“For two years, I was a stay-at-home dad for our three kids,” he said. “That was a really cool experience, and I wouldn’t trade those two years for anything. I really missed coaching and being involved. But having dinner together every night and being home more than I normally would with coaching, that was a real treat.”
As much as Croci values that time, he’s excited to have a whistle dangling from his neck again. His first season as coach at Wittenberg officially commences tonight in a game against Alvernia at the Gettysburg College Tipoff Tournament.
The former Wittenberg All-American is the only individual to be named North Coast Athletic Conference player of the year (1994) and coach of the year (2008). He’s taking over a veteran team from the retired Bill Brown, but the Tigers are coming off two straight uninspiring seasons.
“There’s always a little anxiety when you get a new coach. I went through that my senior season when Coach Brown was hired,” Croci said. “But I really like our effort. Practices have been competitive. My senior class has been really good about accepting and embracing changes. I feel fortunate.”
The Tigers return their top four scorers and lose one starter from last season. But after an NCAA tourney trip in 2014, they’ve produced records of 10-16 and 14-12.
“The last two years have not been what any of us want it to be. The program has slipped to a certain degree,” Croci said. “Our older guys are really hungry for success. Our seniors do not want to end their careers on the same note as their sophomore and junior years ended on.”
Jaelin Williams, a senior wing from Shawnee High School, averaged a team-high 14.7 points last season and is a two-time second-team All-NCAC pick.
Senior guard Cody Phillippi (10.7) and junior post Chad Roy (10.2) also averaged in double figures last year.
“We’re super excited about the season,” Williams said. “We’re looking forward to getting that nasty taste out of our mouths from the last two years.
“My sophomore year was the first losing season here in 50-some years. That stung all of us a little bit and hurt our pride. We recognize where we need to get, and we’re all striving for it.”
When his wife’s career in the clothing industry took the family to Columbus, Croci became a volunteer coach with the Tigers, helping to recruit several players in his senior class.
He then spent one year on the bench at Capital and worked as assistant athletic director at Wittenberg before joining Brown’s staff last year.
Wittenberg was picked fourth in the NCAC preseason poll, and Croci wants his players to adopt the traits that helped the Tigers win more games than any school in Division III history.
But he’ll also make a few tweaks to take advantage of his personnel.
“Toughness, defense, rebounding, playing as a team — those four things have been hallmarks of the program for 60 years, and we certainly talk about them,” he said. “The differences will be that we’ll maybe play a little faster on offense, and we’ll pick up more full court on the defensive end.
“We’ve got some athleticism and length. We’re planning on using that more than we have in the past.”
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