Al Veneziano led the Madison girls basketball program for more than three decades, winning more than 400 games and taking three teams to the Class C title game.

But when the school’s athletic director position opened up last spring, Veneziano knew it might be time for a change.

“You’re only going to be able to do it for so long,” he said. “I (felt) like the time was right.”

Indeed, it’s a new era for the Bulldogs this winter. Madison will have a new coach for the first time since 1987, when Veneziano transitioned from coaching the junior varsity squad to the varsity one.

Adam Rich, who previously coached the Cony girls basketball team from 2016-22, is the new Madison coach. Rich is a Madison alum who also played basketball at Thomas College, where he scored 1,409 points in his career. He was inducted into school’s hall of fame in 2018.

“I’m happy with my decision to stop coaching, but I do miss practice a little bit,” said Veneziano, a Maine Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. “That was always a good thing to go to, and I always felt good going to practice, I always enjoyed it. I think the decision was right.”

Veneziano also coached the school’s softball team for 19 years, retiring from the role in 2013 after leading the Bulldogs to a 246-86 record, seven regional championships and five state titles. The school’s gymnasium was named after Veneziano in 2019.

Madison girls basketball coach Adam Rich directs the team during a Dec. 12 practice. Rich is taking over after former coach Albert Veneziano became the school’s athletic director. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

“(The transition to athletic director) has been good,” said Veneziano. “We have a lot of good people here; we have a lot of good coaches.”

Added Rich: “There’s big shoes to fill. (Veneziano) has been here forever. When I played here, he was coaching. And he’s just done great things with the community. He’s just a pillar here. For me to come in behind him is nerve-wracking, because you don’t want to mess up. But it’s also great, because I’m from here. That’s the exciting part, because I get to give back to the kids after being gone for so long. It’s exciting to be in the gym, in a coaching role instead of a player role now. It feels surreal at times. I’m not used to standing on that sideline and coaching here.”

Veneziano — also a Thomas College Hall of Famer (2014 inductee) — led the Bulldogs to regional championships in 1994, 2008 and 2010.

Veneziano has led the Bulldogs through some good and tough times. In 1994-95, the Bulldogs reached the Western C final months after two of his players, Audra Linkletter and Tonia Post, died in a car accident. The Bulldogs went 15-4 that season, falling 65-46 to Dirigo in the regional final.

“That was a season that was very eventful, we made it all the way to the Western Maine final, after losing two players who would have contributed a lot to the team,” Veneziano said. “The kids stuck together and bonded through some really tough circumstances. That’s one. And any time you make a run to a championship, whether it’s the Western Maines or going to states, those are always memorable times.

“I’ve obviously have just been blessed with some good kids, with some good people working with them. My assistant coaches were very good and they all contributed to the program.”

Madison girls basketball player Raegan Cowan, right, leads teammates through a drill during a Dec. 12 practice. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

This season, Rich inherits a strong core of veterans, led by junior guard Raegan Cowan, who was a Mountain Valley Conference second-team all-star. Guards Mackenzie Robbins, Alison Griffeth and forward Kylee Furbush, all MVC honorable mentions, also return.

“We’re excited about the (coaching) change,” Robbins said. “It’s something new, so it’s something that we need to adjust to. But I think it’s going to be good for us.

The Bulldogs have won both of their games by convincing margins. They beat Mountain Valley 52-33 in the season opener, then beat Oak Hill 63-15 on Friday.

“There’s a lot of community (within the team),” Cowan said. “And we know when to be serious (at practice) and we know when to let loose a little bit.”

“We’re basically teaching as much as we can, but we keep it as lighthearted as we possibly can,” Rich added. “I don’t believe in yelling and screaming, that’s not the type of coach I am. They respond really well to that. They know there’s a time to joke and a time to get serious. Before a game, we always do walk-throughs, we keep it as loose as possible. During the week, it’s a little more intense, and I expect certain things. Right now, we’re ahead of the game from where I thought we were going to be.”

On the court, Madison will look to take advantage of its speed during the regular season.

“We’re playing very fast, which is to our advantage,” Cowan said. “We’re focusing on defense, and letting our defense play offense for us.”

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