Norwich — Jackie Sullivan was named boys' cross country coach and Noel Houle field hockey coach at Norwich Free Academy, according to a press release Thursday from school athletic director Roy Wentworth.

Sullivan, a 2009 NFA graduate and also the Wildcats' indoor and outdoor assistant track coach, replaces Chad Johnson, who took over the cross country programs recently at Mitchell College. Sullivan is a school counselor at NFA.

"I am excited and beyond grateful for the opportunity to take over as the head coach for the boys' cross country team," Sullivan said in the release. "I have had the good fortune to work with the boys and girls in the distance program for indoor and outdoor track and girls' cross country for the past four years and am thrilled to continue growing NFA's program.

"Chad has been an amazing coach and presence to our distance program and I don't think anyone could fill his shoes, but I believe that I have the skills, passion and experience to continue our program's tradition of excellence. I have had the good fortune of learning under some excellent coaches and will use them for guidance and inspiration."

NFA opens the season on Sept. 10 at Stonington.

Houle, a special education teacher at NFA, takes over for Kara Gabordi. The team opens Sept. 12 at Killingly.

"Noel has several years of experience coaching field hockey in New Hampshire and most recently at Killingly High School," Wentworth said. "Her leadership will provide a good mix of expertise and enthusiasm to redefine the field hockey program here at NFA."

Pagan leads Puerto Rico in rebounding

• New London graduate India Pagan led the Puerto Rican national women's basketball team with seven rebounds and added four points in Wednesday night's 64-58 loss to Brazil in Pool A preliminary-round play at the Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru.

Pagan played 15 minutes, 53 seconds for Puerto Rico (1-1), which was scheduled to finish pool play late Thursday night against Canada. The top two teams from each pool advance to the single-elimination round of the tournament.

Pagan is headed into her junior season at Stony Brook University.

Tigers win fifth straight

• The Connecticut Tigers scored three runs on five hits in the bottom half of the first inning and picked up a 3-0 win against the Aberdeen IronBirds on Wednesday in a New York-Penn League game shortened to five innings due to rain and field conditions at Dodd Stadium.

Kingston Liniak and Jose King opened the first for the Tigers (25-26) with back-to-back hits to put runners at second and third. Eliezer Alfonzo delivered an RBI double to bring home King after Liniak scored on a wild pitch from Jake Lyons.

Corey Joyce singled for the fourth hit of the inning to put runners at the corners. Kona Quiggle drove in the third run of the game on an RBI single to make it 3-0.

Starting pitcher Keider Montero (1-1) got the win for the Tigers. Montero pitched five innings surrendering no runs on four hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. Montero stranded runners at first and second in the fifth to seal the shortened win.