David Patrick, a finalist for two National Coach of the Year Awards this past season as head coach at UC Riverside, has been named Associate Head Coach for Men’s Basketball at the University of Arkansas, Razorback head coach Eric Musselman announced.
Going to the University of Arkansas sees more Bermuda ties with the school, that has seen the likes of Brian Wellman, Devwah Whaley and Jah-Nhai Perinchief.
“I have known Coach Patrick both professionally and personally for many years,” Musselman said. “We have a great bond and he will fit seamlessly into our basketball family. He brings so much to our program. He has Division I head coaching experience, experience evaluating talent in the NBA from his time with the Houston Rockets, and an incredible reputation as a recruiter. His basketball knowledge is excellent, and he is someone I have great comfort discussing all the intricacies that go with building a winning program.”
Musselman and Patrick previously worked together at LSU, helping the Tigers reach the 2015 NCAA Tournament. Patrick was also responsible for the recruitment of 2016 number one overall NBA Draft pick Ben Simmons, while at LSU.
“I am honored to be reuniting with Coach Musselman at the University of Arkansas,” Patrick said. “I am incredibly grateful for my time as head coach at UC Riverside and want to sincerely thank every single person that I had the pleasure of working with during my time there. I especially want to thank (Director of Intercollegiate Athletics) Tamica Smith Jones and the administration at UC Riverside for giving me the opportunity of serving as their head coach, as well as our student-athletes, for without you, I would not be in this position. The chance to help lead the historic Arkansas program, be close to home, and return to SEC basketball was one that my family and I could not turn down. We cannot wait to get down to Fayetteville and I cannot wait to get to work to continue pushing the Razorback program forward.”
Patrick comes to Arkansas after two seasons as head coach at UC Riverside. For his effort in 2019-20, Patrick was a finalist for two national awards – the Hugh Durham Coach of the Year, given annually to the most outstanding Division I mid-major men’s college basketball head coach, and the Ben Jobe Coach of the Year, presented annually to the top Division I minority coach. Also, prior to the season being cut short due to COVID-19, the Highlanders received invitations to play in the College Insider Tournament (CIT) and the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) postseason tournaments.
Patrick posted a 27-38 record at UC Riverside, the best two-year start in school history. He inherited a program that won just nine games the season prior to his arrival and quickly turned the program around. The Highlanders won 17 games last season, which tied the most wins in Division I program history. The Highlanders led the Big West Conference and ranked eighth nationally in scoring defense (60.6 ppg).
In his first season at UC Riverside, the Highlanders broke several program records including 279 three-point shots made, culminating in a Big West-best .379 three-point shooting percentage (ranked 28th nationally).
Patrick spent four years at LSU, the final two as assistant head coach, helping the Tigers reach the 2014 NIT and 2015 NCAA Tournament. He served as a scout for the Houston Rockets for two seasons (2010-12) and as an assistant coach for four years at Saint Mary’s (2006-10).
Patrick was born in Bermuda and grew up in Australia. He played one season at Syracuse, with his team reaching the 1996 NCAA Championship game, and then was a point guard at UL Lafayette from 1997-2000. He also played four years professionally in Australia, England and Spain.
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