Eastern is currently hunting for a new athletic director.

But that’s not the only hole to be filled in the athletic department. Several coaching positions are open as well.

Jorge Munoz left to be the quarterbacks and passing coordinator at Louisiana-Lafayette (at Football Bowl Subdivison team), which leaves the Eastern football team without an offensive coordinator or quarterbacks coach.

“Guys haven’t asked about (the open position),” said Eastern defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni. “It’s not a surprise when guys leave us anymore.”

This will be the third offensive coordinator in three years for the Panthers. Munoz was only in that position for one year. Mark Hutson was the offensive coordinator in the 2006 season and also served as the acting head coach. Hutson is now the offensive line coach at Tulane (another FBS team).

Bellantoni and the rest of the coaches are focused on recruiting right now. National Signing Day is Feb. 6.

“It hasn’t been an issue with any of the kids in terms of recruiting,” Bellantoni said.

Jeff Hoover, Eastern’s offensive coordinator, said Eastern head coach Bob Spoo isn’t in a rush to start the process.

“I’m not worried,” Hoover said. “I have total confidence in Coach Spoo that he will address those issues.”

It’s been an offseason of changes for the football team in terms of leadership. Defensive line coach Shannon Jackson left in December to become the defensive coordinator at Indiana State.

Forrest Jackson was an Eastern defensive assistant, but he was promoted to linebackers coach after Shannon’s departure. Bellantoni will now coach the defensive line in addition to his duties as defensive coordinator.

Assistant women’s soccer coach

Eastern head women’s soccer coach Tim Nowak said the women’s soccer search committee is in the process of reviewing applications for a new assistant women’s soccer coach.

Beth Liesen left in December to pursue a teaching job in the Chicago suburbs. Liesen was the Eastern assistant women’s soccer coach from 2005-07.

Nowak said the search committee is comprised of himself, Eastern head men’s soccer coach Adam Howarth, Eastern athletic trainer Jen Tymkew and assistant sports information director Ben Turner.

Nowak said the committee is still accepting applications but will review all of them next week. The search committee will then conduct phone interviews, and eventually there will be on-campus visits for the coaches.

Players are not a part of the search committee.

“It needs a decision to be made by the coaches, and the players will have the opportunity to meet the (potential) coaches,” Nowak said.

Liesen, a Quincy native, finished her third season with the Panthers after she graduated in 2004. Previous assistant coaches were Kristin Boecker, who is now an associate head coach at Texas San Antonio under former Eastern head coach Steve Ballard, and Howarth, who served as the interim assistant coach at one point.

Men’s and women’s swimming head coach

Eastern head men’s and swimming coach Ray Padovan is retiring at the end of the season after 42 years with the Panthers.

Eastern interim athletic director Ken Baker said the next athletic director would decide the next head swim coach.

Kevin Murphy can be reached at 581-7944 or at kjmurphy@eiu.edu.