Courtesy: Boston University Athletic Communications
BOSTON - Villanova associate head coach Patrick Chambers,
whose five years with the Wildcats produced four NCAA Sweet 16 appearances and a
berth in the 2009 Final Four, has been named the head coach of the Boston
University men's basketball program, Assistant Vice President and Director of
Athletics Mike Lynch announced today.
Villanova posted a 126-45 record (.737 winning percentage) in the last five
seasons, including a 2008-09 mark of 30-8, setting the school's single-season
win total. The Wildcats advanced to the NCAA tournament all five years Chambers
was on staff and posted a 56-28 (.667) conference record in the formidable Big
East.
Villanova has consistently peaked in March as well as any other program
recently, achieving an 11-5 mark in the last five NCAA tournaments and is one of
just three programs to have advanced to the Sweet 16 four times in that span
(Memphis and North Carolina are the others). Villanova won at least 22 games
each of the last five years, and its 2009 senior class has set a school record
with 126 career victories.
"We were very deliberate during our search process in deciding the type of
person and the caliber of coach who we wanted to lead our program," Lynch said.
"We narrowed our national pool of candidates by determining who would provide
our student-athletes with the best experience, be the best fit for Boston
University and offer us the best opportunity to win our conference and advance
to the NCAA tournament.
"Each time and every way we looked at it, we arrived at the same conclusion:
Patrick Chambers is the best person and the right coach to lead BU basketball to
greatness. We could not be happier about welcoming him, his wife and their
daughter to the Terrier family."
"I am very pleased with the appointment of Pat Chambers as our Terriers
basketball coach," said Boston University President Robert A. Brown. "He has the
skills, the experience and the drive to bring success to our program and
excitement to the Boston University fans."
Chambers'
responsibilities at Villanova included recruiting, on-court teaching and player
development. He began on the staff of 2009 Big East Coach of the Year Jay Wright
in May 2004 as the director of operations. He was quickly promoted after one
season to assistant coach, a role he held for three years until being named
associate head coach in June 2008.
"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead a program with the type of
rich basketball tradition of Boston University," said Chambers. "I have a great
appreciation for institutions that offer outstanding academics and athletics,
and that defines BU. I am grateful that Dr. Brown, (Executive Vice President)
Joe Mercurio and Mike Lynch have the faith in me to lead this program.
"This opportunity would not have presented itself if not for Jay Wright, the
Wildcat basketball family and the entire campus community. Villanova is an
amazing place and I will always treasure my time there."
Prior to getting his start in coaching, Chambers joined the Philadelphia
University basketball team without a scholarship in 1990 and would leave the
team as the starting point guard and the school-record holder for assists.
Currently seventh all-time in steals, he helped spark the team to four NCAA
Division II Sweet 16 appearances and two Elite Eight finishes.
Following graduation with a degree in marketing in 1994, Chambers entered the
coaching community with a one-season stint (1995-96) as an assistant at Delaware
Valley (Pa.) College. In 1999, he became the top varsity assistant at Episcopal
Academy and would remain at the high school through 2004.
During his tenure there, he returned to his alma mater and served as a
special assistant (2001-04) to his former college coach, Herb Magee, who in
March surpassed Dean Smith on the NCAA men's all-time wins list to move into the
No. 3 spot with 880 victories. In his role, Chambers assisted the coaching icon
with player development off the court while designing off-season workouts and
scouting opponents.
The 38-year-old Chambers is married to the former Courtney Sullivan. Their
first child, Grace, was born in November.