Two weeks before Eastern enters the fall part of the 2003-2004 golf season, the Panthers are without a head coach.

Eastern director of athletics Rich McDuffie confirmed Saturday the resignation of Panther men’s and women’s head coach Jay Albaugh. Albaugh is expected to travel to Virginia and sign on to be the director of golf at the college of William & Mary.

William & Mary sports information department stated that an announcement would be made by 1 p.m. Monday.

The five-year Albaugh tenure ended when he informed his players Friday evening. However, certain players were not at the official team meeting, which left some not knowing about the team’s future.

“It was a total shock to me personally becuase I got here late and my teammates had to tell me,” senior Amanda Minchin said.

Minchin has played for Albaugh for each of her three years at Eastern and is looking to become a three-time All-Ohio Valley Conference selection.

Originally from Westminster, Md., Albaugh will be nearly four hours away from his hometown at the campus of the oldest university in America located in Williamsburg, Va.

According to the assistant coaches at William & Mary, Albaugh had made a pair of trips to Virginia over the summer to interview for the position that has been open since former coach Scott King left the Tribe to become the head women’s coach at Eastern Michigan.

“We’ve known he was a candidate and interviewing for the job,” McDuffie said.

“We knew he was interviewing but we were still expecting him to be here,” Minchin added.

The impact of the decision could be how the incoming freshman class that was recruited by Albaugh last spring respond to a new coach.

“It will really affect the young players, and most importantly, the freshmen because they had to think (Albaugh) would stick around,” Minchin said.

Minchin did point out there has been no team speculation of current Eastern players transfering because of the move and they don’t feel the need to be consulted on the hiring of a new coach.

“I want to stay out of that completely and focus on golf,” Minchin said. “However, we all want a coach that is really motivated from the start.”

After being hired this summer, former Eastern captain and current graduate assistant Dave Rella will be in charge of practices while the athletic department searches for a suitable replacement before the Panthers opening meet on Sept. 5. However, according to McDuffie, Rella will not be in the running for the open position.

“We’ve currently got our guys out looking for somebody of quality,” McDuffie said. “We’re pretty confident that we can find a replacement soon.”

McDuffie did state the department isn’t ruling out the possibility of hiring a interim appointment and then evaluating the position at the end of the spring season.

The new golf coach will inherit a trio of letter-winners from both men’s and women’s team and a women’s team that finished runner-up in the OVC Championship.

Albaugh declined to comment on record until his hiring becomes official by William & Mary.