The ISU women’s golf team lost head coach Julie Manning during winter break when she accepted the position at the University of Colorado as the assistant athletic director for compliance and financial aid.

“With coach leaving, it was a big shock to all of us,” said sophomore Christi Athas. “We’re trying to find a new coach, and a lot is going on. I don’t know how much it will affect our spring season.”

While Iowa State searches to fill Manning’s position, assistant Fiona Watson has been named interim coach.

The university will be accepting applications for the job until Thursday.

Watson, a 1998 graduate of Iowa State, played for the Cyclones from 1995-98 and was a two-time National Golf Coaches Association All-American. She also garnered all-Big 12 honors in the 95-96 season, which is an accomplishment that no Cyclone women’s golfer has achieved since.

“I’m just running the ship right now until the process is complete,” Watson said. “I would love to take the head coaching job. I’m very passionate about Iowa State; I think that’s one of the big things I bring to the table.”

Watson is currently a graduate student, but will graduate in May with a master’s in business administration. She said she would like to stay on as an assistant if she is not hired as head coach, but only for the spring semester.

“[Watson] is a very strong candidate; she’s done an excellent job both as a coach and as a player here at Iowa State,” associate athletic director Bill Smith said.

“I am very excited about her candidacy.”

Smith said that Iowa State hopes to have the position filled by the end of January, with an announcement of the new head coach to come in mid-February.

Whoever takes the reins for the spring season will inherit a short-handed team.

Stefanie Nelson, a sophomore who appeared in two meets as an individual golfer and one with the team, has transferred to Northern Iowa.

She cited frustration with the coaching staff and lack of playing time as reasons, but made her decision before Manning took the Colorado job.

Erica Dahl decided to leave the team in mid-fall for personal reasons.

With those players gone, the Cyclones have only seven people on the spring roster.

In Colorado, Manning will have her work cut out for her. Her new job involves instructing players and coaches in NCAA rules and regulations.

The Colorado athletic department has had a rough year, as sexual assault accusations and questionable recruiting practices have cast a bad light over the football team. The university has also reported possible violations involving boosters.

Despite the chaos, the new reforms Colorado has made were appealing to Manning.

The university is calling for higher academic requirements and stricter rules regarding recruiting visits, including a curfew and constant parental supervision.

“I saw an opening and inquired,” Manning said.

“I hope that I can be an asset to them. It was an opportunity to get into administration, and an opportunity to stay in the Big 12.”

Manning demonstrated a knack for planning when she helped plan the 2002 NCAA women’s basketball tournament first and second rounds at Hilton Coliseum, as well as the Iowa State football team’s 2000 trip to the Insight.com Bowl in Phoenix.

“I have always been interested in moving into the administration aspect of athletics,” Manning said.

“It was going to take something special to pull me away from Iowa State, and I saw Colorado as that opportunity.”

Manning will leave behind a golf team that is ranked 38th in the nation by Golfweek magazine and two golfers, captains Louise Kenney and Lisa Meshke, who are ranked 39th and 40th, respectively.

She never found an easy time to say goodbye.

“I found out right after Thanksgiving break, so I have known for a while now,” Meshke said. “Unfortunately, it came in the middle of the season, but like coach said, there is really no good time to leave.”