Cheney selects Fitzgerald

Ryan Fitzgerald, Liberty’s boys basketball coach for the past two seasons, is the new head coach at Cheney.

He replaces Dave Baird, also an ex-Lancers coach, who resigned from the Blackhawks post after the 2005-06 season.

“It was a really difficult decision,” said Fitzgerald of the move. “I like it (at Liberty) and it’s a good group of kids.”

But he had worked with Cheney principal Tom Gresch and superintendent Mike Dunn while teaching at Shadle Park and, “it was really enticing to work with them again.”

Fitzgerald, nephew of former Gonzaga University coach Dan Fitzgerald, was 31-18 in two seasons at Liberty. The Lancers finished second by a game to eventual State B champion Northwest Christian this past season in the Bi-County League.

Fitzgerald graduated from Boston College in 1994 and earned his masters in education from GU, where he was administrative assistant with the men’s basketball team. Prior to taking the Liberty job, Fitzgerald had taught and coached at Gonzaga Prep, Brewster and Shadle.

He and his wife, Meghan, are parents of three children.