| Tom Lechnir lead the Titans to a national championship in 1994. |
Former UW-Oshkosh head coach Tom Lechnir's appeal to regain his
job was denied by the university Monday, bringing an end to a
winning 25-year career for the Titans, reported the Journal Sentinel. In a letter
Monday, Chancellor Richard Wells declared that the university would
not overturn a decision made June 30 to let Lechnir's previous
contract expire.
On Friday, UW-Oshkosh announced the first of four finalists to
take over the Titan's program. Former Indiana head coach Bob Morgan
will interview on Monday with the final two finalist visiting the
campus later this week. Morgan guided the Hoosiers to a 782-496
record and the 1996 Big Ten championship between 1983 and 2005.
Monday, Evan Agona, Kevin Tomasiewicz and Kevin Ritsche were added to the list of candidates for the Titan's head coaching position.
Agona has been an assistant coach at Mount Union (Ohio) for the last four seasons, serving as the Purple Raiders' pitching coach. He began his coaching career at Thiel, where he served as an assistant coach from 2005-07. Agona played four years of baseball at Wooster.
Tomasiewicz just finished his second season as the associate head coach at North Park. He was in charge of the pitching staff both seasons. The two-time All-American was a member of two NCAA Division III World Series teams, including the 2005 squad that captured the national title with a 45-7 record. Following a 2005 season that saw him win a WIAC-record 15 games, the New York Mets selected Tomasiewicz in the 26th round of the MLB Amateur Draft. He played four years in the Mets' minor league system, including the 2007 season at the AA level.
Ritsche recently completed his third season as the head coach at
Winston-Salem State. Ritsche graduated from St. Scholastica in 2004
following a standout career for the Saints.
UW-Oshkosh announced in May that Titan's head coach Tom Lechnir
will not return to the Titans next season. Lechnir’s contract
was not renewed when it is up on June 30. Lechnir compiled a
728-292-1 record and led the Titans to the 1994 national
championship during his tenure at UW-Oshkosh.