One champion closes the door on his career while another picks up the mantle, hoping to carry on the legacy.
West Liberty announced Tuesday that longtime men’s golf coach Mike Ricci was retiring from coaching after 12 successful seasons. A three-time conference coach of the year, Ricci led West Liberty to nine NCAA regional tournament bids.
Prior to that, the WL alum led Wheeling Park’s boys’ team to six regional and one state championship. He leaves the successful program and a legacy of winning in the capable hands of Wheeling native Thadd Obecny.
If Obecny’s name sounds familiar, it should.
A two-time state and team champion for WPHS, Obecny took his talents first to Central Florida and then Coastal Carolina, helping the Chanticleers to a Sun Belt conference title and an NCAA tourney appearance in 2017-18. He was named all Sun Belt for his efforts.
Obecny was also a volunteer assistant to Ricci during last season’s abbreviated schedule, so he knows the returning golfers and their strengths.
“I’m thrilled to introduce Thadd as our new men’s golf coach,” West Liberty Athletics Director Lynn Ullom said. “He’s a very impressive young man who has enjoyed great success at every level of his career.
“We are looking forward to seeing him continue to build on the great tradition of the Wesrt Liberty golf program.”
Change of Opinion
Obecny loves the game of golf. It’s evident by his devotion to perfecting his craft, especially now that he’s joined the professional ranks.
He also works at Fore Seasons at The Highlands offering tips and lessons to golfers getting in a few rounds at the new virtual facility.
Obecny admits, though, that coaching wasn’t initially on his radar, but during his last season at Coastal Carolina, he got to work with a couple of coaches that really helped to elevate his game. They also changed his opinion on the profession.
“I watched what they did and it really helped the team take a big stride forward,” Obecny said. “We finished in the Top 35 in Division I.”
Ironically, Obecny won’t be the only Chanticleers alum coaching golf at West Liberty. Shane Rice is the head women’s coach and assisted with the men’s team. Rice, a western-Pa. native, also played his collegiate golf at CCU.
Still Competing Professionally
Obecny noted he will still continue to compete professionally.
It won’t affect his coaching position, however, as he generally takes part in tournaments during the two off-season periods from the college season.
“It will cut into (my playing) a little bit, but I play mostly in the summer and winter when the college season isn’t in session,” Obecny said.
Obecny turned in a strong summer, nearly winning the West Virginia Open after leading heading into the final round.
He carded a three-day total of 211, good for six under par. He was consistent, with successive sub-par scores of 71, 70 and 70.
He finished four strokes ahead of defending champion David Bradshaw, who had a stranglehold on the Open this decade.
But Ken Hess shot a blistering 66 on Day Three to finish one stroke ahead of Obecny at 210.
“He played really well,” Obecny admitted. “I didn’t want to give it away on the last day and shoot a 75, and I didn’t do that. I made him work.”
Obecny has multiple Top 5 finishes and has played in the final group the last four years. The consistency is there. And it’s that consistency and experience that Obecny can bring to the coaching table.
Adjustments
The men’s season is generally split between fall and spring tournaments, with the Mountain East championship and NCAA tournaments taking placed in the spring.
The MEC has yet to make wholesale changes to fall athletics like other tri-state area leagues like the PSAC, PAC and OAC.
Modifications to the schedule still could happen.
“There’s talk about having just a couple of tourneys in October and holding the rest in the spring,” Obecny said. “That’s kind of what we’re looking at, getting practice started in September.”
But scheduling and NCAA compliance aren’t the only new tasks Obecny must be up for. He obviously has playing down and between his private lessons and assistant Ricci last season, he’s gotten more than a taste for coaching.
Recruiting, however, is a new frontier.
“We have eight players now but we’re probably looking to bring in one or two more,” Obecny said. “It’s definitely a little different, but I’m excited to start that part of it as well.”
Ricci his helping with transition, offering to stick around as a volunteer assistant for this season.
