Release courtesy of Linda Bouvet, LSSU Sports Infomation Director
SAULT STE. MARIE -- Sault Country Club women's golf champion Sandra Collins has been named Lake Superior State's new women's golf coach, while Wayne State University hall of famer Elisa Joris has joined the volleyball coaching staff and eight-time all-America pole vaulter Jocelyn Kuksa is the new track and field assistant coach, LSSU Director of Athletics Kris Dunbar announced today.
Collins, a native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, replaces Jamie Davison, who resigned as LSSU men's and women's golf coach to focus on his duties as general manager at Sault Country Club. Joris took over for former LSSU instructor/assistant coach Amy (Molenaar) Carr.
Kuksa, runner-up in the 2012 NCAA Division II outdoor pole vault for Grand Valley State University, replaces Jason Brenton. Paul Prucha is LSSU's new equipment manager for Division I and II teams, replacing former hockey trainer/equipment manager Scott McLay. Finally, former LSSU standout center Danielle (Makins) Lindloff '08 has been promoted to interim assistant coach for the Laker women's basketball team.
Collins, who has 15 club championships to her credit, competes annually in the UPLGA tournament and has reached the championship flight several times. She is also the manager of accounting at Cloverland Electric Cooperative.
"My first real exposure to golf was as a student at Lake Superior State, when I took golf as one of my classes," Collins said. "Since then, I have become a reader of the game, and believe that my golf knowledge exceeds my own skills. Experiences in a variety of sports have taught me the value of mental and physical preparation for competition. While I completely enjoy what I do at Cloverland, I know that many people have their dream job. For me, that would be a job in the golf industry. So I hope that I can handle doing both jobs, give back to my alma mater, and create an enjoyable golf experience for the students that I will coach."
Joris joins the LSSU coaching staff after spending three seasons as a head coach, and strength and conditioning instructor at Adrian College. She ran all facets of the Bulldogs' program and served as advisor to the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.
Joris, of Walled Lake, Mich., earned a B.A. in public relations from Wayne State University 2008. She was named to the Daktronics All-America Second Team and received AVCA All-America Honorable Mention as a senior for the Warriors in 2004-05. She was also named to the Daktronics and AVCA All-Region First Team, and All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team after leading Division II in blocks per set. Joris totaled over 1,000 career kills during her career, which included two seasons at Grand Valley State. She is a 2012 inductee into the WSU Sports Hall of Fame.
Prucha is an Alpena, Mich., native and 1990 graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.S. in sports management and communications. He was a U-M student equipment manager, strength coach and Yost Ice Arena assistant manager between 1986-92. He recently retired after working 19 years as an athletic director for the Michigan Department of Corrections. Prucha was a Sault Michigan Hockey Association coach for 18 seasons.
Kuksa, a native of Palatine, Ill., was a part of four NCAA championships while competing for GVSU, where she earned a B.S. in exercise science. She set the Lakers' indoor pentathlon record in 2009 before focusing exclusively on the pole vault. As a senior in 2012, she placed third in the pole vault during the NCAA Division II Indoor Nationals and went on to place second at the outdoor nationals. She also coached track and field at Jenison High School in 2012.
Lindloff, who was a volunteer assistant during the 2011-12 season, took on more responsibility after Shannon Eggers was promoted to interim head coach earlier this month. She is also employed by the LSSU Office of Admissions. Lindloff, a native of Grosse Ile, Mich., averaged 5.1 points per game while shooting 53.2 percent from the field during her Laker career, which spanned 109 games. She is a two-time GLIAC All-Academic honoree and holds a B.S. in mathematics.
