Changes in football, volleyball, men’s basketball and softball
The Vermilion Ironhawks will have new leadership in several sports this year.
Coaching changes have occurred in the football, men’s basketball, volleyball and softball programs on the Vermilion campus of Minnesota North College.
The football team at Vermilion will be led this year by Zuriel Cook, who takes over for Tyree Johnson.
An assistant coach with the program last year, Cook is a Vermilion graduate and has a four-year degree from Oklahoma Panhandle State Cook has been active recruiting new players for the Ironhawks, who start practice next week and open the season at the end of the month.
Matthew Shonder has been named Vermilion’s new head men’s basketball coach.
Shonder brings a wealth of experience from his coaching tenures at Andrew College, Reinhardt University, University of St. Francis, and Morton College, where he built a strong reputation for player development and team success.
He steps in after the resignation of Dawson Dickson, who left Vermilion after two seasons to take a similar job in his native New Hampshire.
Aaron Bender, who has served as both volleyball and softball coach the last three years, has taken over as Vermilion’s campus operations director - leaving coaching vacancies in both sports. Bender remains the school’s athletic director.
For volleyball, Vermilion has turned to Sammy Redman Wiggen to lead the program.
She served as an assistant coach to Bender and will step in to guide the Ironhawks this fall. Practices begin later this month.
A familiar face will lead the Vermilion softball program, as women’s basketball coach Ryan Zyla will expand his role and take on the softball duties as well.
Zyla guided the women’s basketball team to a playoff berth in his first year at the helm and is building both the basketball and softball rosters in a quest for competitive 2025-26 seasons. He also serves as Vermilion’s campus diversity officer.
In a related move, Vermilion has also tabbed Mister Askew to return to the football program as offensive coordinator. Askew has over 25 years of coaching experience, and has previously worked in both head and assistant coaching roles.
Vermilion’s returning coaches are Tom Coombe in baseball and Chad Loewen and Jake Myers, who coach the school’s trapshooting team.
