Get to Know Pat Kelsey, Louisville's Next Men's Basketball Head Coach

With the hiring all but official, get to know more about the next man responsible for guiding the Cardinals.

Jan 19, 2023; West Long Branch, New Jersey, USA; Charleston Cougars head coach Pat Kelsey reacts / John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A new era of Louisville men's basketball is about to begin.

According to multiple reports, the University of Louisville is set to hire and officially announce College of Charleston's Pat Kelsey to be the program's next head coach.

Kelsey's hiring is expected to be made official Thursday afternoon. A special meeting of the ULAA Executive Committee and Board of Directors is set for 3:00 p.m. EST that day, with a press conference "related to the leadership of the men's basketball program" taking place afterwards.

Kelsey will become the 24th head coach - permanent or interim - in program history, and just the seventh since 1971. He replaces Kenny Payne, who UofL mutually fired back on Mar. 13 after going 12-52 in two seasons.

With the hiring all but officially said and done, here's where get to know more about the next man responsible for guiding the Cardinals.

Patrick Kelsey was born on May 15, 1975, just up the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio. He played the first three years of his high school ball at Roger Bacon, then played his senior season at Elder. In his lone season with Elder, he helped lead them to the 1993 Division I state championship.

A 5-foot-8 point guard, Kelsey spent his first season at the college level out west with Wyoming, but then later opted to come back home to Cincinnati and play his next three years for Xavier. In 88 career games between the Cowboys and Musketeers, Kelsey totaled 122 points and 131 assists during his collegiate playing career.

After graduating from Xavier, Kelsey's foray into coaching actually started at Elder, serving as their assistant coach from 1998 to 2001. His jump to the coaching ranks came afterwards, becoming the director of basketball operations at Wake Forest under then-Demon Deacons head coach Skip Prosser - who was his coach during his playing days at Xavier.

Kelsey would be the Demon Deacons' DOBO from 2001 to 2004, then was later elevated to assistant coach. Kelsey would be an assistant on Prosser's staff for three seasons, then after Prosser's death in the summer of 2007, he remained an assistant coach for Wake Forest for two more seasons under head coach Dino Gaudio (yes, that Dino Gaudio).

During Kelsey's five-year run as an assistant coach for Wake Forest from 2004 to 2009, the Deacs made the NCAA Tournament twice, and went 100-59 overall. He helped coach a multitude of future NBA players during this time, such as Chris Paul, Jeff Teague, Ish Smith, James Johnson and Al-Farouq Aminu.

After being at Wake Forest for close to a decade, Kelsey returned to his hometown and alma mater, becoming the associate head coach at Xavier from 2009 to 2011. The Musketeers made the NCAA Tournament in both his years under then-head coach (and former Louisville head coach) Chris Mack, going 50-17 overall.

Following the 2010-11 season, Kelsey made the decision to step down as Xavier's associate head coach. He cited "personal reasons," and later sought professional help to treat depression.

He made his return to coaching in 2012 when he accepted the vacant men's basketball head coaching job at Winthrop. He went 14-17 in his first year with the Eagles, but to this day, it remains his only season without a winning record.

In eight years as the head coach at Winthrop, Kelsey posted a 186-95 (.662) overall record. He won four Big South regular season championships, three Big South Tournament championships and made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament after COVID cancelled the 2020 postseason. He was named the Big South Coach of the Year in 2021 after guiding the Eagles to a 23-2 mark in his final season at Winthrop.

During his time in Rock Hill, S.C., Kelsey produced 16 All-Big South Players, three Big South Players of the Year and two Big South Tournament MVPs. Under his guidance, Keon Johnson became Winthrop's all-time leading scorer, while Xavier Cooks became the Eagles' all-time leader in rebounds and blocks. He also became fifth all-time winningest coach in the history of the Big South Conference.

Kelsey nearly became the head coach at UMass in 2017. He signed a memorandum of understanding with the Minutemen, but then just 30 minutes before his introductory press conference, he informed the UMass AD that he would not be taking the job for "personal reasons."

He would eventually take the job at College of Charleston in 2021, where he has been ever since. Kelsey went 17-15 in his first year with the program, but his last two years have been some of his best coaching work.

The Cougars went 31-4 in 2022-23 then 27-8 this season, winning back-to-back Coastal Athletic Association regular season and tournament championships in the process. In three years with Charleston, Kelsey went 75-27 (.735), produced eight All-CAA selections, and was named the 2024 CAA Coach of the Year.

In 12 years as a head coach, Kelsey sports a 261-122 record. Of his five berths clinched to the NCAA Tournament, four have come in the last five seasons.

Kelsey and his wife, Lisa, have three children: Ruthie, Caroline and Johnny.

(Photo of Pat Kelsey: John Jones - USA TODAY Sports)

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