Right here’s the official launch from U of L:
Pat Kelsey, a confirmed program builder who’s received almost 70% of his profession video games, has been named the brand new males’s basketball head coach on the College of Louisville, Director of Athletics Josh Heird introduced Thursday.
Kelsey’s contract with the Cardinals might be for 5 years, extending via the 2028-29 season. The College of Louisville Athletic Affiliation Board of Administrators authorised the phrases of his contract Thursday afternoon.
Kelsey might be formally launched at a press convention Thursday afternoon.
“We couldn’t be extra thrilled to welcome Pat Kelsey as our new males’s basketball coach,” Heird mentioned. “Pat has confirmed his skill to construct a number of applications to an elite stage. He garners nice respect as a coach, supervisor, communicator and motivator who will construct sturdy bonds along with his student-athletes, coaches and our fan base. Pat understands the expectations of this storied program and can assault this chance with unmatched enthusiasm and work ethic. We’re wanting ahead to having him, his spouse Lisa and their kids turn out to be a part of the very best group in faculty athletics.”
Kelsey has been a dominant winner throughout his 12 seasons as a head coach, together with the final three at School of Charleston and the earlier 9 at Winthrop. He boasts a formidable 261-122 report (68.1%) throughout his head teaching profession with 11 complete convention championships and 4 NCAA Match bids.
The Cincinnati native Kelsey would be the twenty fourth head coach in Louisville’s 110-year historical past, and the tenth prior to now 79 years.
“I’m humbled and honored to be named the top coach on the College of Louisville,” Kelsey mentioned. “I want to thank Josh Heird, President Schatzel, the Board of Trustees and ULAA Board, former UofL gamers and all of Card Nation for entrusting me to steer one of many nice applications in all of school basketball. Teaching giants that I’ve great respect and reverence for led Cardinal basketball to nationwide prominence throughout their period. It’s my cost to assist this nice program return to its rightful place as considered one of faculty basketball’s greatest.”
This season, School of Charleston completed 27-8, claimed the Colonial Athletic Convention common season and match titles, and earned a No. 13 seed within the NCAA Match earlier than falling to fourth-seeded Alabama.
The Cougars grew to become the primary group in seven years to win back-to-back Colonial titles. Kelsey was named the league’s Coach of the Yr, along with three All-CAA participant honors and a Sixth Man of the Yr award for Bryce Butler.
School of Charleston ranks within the prime 25 nationally this season in 3-point makes an attempt per recreation (third, 30.6), made 3-pointers per recreation (eighth, 10.5), bench factors per recreation (eleventh, 30.1), profitable proportion (18th, 77.1), rebounds per recreation (twentieth, 39.8), assist-to-turnover ratio (twenty second, 1.5) and offensive rebounds per recreation (twenty third, 13.1).
Throughout his second season on the helm in Charleston, the Cougars set quite a few data with a 31-4 mark and this system’s first CAA title since 2008. They received 20 straight video games, claimed the 2022 Charleston Basic and spent 4 weeks within the AP High 25, peaking at No. 18. Kelsey was named the USBWA and NABC District Coach of the Yr, and was on the Naismith Coach of the Yr Watch Listing.
Kelsey arrives in Charleston from Winthrop, the place he grew to become the fifth all-time winningest coach within the historical past of the Huge South Convention. He averaged 20.7 wins per recreation in 9 seasons in Rock Hill, S.C., compiling extra general wins and convention wins than some other group within the league.
In his remaining season at Winthrop, Kelsey guided the Eagles to a 23-2 marketing campaign, a school-record 21-game win streak, a Huge South match title and a visit to the NCAA Match the place they fell to Villanova. Kelsey was named 2021 Huge South Coach of the Yr.
Kelsey additionally led Winthrop to NCAA Match berths in 2020 (canceled as a result of COVID-19 pandemic) and 2017.
A two-time finalist for the Skip Prosser Man of the Yr Award and finalist for the 2021 Jim Phelan Coach of the Yr Award, Kelsey compiled a 186-95 (.662) general report and a formidable 110-46 (.705) mark in convention play at Winthrop. The Eagles additionally received the Huge South regular-season title 4 instances in 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2021.
In all, 16 Winthrop gamers have been chosen all-conference, whereas three have been tabbed Huge South Participant of the Yr, one Huge South Freshman of the Yr and two Huge South Match Most Worthwhile Participant honors.
Previous to Winthrop, Kelsey served as affiliate head coach at his alma mater Xavier from 2009-11. Earlier than that, he labored at Wake Forest as assistant coach (2004-09) and director of basketball operations (2001-04). He started his teaching profession at Elder Excessive College in Cincinnati as an assistant from 1998-2001.
Kelsey graduated cum laude in 1998 from Xavier College with a bachelor’s diploma in enterprise administration and advertising and marketing. He started his collegiate enjoying profession on the College of Wyoming, earlier than transferring and enjoying three seasons at level guard for the Musketeers from 1995-98.
Kelsey and his spouse, Lisa, have three kids: Ruthie, Caroline and Johnny.