Winthrop's Ricky Teel will never forget the moment on Jan. 26, 2020, when he learned that his junior college baseball coach Joe Altobelli had died in the helicopter crash that claimed NBA star Kobe Bryant and seven others.
 
"It was a Sunday so we (the team) had the day off," Ricky, who played for Altobelli at Orange Coast College, recalled recently. "So, I was in the batting cage getting some work in.
 
"Then I got a group text that said Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash."
 
Soon, the news got worse.
 
"Then I got a text that Coach was on the helicopter. A few minutes later we got a text that his wife (Keri) was on board and then we got a text that his daughter (14-year-old Alyssa) was on board. In a matter of 10 minutes, the whole world changed."
 
The helicopter, which was headed to Byant's Mamba Academy for a youth basketball tournament when it crashed in foggy conditions in the hills of Calabasas, Calif.  Also killed were Bryant's 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, Christina Mauser, Sarah Chester, Peyton Chester, and the pilot Ara Zobayan.
 
It wasn't long after the news came out that the team gathered at the baseball stadium to share their grief. They were soon joined by school leaders, fellow students, and locals for an impromptu "Celebration of Life.
 
Ricky first met the highly successful Altobelli when his older brother played for the Pirates.
 
"I remember how he interacted with his family." the Eagles outfielder recalled. "Family was very important to him and that's how he treated us."
 
And he was a legendary coach on the West Coast. In his 27 seasons, Altobelli led the Pirates to a 705-478-4 record and four state championships. He was named National Coach of the Year in 2019.
 
"He was great with hitters," Ricky said. "He taught me so much about the mental approach to the game."
 
So, how did the 5-10, 160-pounder find his way from California to Rock Hill, S.C.
 
"My last year at Orange Coast I broke my arm two games into the season and missed the entire year and interest from the West Coast teams disappeared.
 
"I just started e-mailing schools all over the country."
 
One of those emails was spotted by Winthrop assistant baseball coach Austin Hill, who responded. They had a phone call and exchanged some more emails and it wasn't long before Ricky had packed his bags and headed South.
 
The transition was easy. "I love it here," Ricky said. "I love the slower pace, the school, and the coaches. It's been a great experience."

Ricky made an immediate impact on the Eagles in his first season.
 
He started 42 games and hit an impressive .315 with 7 doubles, a triple, and 17 RBI. He only struck out 14 times in 178 at-bats.

As he enters his last season of collegiate baseball, Ricky is already thinking about what's next, Does that include advancing to the next level?
 
"It would be sweet if that happened," he said, "but I'm not sure it will. I'd like to stay in athletics in some form after graduation."