Notre Dame announces new head coaches

New coaches include two Notre Dame High School alums.

From left, Rob Suffredini, who was named head coach of varsity boys soccer at Notre Dame Prep; Andy Guest, head coach of boys and girls cross country; Brandon Jezdimir, head coach of 7th-8th grade football; and Jerry McGhee, head coach of 5th-6th grade football, Notre Dame Marist.

The athletic department of Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy announced today that Rob Suffredini has been named head coach of Notre Dame Prep's boys soccer team. In addition, Andy Guest, who is Notre Dame’s executive vice president and director of advancement, will take over head coaching duties for the boys and girls cross country teams.

Suffredini, who is a Notre Dame High School alum, Class of 1986, comes to NDPMA after serving as coach of the Vardar Soccer Club’s boys U13-U16 and girls U11-U14 teams. He also has previous experience as a coach and player development director with Michigan Burn, Gators and Carpathia soccer clubs. His high school coaching experience includes positions with Fraser, Lamphere, De La Salle and Cranbrook Kingswood schools. Suffredini, who replaces former boys soccer head coach Ryan Elchuk, is a graduate of Adrian College where he earned a BS in business administration.

Jason Whalen, a counselor in Notre Dame’s upper division, will be an assistant coach for varsity football.

Guest has been a mainstay on the Notre Dame campus since hiring on in 2005 as director of advancement, overseeing fundraising, marketing and alumni relations for the school. Prior to taking over as head coach of cross country, he served as assistant coach for boys and girls cross country, and boys and girls track and field. He will continue to assist track and field head coach Jonathan Barbee when the season begins in the spring. Guest is a graduate of the University of Michigan and a 1984 alumnus of Notre Dame High School.

It was also announced today that current Notre Dame Prep counselor Jason Whalen, a former offensive coordinator for U of D Jesuit's varsity football team, will serve as an assistant on NDP head varsity football coach Patrick Fox's staff.

New head coaches for middle school football

Notre Dame’s middle-school football program also announced a number of changes today. Brandon Jezdimir, vice principal for the school’s middle division, will take over as head coach of Notre Dame Marist’s 7th and 8th grade team, and Jerry McGhee, a health and physical education teacher for NDPMA’s middle and upper divisions, will be head coach of NDM’s 5th and 6th grade team.

Previously, Jezdimir coached the 5th and 6th grade football team and also has experience coaching ND Prep’s varsity boys basketball, freshman boys basketball, and NDM basketball teams. McGhee most recently was varsity assistant and JV coach for NDP football and continues to coach JV softball and NDM basketball.

Follow Notre Dame on Twitter at @NDPMA.

About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy

Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.