Changes to come for athletics
Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) recently announced Michael Salinas, the head coach of the Javelina football team, is the new Executive Director of Athletics, and he’s ready for this next role.
This comes after Salinas was named Interim Director of Athletics after Steve Roach joined the NCAA Division I Elon University team in September.
In a press release given by Javelina Athletics, TAMUK President Dr. Robert Vela had high praise for Salinas.
“He is a leader of the highest integrity, and I am confident that, just as he transformed our football program, he will elevate Javelina Athletics to the next level,” Vela said.
Salinas is an alumnus and former member of the Javelina Football team from 1995 to 1999. He was part of three LSC Championship and two West Region Championship teams under Ron Harms.
Salinas said he is ready for this next chapter.
“It’s something I take in great pride. Thankful for the opportunity Dr. Vela has given me to run the Athletic Department,” he said. “We have great coaches and great student-athletes. So, I’m looking forward to the opportunity to lead and manage in a different capacity.”
Salinas led the Javelinas to three consecutive winning seasons and closed out this season with the most Lone Star Conference wins since 2016. Under his leadership, the average GPA of the football program has increased and nearly 115 players have earned their degrees.
Defensive Coordinator Jamison Bisch will serve as Interim Head Coach while a search is underway.
Bisch has been with the Javelinas for two seasons. In both years, he has led the Javelina defense to be top four in the Lone Star Conference and top two in run defense, along with coaching some of the top players in the conference with five players receiving All-Conference honors.
Bisch will enter the running for the position, he said.
“First off 16 years doing this. I’ve been a coordinator for 12 of those years. I’ve worked with some really special head coaches,” he said. “In my time at Eastern New Mexico with Coach (Tye) Hiatt, I was the assistant head coach there, and I’m the assistant head coach here. So, everything I’ve done over the last 16 years prepared me for this. It’s a little bit of this, a little bit of that, but it’s got to be me. And so, I really think that being myself and taking the things I’m good at, which is planning, preparing, being organized, I think will really get me ready to put me in position to do a great job here.”
The University has paired with Parker Executive Search and will begin a national search for the next Javelina Football head coach, who they are hoping is selected by the beginning of January.
Host Mark Paz sits down with Interim Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator for the Javelina Football team Coach Jamison Bisch.