The men's and women's golf teams are in for another coaching shake-up this year. Francis Vaughn, the head coach for both the men and women, resigned from his duties last week.
Vaughn, with Penn for 12 years, cited the increasing obligations of his business ventures as the primary reason for stepping down.
"My business opportunities needed more time. Golf needed more time," Vaughn said. "I was working part-time on both."
Vaughn would not reveal the nature of his companies, except to say that they don't involve golf or sports in general.
Vaughn has left his mark on the Penn golf program. He was key in bringing a varsity women's golf team to Penn in 2000. Vaughn also guided the men's team from a seventh place finish at the Ivy Championships during his first season in 1996 to Penn's first Ivy crown in 1998.
The Penn Athletics Department is uncertain about how it will fill Vaughn's vacancy, as the structure of the golf program has differed over the years.
Originally hired as the men's golf coach in 1996, Vaughn coached both teams from 2000-2002. For the next two seasons he handed off the coaching duties of both teams, but still oversaw all aspects as the Director of Golf. Then Vaughn took over the women's team starting in 2005 while Rob Powelson joined Penn's staff as the men's head coach that same year.
Last summer, Powelson left the program to spend more time with his family. This led Vaughn to take over the day-to-day coaching aspects of both teams.
Senior Director of Athletics Alanna Wren Shanahan said the department is "taking a healthy look at things" and said among the options is hiring a new Director of Golf and a head coach for one of the teams or hiring a pair of head coaches.
"Ideally we'd like to have positions posted by next week," said Wren Shanahan. "A lot of recruiting is done over the summer, so the sooner the better, obviously."
Vaughn said he didn't provide a specific recommendation but that the Athletic Department "did ask me questions about how it could look" and noted the challenges of coaching two programs.
Last year's assistant golf coach Chad Perman is still listed as part of the golf department on the Penn Athletics web site and Wren Shanahan did not rule out a promotion in his future.
Perman was hired by the university last August after serving as a volunteer coach the previous season.
"Before approaching Chad, we'd like to have a sense of what the structure will be," Wren said. "Then we'll see if Chad is interested in any of the formats."
Although for some members of the men's team this will be their third head coach while at Penn, Vaughn is confident in the foundation he has helped build.
"I feel like it's a great place to leave them," Vaughn said. "The players did the winning."
Under Vaughn's tutelage, rising senior Michael Blodgett took first place at the Ivy League Championships this year, becoming the first Penn athlete to medal at the event.
Penn's women's golf was not the only program Vaughn began from scratch. He also worked to develop the first golf program with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America from 2002-2005.
Vaughn will remain involved with collegiate golf. He said he intends to lend a hand with the annual Philadelphia Big 5 Golf Classic, which he helped start with Paul Rubincam, a former Penn Athletic Director and former Executive Director of the Big 5.
