Thadd Obecny enters his second season as the Wheeling University Head Men's & Women's Golf Coach during the 2026-2027 season. He helped take Wheeling to new heights in 2025-2026, leading the men to the National Championship stage and looks to help elevate both programs into the future.
In 2025-2026, Obecny would help grow both programs, with each seeing success in their respective competition fields. On the men's side, Obecny helped double the roster size, bringing in experience that helped the team compete on the National Championship level. Under his leadership, three Cardinals earned All-MEC honors during the season, including sophomore Zak Collins earning First Team All-MEC honors. He would lead the team to a fourth place finish at the MEC Men's Golf Championship, and a third place finish at the NCAA DII Atlantic/East Regional Championship that helped them qualify for their first National Championship event. After being ranked #13 in the region, the Cardinals defied the odds to make the National Stage.
On the women's side, the fall saw several Cardinals achieve individual success, while the spring season saw the team grow in numbers and experience. During the fall season, Obecny led the Cardinals to a sixth place finish at the MEC Women's Golf Championship, including seeing senior Ella Keffer make the MEC All-Tournament team. Keffer would have a big spring under Obecny's guidance, winning her first collegiate tournament, and adding First Team All-MEC honors in the spring. He would also help sophomore Brielle Milhoan earn Honorable Mention All-MEC honors. He would double the roster thanks to the addition of two mid-year transfers, and the Cardinals would compete across four spring tournaments as they competed agains the best teams in the region to prepare them for growth.
Obecny comes to Wheeling after leading the West Liberty University golf programs over the last five seasons. During his time with the Hilltoppers, he had helped the program grow into one of the top teams in the region. He led West Liberty to the NCAA DII Atlantic/East Regional Tournament in four of the past five seasons, coaching the Hilltoppers to a 10th place finish this past season. It was the final day of competition that earned them the top 10 mark, when the team shot a 295 (+7) across the final 18 holes. Along with his team's regional successes, Obecny has also coached three MEC Individual Champions, and helped the team to three second place finishes in the conference in the past five seasons. This past year, Obecny led the Hilltoppers to a 2nd place tie at the MEC Men's Golf Championship, putting together a three-day score of 892.
While the team grew, Obecny also helped the individual golfers reach new heights, coaching the 2024 MEC Individual Champion at the 2024 MEC Men's Golf Championship. It was enough to earn the team a First Team All-MEC honoree and one of seven MEC golfers honored as PING All-Region team members from the NCAA Atlantic/East Regional Championships. Throughout his five seasons with the Hilltoppers, Obecny has coached six All-MEC honorees and had two MEC Players of the Year, during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. As he takes over the Cardinal golf programs, he looks to help foster the same success as he grows both programs.
"We are excited to announce our Cardinal commitment to our Men's and Women's Golf programs with the addition of this position to oversee the continued growth, development, and success of both teams," said Wheeling University Athletic Director Carrie Hanna. "Coach Obecny is a successful professional who will be an asset to our golf programs, bringing his high standards of excellence and passion to win."
Obecny is still active on the golf course, turning pro shortly after graduating from Coastal Carolina in 2018. He has one professional tournament win in his career and appeared in the Korn Ferry Tournament. He has posted scores under 60 three times in his career, including a PR of 58 that he has hit twice in his career. He played college golf at Coastal Carolina University, where he helped lead his team to a Sunbelt Conference Championship. He was a Third Team All-Sun Belt Conference selection during his senior season and also won the Golf Coaches Association of America All-America Scholar award that same year.
The Wheeling native continues his run in the Ohio Valley, where he helped lead the Wheeling Park Men's Golf Team to a pair of West Virginia Class AAA crowns as a high school player. He was named the 2011 West Virginia Junior Player of the Year and won two individual state championships while with the Patriots.
Obecny becomes the sixth person to lead the Wheeling Men's Golf program and the fourth head coach for the Women's Golf program. His father, Thadd Obecny, is an alumnus of Wheeling University, graduating in the class of 1977. Obecny graduated from Coastal Carolina University in 2018 and has played professional golf along with his coaching career ever since.
