Blackburn Announces Three New Head Coaches
Blackburn College has announced the hiring of three new head coaches to complete their athletic staff. Joining Blackburn are John Malin (Men's Golf), Suzzanah Behnken (Volleyball and Softball) and Tim Gould (Women's Soccer).
John Malin is a 32-year member of the admissions staff at
Blackburn. A 1981 graduate of Blackburn, Malin played
baseball, soccer and golf as a student. Malin holds the title
of director of transfer admissions at Blackburn. Malin's
primary goal is to begin the process of rebuilding the golf program
to become a top contender in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference again. The 2011 team won the league and advanced
to the NCAA Division III Championships in Pennsylvania. Malin
now begins the process of returning Blackburn Golf to that
level.
Suzzanah Behnken began her softball coaching career as the
assistant softball coach at Seton Catholic Preparatory in Chandler,
Arizona where the team won the Arizona State Championship in 2010.
She remained at Seton Catholic Preparatory until last spring when
she served as the assistant coach at Notre Dame Preparatory in
Scottsdale, Arizona. In 2009, Behnken served as the Head Volleyball
Coach at The Geneva School in Winter Park, Florida. Behnken, a
native of Tempe, Arizona, is a 2009 graduate of Union College in
Barbouville, Kentucky. Behnken lettered four years in volleyball
and softball while at Union and earned her Masters Degree in
Athletic Administration in 2012 from Concordia University-Irvine in
Irvine California.
Tim Gould, a 2006 Blackburn alum, returns to campus as its new
Head Women's Soccer Coach. Gould comes to Blackburn after a highly
successful run as the boys and girls head soccer coach at
Carlinville High School. In seven years as the Carlinville
girls head coach he put together a 103-50-5 record, including a
school best 21 wins in the 2010 season. His teams won IHSA
regional titles in 2009 and 2011. In the fall of 2007, Gould
became the head boys soccer coach in addtion to the girls coach.
In six seasons his boys teams amassed a 100-47-6 record.
His 2011 and 2012 teams won a school record 22 matches as
well as IHSA regional championships. The 2012 team captured
the programs only sectional championship by defeating reigning
state champion Quincy Notre Dame.
Gould was recognized by area coaches as the Alton Telegraph Newspaper' small school girls coach of the year in 2010. He was also named the Alton Telegraph's small school boys coach of the year in 2010 and 2011. Gould was also a member of the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association. While a student at Blackburn, Gould played for legendary coach Gene Baker and was a four-year starter on defense. During that time the Beavers finished in the top four in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference three of those years with the 2003 team finishing 10-2-2 in the league.
COURTESY OF BLACKBURN COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION
