Omaha To Name Ron Fogarty Next Head Coach

The Omaha Lancers have dropped 23 straight games and had three different head coaches this season, and they're set to announce another in Ron Fogarty

OMAHA, Neb. – It’s been another disastrous season for the Omaha Lancers.

The Lancers currently sit at 6-30-4-1 and have dropped 23 straight (0-20-2-1), and Omaha is 89 days removed from its last win on Nov. 16.

The Lancers have been out-scored 168-80 this season, including a 61-18 margin over their past 10 games, and have struggled to even field a complete lineup at times. Whether that be due to injuries, illness, trades, or players simply leaving the organization for the NCAA or other junior leagues – among other factors.

Omaha is also on its third coach of the season. Lennie Childs was let go after four games and Colten St. Clair was handed the same fate after 18 games, paving the way for Scott Pietruszka – who replaced St. Clair on Dec. 2. Pietruszka had zero previous experience as a Tier 1 junior head coach and Omaha is 0-16-2-1 with him behind the bench.

However, another coach is on the way, as multiple sources have confirmed Omaha is hiring former Princeton coach Ron Fogarty. The news was first reported by College Hockey Insider Mike McMahon.

Fogarty, 52, spent 10 seasons leading Princeton after a seven-year stint at Adrian College. The Ontario native also spent time as an assistant coach at Bowling Green, Clarkson and Colgate.

Multiple sources indicated that Omaha initially targeted former NHL forward and two-time Stanley Cup champion Scott Gomez.

Gomez played 1,079 games over 16 NHL seasons and racked up 756 points. The Alaska native started his coaching career during the 2017-18 season with the New York Islanders and spent two seasons there as an assistant, and he's currently the head coach and general manager of the BCHL’s Surrey Eagles.

However, it appears the job will be Fogarty's, who will become Omaha’s 10th head coach since 2021 and have quite the task ahead of him.

Omaha owner Mike Picozzi recently told Omaha’s KETV NewsWatch 7 – a local ABC affiliate – that the organization planned to announce a new head coach on Tuesday, stating “the coach will be the highest-level coach in this league, with an unbelievable track record.” 

However, Tuesday's announcement never came, and no announcement had been made as of 8 p.m. Thursday.

Picozzi has received plenty of scrutiny in recent years with Omaha’s lack of success and off-ice issues. Several fans have recently shown up to games wearing ‘PICOZZI SELL THE TEAM’ t-shirts, and what was once arguably the USHL’s premier franchise has turned into the league’s laughing stock.

Whether it be stripped draft picks, player boycotts or simply Omaha’s 39-109-12-5 record since the start of the 2022-23 season, it’s been an organization surrounded with a negative spotlight.

On top of the coaching turnover, Omaha's roster has been a revolving door the past two-plus seasons. Whether its agents, NCAA coaches or even NHL organizations, some have been skeptical sending their players to Omaha too.

Picozzi told KETV that the organization is “poised for next year like unbelievable” and that Lancers fans are “not going to recognize this team next year." Yet the jury is still out.

It's believed Fogarty will take over next week, but the organization is yet to officially announce the hire. The Lancers have 21 games remaining this season, starting this weekend in Fargo.

***Omaha officially announced the Fogarty hire at 8:45 p.m. CDT on Thursday. Fogarty will begin next week and Pietruszka will remain with the organization as an assistant coach.