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In the case of Assistant Basketball Coach Dan Parrell, the answer to that question is maybe. When Bethel University called from down the road, Hamline let Parrell leave without making a counteroffer. Bethel reportedly offered Parrell the option to teach as well as work in the athletic development department and to continue to coach. Hamline simply couldn’t compete with the pay-grade and opportunities of a full-time position.

“[Dan Parrell] took a look at that spot and decided that it was best for he and his family. We fully support situations like that,” said Athletic Director Dan O’Brien.

Hamline only has so many head coaching positions to offer, so when an assistant coach gets an offer to lead a program, it is difficult for the university to counter. Apparently, Piper fans weren’t the only ones paying attention to Hamline’s winning records and leadership last year.

“I don’t want to minimize the contributions that Dan Parrell made to that program, but Barry Wohler is the head of that program and the face of that program, and the recruits coming in are confident knowing that their head coach is still going to be there,” said O’Brien.

In Parrell’s case, Hamline lost a good coach to another educational institution, but not all the coaches left for greener pastures in sports. Head Tennis Coach Dan Haertl also parted ways with the Pipers in late summer. O’Brien was unable to get funding for Haertl as a full-time coach.

“It’s always an uphill battle to try to find more funding, and I’m glad I’m not the person that has to make those decisions because we’re just one piece of the university,” O’Brien.

In an attempt to keep Haertl on the payroll, O’Brien promoted Assistant Tennis Coach Nathan Klonecki to Head Womens Coach, giving Haertl the same pay as last season while only coaching the mens team.

Sadly, Hamline’s offer wasn’t large enough to retain Haertl. His church countered Hamline’s offer with an opportunity for the coach to work full-time with youth.

“I’ve tried, since I’ve gotten here, to improve our situations in swimming and in tennis. For the most part, we have full time head coaches that are at Hamline during the day for the students,” said O’Brien. “When I got here, I inherited a situation with the swimming program where we didn’t have anyone here full time. We just had someone who came in for the afternoons.”

Last year was Hamline’s first year with a full-time swimming and diving coach. Despite being voted MIAC Swimming/Diving Coach of the Year, Andy Hanson also left Hamline because of issues with administration. This year Paul Waas will step into the position.

“I’m coming into a team where everybody is brand new to me,” said Waas. “It’s going to be a give and take sort of thing where they’re getting to know me as I’m getting to know them.”

Getting to know new players can be tough for coaches, especially when there is high turnover in sports at small colleges.

“Ever since I’ve started diving, I’ve had a different coach every year. At Hamline I had a coach for two years, so I was a little disappointed and sad,” said junior Tammy Klenke, a diver who was present for both of Hanson’s years and will now make the transition to working with Waas and the new diving coach.

With all the shuffling going around the athletics department, connection and consistency will be even more crucial this year than in the past. That’s why Paul Schmaedeke has taken over the duties of Head Womens Cross Country Coach and dropped his position with the mens and womens track teams. Lynden Reder and Shawn Johnson-Hipp were promoted from within the athletics department, and will run their respective track teams with Schmaedeke overseeing the transition.

It seems that despite losing six coaches in a single year, Hamline Athletics is doing all it can to ensure that their athletes will be able to succeed under qualified leadership. The problem, as is the case with most small colleges, is funding.