The Madison College Athletic Department is announcing several staff changes ahead of the upcoming 2022-23 athletic year. Effective July 1, the current Associate Athletic Director Jason Verhelst will be promoted to Interim Athletic Director replacing Steve Hauser, who is retiring this fall after 23 years. Jason Verhelst will become the fourth athletic director in Madison College's history. Lois Heeren, former head women's basketball coach and physical education instructor, will return to assist the department as interim Associate Athletic Director. Additionally, Head Men's Basketball Coach and Academic Advisor Jamal Palmer is leaving his coaching and advising position to become the Athletic Department's first Student-Athlete Development, Success, and Equity Coordinator.

The college is interviewing candidates next week for the Head Women's Basketball position and will undergo a nationwide search for the Head Men's Basketball position in the coming weeks.

Verhelst came to Madison College in 2000 as the Sports Information Director and has twice earned promotions. He was named Assistant Athletic Director for communications in 2014 and Associate Athletic Director in 2018. Verhelst currently oversees several areas for the department, including the student health clinic, all department public and media relations, graphic design, photography and video production, statistics and result reporting, department websites for athletics and recreation, technology initiatives, special events, Title IX compliance, department and facility branding, social media, and external communications. In addition, he also assists with eligibility and other special projects. Verhelst is the creator, founder, and acting director of SportReporting.com, a business entity of the college and the athletic department.

Heeren completed her sixth season with the WolfPack in 2022 and will retire from collegiate coaching after 34 years. She will exit the program with an 81-54 record. Before Madison College, Heeren coached and taught in the Exercise and Sport Science Department at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She also served as the Assistant Director of External Operations for the WIAA State Track meet for 13 years.

Palmer took over the WolfPack men's basketball program before the 2018-19 season after working as an assistant coach within the program for three previous seasons. His teams produced a 41-36 overall record under his leadership. Palmer earned a bachelor's and master's degree in Social Work, and he will transition from a coach and academic advisor to the Student-Athlete Development, Success, and Equity Coordinator. The position will focus on student-athlete personal growth and development, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and act as an academic success resource liaison for academically at-risk as well as diverse student-athletes.

Hauser, who has been the athletic director since 1999, will retire in October 2022 after 23 years of service to Madison College. A more comprehensive look at his tenure and accomplishments while leading the department will be published in the future.

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