The Westminster football team is closer to naming a head coach and has narrowed the search down to several finalists. Former head coach Jeff Hand resigned on November after nine seasons with the team compiling a 34-55 record during his tenure.
Multiple reports say that several names have emerged as leading candidates for the job among those names are current Clarion head coach Jay Foster and Slippery Rock DB coach Jason Makrinos.
Foster a well-respected D-II coach has been at the helm in Clarion since 2006 after serving as Defensive Coordinator at Slippery Rock for 18 years. During Foster’s tenure, Slippery Rock consistently had a top ranked defense in the PSAC that lead to four PSAC West titles and three D-II playoff invitations. At Clarion, Foster has compiled a 27-61 in his eight seasons as its head man with his best season coming in 2009 when he coached the Golden Eagles to a 8-3 overall record going 6-1 in conference play in the PSAC West. For his efforts Foster was named 2009 PSAC West Coach of The Year.
A Westminster graduate, Makrinos played defensive line for the Titans earning a place on the President’s Athletic Conference Honor Roll and the Collegiate All-American Scholar Award. Makrinos started his career as a student assistant working with the defensive line in 2004. Before he came to Slippery Rock as a defensive backs coach in 2010, he served in the same position at Carnegie Mellon University. Makrinos also served as a graduate assistant at D-I Kent State and was previously on staff as a grad assistant at The Rock from 2005-2006.
Others reported as candidates for the position are: Dan Knause (OLBs at Carnegie Mellon), Jon Latina (OL/Assistant HC at Duke), Mike Pinchotti (DC at Geneva College) and Scott Benzel (DC at St. Francis).
Sources close to the situation expect Westminster to make an announcement to be made either later this week or early next week.
