St. Anthony's Baseball Coach Resigns

With two games left in a remarkable turnaround season, baseball coach Rob Wilcox abruptly resigned on Monday, Athletic Director Don Buckley confirmed.

Assistant Coach John Phelan, 51, has been elevated to interim head coach and Mike Amendola bumped up from junior varsity assistant to varsity assistant.

The surprising move came just before a game against Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA rival Kellenberg. The players put aside the shock of the moment as the Friars beat Kellenberg, 1-0. 

“Some of them are a little shocked,” Phelan said of the players. “They figured it out that they have to get about their business. The kids are OK. They regrouped. When you are 16 and 17 you are resilient.”

No reason has been given for the change at the top. Buckley declined to discuss the resignation further, citing the confidentiality of personnel matters. Wilcox, a St. Anthony’s graduate and teacher at the school in his first season coaching at the varsity level, did not return calls seeking comment.

“It’s a readjustment for me, a change in my approach,” Phelan said. “Working with Rob – who I’ve known since he was 15 – was so easy for me. Now my role changes. But this team knows the drill. They know their roles and what they have to do. Rob really established a program.”

Phelan inherits a this spring. The Friars were expected to finish at or near the bottom of the seven-team league. But after sweeping high-flying St. Dominic last week, the Friars are suddenly hot. St. Anthony’s (12-6 overall, 11-6 league) clinched third place and a bye into the NSCHSAA semifinals.

Tuesday’s regular season finale at home against Kellenberg was rained out. St. Anthony’s will try again Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

Then the Friars will likely play Chaminade in a league semifinal Monday at 4 p.m. at Farmingdale State.