By Patrick Hayes

Kalamazoo College is now in the market for a coach after Rob Passage, a Kalamazoo grad who has coached the school since 2002. Passage is leaving to take a job in the athletics department at Williamette University in Oregon.

From Kalamazoo’s news release:

“We are extremely grateful to Rob for his hard work, dedication, and commitment to Kalamazoo College,” said Kristen Smith, Director of Athletics. “He was a mentor to student-athletes and coaches, not just in basketball, but in many of our programs. He will be missed, but we wish him all the best in his new position.”

In addition to his head coaching duties, Passage served as the assistant athletic director for operations and facilities and assistant professor of physical education.

“My years at Kalamazoo have been filled with great friends, colleagues, and student-athletes,” Passage said. “K has provided me with so many great experiences since I first stepped onto campus as a student in the fall of 1989. I can only hope that I have been able to positively impact the K community even just a portion of how much it impacted my life. Kalamazoo College will always be a special place to me, but it is time for me to move on to other challenges and opportunities.”

Kalamazoo finished 8-17 last season. The team loses leading scorer Joe Propolec to graduation, but returns Mark Ghafari and Eric Fishman, who both averaged 12 points per game. Carter Goetz and Adam Peters, who both started games for Kalamazoo last season, also return.