Chris Shoemaker, Bluefield’s director of public relations.

Shoemaker was surprised to learn of the news on Wednesday afternoon.

“I was surprised. I hadn’t expected it so it was a surprise to me,” Shoemaker said. “Cheryl has been an asset to the campus community. She was well-liked by the players and just the college family in general.”

Fielitz-Scarbrough, whose Rams lost 89-60 to Bluefield State on Tuesday, will be replaced as basketball coach on an interim basis by Steve Hardin, the Bluefield golf coach and assistant men’s basketball coach.

Shoemaker said Hardin would be assisted by Bluefield volleyball coach Jaime Bowman, and another men’s assistant, Brandon Rosser.

“It’s the middle of the season for women’s basketball so we’re going to get things in place so the team can move on,” Shoemaker said. “We have appointed Steve Hardin to be the interim head coach for the Lady Rams.”

Shoemaker also said that Ewell Vernon, the head trainer at the college, will replace Fielitz-Scarbrough as athletics director.

“He has accepted the position as director of athletics,” Shoemaker said. “He’ll continue to oversee the athletic training program, but we will add the duties of athletic director so he can fill the void that has been left by Cheryl.”

Fielitz-Scarbrough came to Bluefield in 2001 after a stint as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Valparaiso. She had also been a head coach at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Nicholls State, Queens College and the University of Rio Grande in Ohio.

Bluefield (1-8), which has lost eight straight games since winning its opener, will resume play on Friday with an Appalachian Athletic Conference game at Covenant. That will be followed Saturday by a visit to Bryan.

Shoemaker said that Fielitz-Scarbrough will be missed.

“She is passionate about basketball. She loves the sport, she loves to coach and, for her, it’s not just about wins and losses,” Shoemaker said. “She’s equally concerned about building character among the players.

“We wish her well. I’m not sure what her future holds or where she will go from here, but we wish her well.”

Fielitz-Scarbrough — whose record at Bluefield was 42-127 — and Vernon declined comment.

—Contact Brian Woodson

at bwoodson@bdtonline.com