Final answer:
The underlined verb 'named' in the sentence 'The school board named a new head of athletics' is a transitive verb.
Step-by-step explanation:
The underlined verb 'named' in the sentence 'The school board named a new head of athletics' is a transitive verb.
A transitive verb is a verb that requires an object to complete its meaning. In this case, the object of the verb 'named' is 'a new head of athletics', which receives the action of the verb.
Therefore, the correct answer is A. transitive.