Mount Mercy University - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Kintzel aims to shed 'interim' tag

Bob Kintzel is already a member of the Mount Mercy University Hall of Fame for his exploits as a star basketball player with the Mustangs 30 years ago.

Now he'd like to leave his mark on the university as the new women's basketball coach at his alma mater.

Kintzel was promoted to "interim" head coach last week when Aaron Jennings, his former boss with the women's basketball program, accepted a new assignment as head coach of the men's basketball squad at Mount Mercy.

Kintzel has the type of job he's wanted ever since he left Mount Vernon High School three years ago after a successful stint with the girls basketball team there. He fully intends to succeed at Mount Mercy and keep the job on a long-term basis.

"They tagged it interim, so we'll see what happens," Kintzel said Monday. "It's my full intention to keep this job. This is where I want to be.

"Obviously I love Mount Mercy," he said. "This place means a lot to me. So it's my full intention to keep this job and hopefully I will."

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Mount Mercy president endorses Gavin

Mount Mercy President Laurie Hamen thinks Paul Gavin will do an excellent job as the new athletic director for the Mustangs.

"Paul's commitment to Mount Mercy and its student-athletes is unparalleled," Hamen stated Monday in a news release from the school. "His passion for the University and its mission will unite our campus and take us to extraordinary heights as we embark on a new era of Mustang athletics."

Gavin graduated from Mount Mercy in 1988 and earned a master's degree from Columbia Southern in 2006. He has been head men's basketball coach for 23 seasons and head men's golf coach for 19 years, but will relinquish all coaching duties when he officially assumes the new role on Nov. 1.

Women's basketball coach Aaron Jennings will take over the men's basketball program on a permanent basis, while current women's assistant coach Bob Kintzel will be interim head coach of the women's squad. A search for a head women's basketball coach will commence in the spring.

Additionally, a search for a part-time head men's golf coach will begin soon with a goal of identifying the next head coach by mid-December. The 20th-ranked Mount Mercy men's golf team wrapped up its fall season last week.

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Gavin: Football could be good for Mustangs

Paul Gavin thinks adding football could be an excellent move for Mount Mercy University if the school decides to head in that direction in the next few years.

He will have an important voice in the final decision as the new athletic director at the NAIA school in northeast Cedar Rapids.

Gavin, 49, has left his job as the men's basketball coach at Mount Mercy after 23 years to succeed Scot Reisinger as the A.D.

Mount Mercy has been studying the possibility of adding football for several months and a final decision is expected by approximately Feb. 1, 2016.

"I think personally - and this is totally my opinion - if done right and done properly, it could be incredible for our university. And if it's not, it could be a detriment," Gavin said Sunday in his first public interview as the new athletic director.

"Knowing this administration and knowing how Mount Mercy does things, they're going to make the right decision that will positively affect the most people. I'm sure the right decision will be made."

Mount Mercy joined the Heart of America Conference earlier this year, but the membership came with a stipulation: The Mustangs must have a varsity football program by 2018 or face possible eviction from the league.

It would take a huge investment by the university in terms of money, facilities, coaching staff and student-athletes to start a competitive college football program from scratch, but Gavin thinks Mount Mercy could pull it off.

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Mount Mercy women run 4th at Stampede

The Mount Mercy women's cross country team finished fourth out of 20 squads at the NAIA Seminole Valley Stampede Saturday at Seminole Valley Park in Cedar Rapids.

The Mount Mercy men placed seventh out of 21 teams in their race.

The University of St. Francis won the women's race. The University of Saint Mary captured the men's competition.

Ellie Willging of St. Xavier University won the women's 5K race in 17 minutes, 59 seconds. Daniel Garcia of Cardinal Stritch University claimed the men's 8K title in 25 minutes.

Liz Mosbach led Mount Mercy in the women's race in 20th place. Evan Bowman paced the Mount Mercy men in 15th place.

The meet was hosted by Mount Mercy and the Cedar Rapids Convention & Visitors Bureau.

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