WHEELING — Mike Llanas is feeling like a kid on Christmas morning.

The Toledo native is now at the helm of the Wheeling Jesuit University women’s basketball program. He doesn’t try to hide the excitement that comes with his new gig.

“I am thrilled for this opportunity. I am well aware of the rich basketball tradition at Wheeling Jesuit. I am focused on building on that tradition,” Llanas said in an interview Monday in his office before heading out on a weeklong recruiting junket. “I couldn’t wait to get started here. The Ohio Valley sports landscape is second to none. It is a great environment.

“There are a lot of super people here at Wheeling Jesuit. It is a great institution,” he added. “I am ready to turn a new chapter in my life. I am all in.”

Llanas arrives at Jesuit after a highly successful tenure as head coach at Owens Community College in Toledo.

He guided the Express to a 351-103 overall record, collecting eight Ohio Community College Athletic Conference titles. Owens also earned four National Collegiate Junior Athletic Association Tournament berths under his tutelage, including making it to the 2016 and 2018 Elite Eight and the 2014 Final Four.

Llanas replaces Debbie Buff at the Cardinal helm. She left WJU to accept the head coaching spot at the University of New Haven.

Buff assumed the WJU job in 2011 and guided the Redbirds to an 111-93 record. Her Cardinal clubs enjoyed much success, winning back-to-back Mountain East Conference Tournament crowns while earning NCAA Division II Atlantic Region National Championship berths.

Llanas’s appreciation for the rich WJU athletic tradition is the groundwork for one of his immediate goals.

“I want to reach out to the Wheeling Jesuit alumni. I want them to be a part of our program,” Llanas noted. “We want to pack the gym for our games and want them to be a big reason why. We lost some quality players from a year ago but it opens the door of opportunity for our returning and incoming players.”

The two biggest losses come in the form of Chenelle Moore and Monica Burns. Moore was a skilled post performer while Burns delivered deadly outside shooting.

“My one frustration is that our players aren’t here right now. This would be a good time for building a trust between players and coaches. But I just need to learn to be patient,” Llanas said. “It is also a good test for using technology. I am going back and learning about our players from game film.

“I like a dribble drive offense. I learned that from Coach (Bob) Huggins when he was at Cincinnati. I am a big Huggins fan,” Llanas noted. “But I am an old school guy also. I Iike a post-up game as well. Chenelle was excellent last year in that role.”

Llanas led Owens to the school’s first perfect regular-season during the 2016-17 season, running the table in all 30 games. He amassed a 156-30 OCCAC league record while they producing six Basketball Coaches Association All-Americans and eight Academic All-Americans.

His gaudy success yielded him seven conference coach-of-the-year and four- regional coach-of-the-year awards.

And what are Llanas’s goals for down the road?

“We want to graduate every player in our program. Wheeling Jesuit is a great academic school. So a degree from here will truly help advance our student-athletes in the game of life,” he stated. “We are going to recruit great players who are also great students with character. This school has a definite value.

“Basketball-wise we want to be in the top three in the Mountain East year-in and year-out as quickly as possible. The MEC is an excellent basketball conference,” he noted. “We can point to our volleyball success for what we hope to achieve. National championships can happen here. We also want to fill the seats here along the way.”

The Sienna Heights University graduate and his wife, Kelly, have three children: Andrew (19), Cora (12) and Emilio (7). They reside in St. Clairsville.

BRUNEY/CIRCOSTA VIDEO

I NOTED in this space last week that the The Times Leader is publishing a special edition to commemorate the outstanding football coaching careers of Dave Bruney and Jay Circosta, which encompassed more than 90 years on the sidelines and 600-plus combined victories.

The tab will include in-depth interviews with both coaches, several feature stories, including one with their wives, as well as a look back at some of the special games and players in their respective careers. A myriad of stats, records and photos will also be included. The edition will be published in The Times Leader on Friday, July 27.

To make the tribute even more special for these two coaching greats, The Times Leader is offering an opportunity for their fans, family and former players to film a video message in their behalf that will be displayed on The Times Leader’s website.

Two filming options are available:

Tuesday, July 17 at the Monroe Central football fieldhouse from 2:30-6 p.m.

Wednesday, July 18 at the Martins Ferry Times Leader office from 1-6 p.m.

The filming will be conducted by Times Leader sports writer Rick Thorp.

I am looking forward to contributing my thoughts on these two grid legends.

BUBBA’S BITS

RICK DELUCA is as nice a person as there is affiliated with the OVAC, or life in general. The OVAC jack-of-all trades suffered a heart attack the week of this past Thanksgiving. He has rehabbed religiously to the point where he took part in a recent 5K event at Toronto, finishing in strong fashion.

ZAC BRUNEY has rounded out his inaugural Wheeling Jesuit University football staff in impressive fashion, adding two former prep head coaches. Longtime and successful Harrison Central head coach Justin Kropka will coach the Cardinal safeties while Gary Krol, former Bridgeport High grid boss, will tutor the offensive line. Dave Price was also hired to guide the defensive line and special teams.

MARTINS FERRY resident Dave Becca tossed out the first pitch for the Pittsburgh Pirates game against the Washington Nationals at PNC. Becca is an executive with Riesbeck Foods.

IT WAS nice to see longtime wrestling official Larry Deaton named to the Martins Ferry Wall of Fame. Larry, now in his 70s, is still an active mat official while also being a passionate civic-minded contributor to the Purple City. He is a 1964 Martins High grad, starring in wrestling and football for the Purple Riders.

STEUBENVILLE NATIVE Chaz Roe has seen his successful season on the mound for the Tampa Bay Rays halted due to a left meniscus tear. He had surgery Friday and will be sidelined up to six weeks. Roe, whose parents are Buckeye North High graduates, appeared in a team-high 41 games, sporting a 3.60 ERA with one save and 19 holds. Roe struck out 38 and walked 13 in 35 innings of work. He owns a 1-2 record.

CROATIA IS a country the size comparable to the state of Kentucky. It is amazing it can produce a World Cup finals soccer team while the U.S. cannot even qualify for the tourney.

GOLF’S THIRD major plays out across the pond this week. The British Open is being staged at Carnoustie. My pick is Rickie Fowler. He has been a bride’s maid much too long in the majors.