VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. --- Rick Bidnick has been named to lead Virginia Wesleyan College's men's and women's golf programs, according to Joanne Renn, Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics.  The men's program is one of the top teams in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference with Evan Cox winning the ODAC and NCAA Division III National Championship in 2016.  This is the first year of women's golf at VWC.

A PGA Coaching Professional, Bidnick comes to Virginia Wesleyan from the staff of Nansemond Suffolk Academy. He served as the coaching professional at Sleepy Hole Golf Course, Bow Creek, Kempsville Greens, and Red Wing Lake Golf Courses.

"Coach Bidnick brings a wealth of knowledge to our program," Renn said.  "He has an amazing golf pedigree and extensive experience in both teaching and strategy."

"I am really excited for the opportunity to join the Virginia Wesleyan athletic staff and to be able to lead both the men's and women's golf teams," Bidnick said. "The men had a great year last season and my job is to perpetuate that winning attitude. To lead a brand new program, women's golf, is special and I anticipate building that team into a conference contender very soon."

Bidnick recently served as the Director of Instruction at Suffolk Golf Courses where he provided individual instruction to junior golfers and beginners to avid golfers. Rick also volunteered yearly to provide group lessons for the Wounded Warrior charity.

He also has professional experience in other parts of Hampton Roads, serving as the PGA Golf Professional and General Manager at Stumpy Lake Golf Course in Virginia Beach. He held the title of PGA Golf Professional at Golf Etc. and Sleepy Hole Golf Course in Suffolk and Bide-A-Wee Golf Course in Portsmouth. Bidnick has also spent time as the Assistant PGA Golf Professional at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg.

Bidnick competed collegiately at Christopher Newport University where he was named to the 1986 Division III All-American Golf Team, finishing 18th in the nation that year. Rick was the first golfer in CNU history to compete in the NCAA Division III National Championship, accomplishing the feat in 1986 and 1987. He is a member of the CNU Athlete Hall of Fame.

Bidnick graduated from CNU in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in business administration. He earned his Class A Membership into the Professional Golfers Association of America in 1998.

--- This release is courtesy of the Virginia Wesleyan College sports information department. ---
www.vwcathletics.com