Morehead State held a retirement dinner Friday night (Sept. 26) for Dr. Rex Chaney, who has been associated with the university since 1953. Chaney, who previously coached the Eagles in men's basketball and baseball, spent the past 38 years as the head men's golf coach at MSU.
Chaney was tabbed as the Ohio Valley Conference Men's Golf Coach of the Year after Morehead State captured league championships in 1977, 1981, 1993 and 1999. He also directed the Eagles to six other top-three finishes at the annual league tournament.
"We are incredibly grateful to Rex and his family for all of their contributions to Morehead State," Director of Athletics Brian Hutchinson said. "Rex is already a Hall of Famer and leaves an indelible mark on our university. He has meant so much to literally thousands of people over the years."
Chaney coached 20 All-OVC selections, six All-OVC Tournament honorees, six conference-tournament runners-up, three league-tournament medalists and two OVC Players of the Year. The group includes current PGA Tour member Josh Teater.
"Rex has meant so much to our golf program, athletic department and university," said Matthew Martin, who replaced Chaney over the summer. "It's very rare for someone to stay in the same spot for 10 years, so 60 at one university is a truly unbelievable."
Chaney led the Eagles to a 111-56 (.665) record as head baseball coach from 1961-67. The OVC's 1963 Baseball Coach of the Year guided MSU to at least a share of the league's east division crown each year from 1961-64. He also served four seasons as an assistant men's basketball coach.
"Rex is an inspiration to all of us," said Stephanie Barker, who has led the women's golf program since 2006. "He is very giving, generous and genuinely cares about MSU student-athletes. He's been terrific to our men's and women's golfers over the years."
Chaney was inducted into the prestigious Morehead State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. The mentor holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Morehead State, in addition to a doctorate from Indiana University. He joined MSU's Health, Physical Education and Recreation faculty in 1961.
"I want to congratulate Dad on everything he's accomplished," said Lee Chaney, who played for his father before graduating from Morehead State in 2009. "There are lots of things I admire about Dad, but the most important thing to me is the love he continues to show all of his golfers."
Originally from Perry County, Ky., Chaney is married to the former Sarah Kidwell of Bardstown, Ky. He has one daughter (Jennifer), one son (Lee) and two grandchildren (Eric and Olivia).
