Newsmakers

Died Former LPGA Tour standout Colleen Walker, who won nine times during her 23-year career, died Tuesday night after her second battle with cancer. She was 56. Walker played the LPGA Tour from 1982 to 2004. She had a career-high three victories in 1992 and won her lone major title in 1997 in the du Maurier Classic in Canada. She is survived by husband Ron Bakich and 16-year-old son Tyler Walker Bakich.

Announced San Jose State defensive coordinator Kent Baer will be the team’s interim coach for the Military Bowl. Baer will coach the 24th-ranked Spartans against Bowling Green on Dec. 27. Baer takes over for Mike MacIntyre, who left Monday to take the head coaching job at Colorado. Baer is finishing his fifth season on the coaching staff for the Spartans (10-2). Baer also served as interim coach for Notre Dame in the 2004 Insight Bowl.

• Wisconsin defensive coordinator Chris Ash will follow former Badgers coach Bret Bielema to Arkansas. Ash worked under Bielema with the Badgers for the last three seasons, including the last two as co-defensive coordinator. He’ll remain with the team through its Rose Bowl appearance against Stanford. Ash came to Wisconsin from Iowa State, taking over as the Badgers’ defensive backs coach in 2010. The 38-year-old was elevated to defensive coordinator in 2011, and he helped lead a Wisconsin defense that was 13th in the country.

Hired Southern Miss introduced Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken as its new football coach. Monken comes to the Golden Eagles after two successful seasons leading the Cowboys’ high-scoring offense, which is averaging nearly 45 points this season. He will not coach with Oklahoma State at the Heart of Dallas bowl on Jan. 1, instead starting his job in Hattiesburg immediately. Monken replaces Ellis Johnson, who was fired Nov. 27 after going 0-12 in one disappointing season. The shocking freefall came one year after a 12-win season. that included a Conference USA championship, No. 19 national ranking and Hawaii Bowl victory.

• Former San Diego pitcher Willie Blair rejoined the Padres as bullpen coach, and the team added Brett McCabe as strength and conditioning coach.