College authorities scrambled this past month to reshape leadership in the Athletics Department in the wake of key departures, including the resignation of Athletic Director Kelly Higgins.

Higgins had been director for two years, as the result of a national search that brought him here to the Hilltop.

At the beginning of October, Tyler Fleming, Senior Associate Director of Athletics for External Operations, resigned as well. Having been at Saint A’s since 2011, Fleming acted as the interim AD as the search committee worked to hire a replacement for Jo-Ann Nester at her initial retirement.

In relatively close proximity to Fleming’s resignation, Saint Anselm College Associate Director of Athletics, Donna Guimont, retired in May after a 36 year career with the Hawks from both her administrative position, as well as her coaching career with the women’s basketball team. She was the first female to be inducted into the Anselmian Athletics Hall of Fame, as well as the first ever coach and first non-graduate to receive the honor.

With four total resignations and retirements since 2011, the Athletics Department has faced a lot of turnover, making top leadership in the program altogether somewhat unstable, sources say.

Jo-Ann Nester, Athletic Director from 2009- 2011, has stepped in as the interim AD until there is a new hire for the permanent position. She says that she is “happy to come and help out, for however long they need me.”

Being AD is certainly nothing new to Nester, and she has been able to hit the ground running to keep the Athletics Program on the ball.

During her time here, she set many goals in order to better the Hawks and help teams to reach their potential with the best resources possible.

Some of these goals were attaining corporate sponsorships, getting new uniforms and apparel, setting up the Anselmian Athletics fund, which is a fundraising program for Alumni, and getting athlete scholarships beyond the Men’s and Women’s Basketball team. She also established the faculty team advisement program, which gave each team a faculty, administrator, or a monk as a mentor and representative.

The culmination of these goals was the turf field in Grappone Stadium, making Nester feel she could leave the program having set up a great foundation for the student athletes, she told The Crier.

Along with the rest of the school, the Athletics Department is also facing the future with new college president Dr. DiSalvo.

Dr. DiSalvo in his inaugural address mentioned the Athletics Department, saying, “Excellence comes in many forms. While we have had admirable success in some sports, we will build an athletic program that is highly competitive.”

Jo-Ann Nester, who came back to New Hampshire from her retirement on San Marco Island in Florida, agrees with him, saying the Dr. DiSalvo is “looking at all the components that would contribute to the success and future of the athletics program, such as the infrastructure, more full-time coaches, and alumni support.”

As far as her current goals, Nester is looking to “get the department ready for whoever comes in.”

She also stresses that “solid and stable is what I am striving for,” focusing on “stability” as a priority.

As this change greatly affects the many student athletes, there is some talk as to what the turnover means for them. Many students find that the change in leadership hasn’t been too present on the fields, but they appreciate the presence of the Athletic Director at all competitions.

Part of the AD’s job is to schedule competitions, get sponsors, coordinate scholarships, attend games and  hire and supervise coaches, making the position a difficult and necessary one.

A search committee will be formed again, according to college authorties, but not quite yet. The department wants to be sure that the applicant pool is the most qualified possible, which will require waiting a little bit as athletic programs across the country are in full swing.

All of this is done for the students, with the athletes in mind, Dr. Nester said. That is one thing that will not change throughout the transitions, which Jo-Ann Nester expressed by saying, “I love our student athletes. They’re the best.”