Coach Deb Patterson

The all-time winningest coach in school history and now in her 12th season, head coach Deb Patterson continues to mold Kansas State women's basketball into one of the most successful programs to compete in one of the nation's premier women's basketball conferences.

Over the past decade, Patterson has captured the imagination of women's basketball fans across the nation by catapulting the Wildcat program into the national spotlight as an annual top-seeded Postseason Tournament contender, a consistent top 25 nationally ranked program in both major polls and one of the top-25 national leaders in NCAA Division I women's basketball attendance.

Last season the Wildcats made their sixth straight appearance in the postseason (four NCAA and two WNIT) and advanced to the WNIT Final Four.  Dealing with an injury bug throughout the season K-State posted a 19-15 record and was ranked in the top-25 on Jan. 15th after impressive wins over Wisconsin-Green Bay (Horizon League Champion), Louisiana Tech (WAC Champion), Texas A&M (Big 12 Champion) and Wyoming (WNIT Champion).  The Wildcats put together a 12-1 record in non-conference play and tied for second best pre-Big 12 start in Deb Patterson era.  In the ranks of the Big 12, she is one of four league coaches to have won 90 or more games in league regular season play (91).

In 2005-06 Kansas State captured the 2006 Postseason WNIT Championship, to mark its first postseason championship title in school history.  With one of the youngest teams in the Big 12 Conference, the Wildcats posted a 24-10 overall record to collect their fifth consecutive 20-win season.  During the season Patterson coached her 300th game at Kansas State with a victory at Colorado on Feb. 8, 2006.

During the 2004-05 season the Wildcats advanced to the fourth straight NCAA Tournament with a 24-8 overall record.  They finished tied for third (12-4) in the Big 12 Conference and advanced to the championship game of the league postseason tournament for only the second time since the league's inception in 1997.  With one of the top three-point threats on board, K-State finished the season ranked No. 16 (AP) and No. 19 (USA TODAY/Coaches) nationally.

In 2003-04 the Wildcats finished 25-6 overall and 14-2 in the Big 12 Conference in 2003-04. Kansas State returned to the NCAA Tournament for a third-straight year and received the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament Mideast Region, the program's highest ever seed in school history. K-State also claimed a share of the Big 12 regular season title with Texas for its first conference title since 1987.

K-State also picked up its 650th all-time victory against Missouri on Feb. 22, 2004, to become only the 15th team to do so in NCAA history. As a team, K-State finished in the top 15 in eight NCAA statistical categories and tied or reset numerous school records during the regular season. Heading into the 2003-04 slate, K-State was tabbed No. 5 in both preseason national polls, its highest preseason billing ever.

Patterson reached two coaching milestones in 2003-04. She earned her 150th career victory against Missouri on March 10, 2004, and currently ranks second on the all-time coaching list with 199 career victories. Patterson is just seven wins shy of K-State all-time coaching leader Judy Akers, who won 206 games from 1968-79.

In the Deb Patterson Era, Kansas State has continued to be one of the most exciting home court environments in the nation. The Wildcats went an undefeated 13-0 in Bramlage Coliseum in 2003-04 and has only lost 10 games on its home court in the last five years going an unprecedented 70-10 in the venue.

In five of the last six seasons, the Wildcats have finished in the top 15 nationally in attendance. The Wildcats finished eighth in 2004-05 and broke the all-time attendance mark in 2003-04 with a school-record 9,365 fans per game. In 2002-03, K-State ranked sixth in attendance (8,753 avg.), marking the highest finish for the program in its 37-year history. With 15 home games in 2001-02, the Wildcats placed seventh nationally (8,158 avg.).

Over the last 11 seasons, 912,328 fans have attended Kansas State games, for an average of 5,597 fans per game. K-State has placed in the top 40 in national attendance in each of Patterson's 11 years with attendance improving in each successive year. The top 10 single season crowds in school history have occurred in the Patterson Era, including eight sellout games. 

During the 2002-03 season, the Wildcats made their second-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and achieved a school-record 29 victories. The team went on to finish 29-5 overall and second in the Big 12 Conference with a 14-2 mark. The program also earned its highest national ranking ever, when the Wildcats were ranked No. 2 in both national polls on Nov. 25, 2002.

Her teaching and motivation skills were particularly evident in 2001-02 as she led one of the nation's youngest teams to a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and to Kansas State's first Sweet Sixteen appearance in 19 years. Remarkably, the successful 2002 Wildcat squad started three freshmen, one sophomore and only one senior. The young Wildcats tied for third place in the Big 12 with an 11-5 record and made the highest debut ever by a women's team in The Associated Press Poll (since ranking 25 teams), while achieving the program's first-ever ranking in the USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Poll. Kansas State ended the season ranked 10th in the USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches Poll and 11th in the AP Poll.

Patterson's dream of one day filling Bramlage Coliseum for a women's basketball game was realized on Jan. 12, 2002, when a school benchmark was set with a 13,466 game day sellout. The 2001-02 Wildcats drew not only one, but three sellout crowds at home in Bramlage Coliseum. Additionally, Kansas State's home-hosted NCAA Tournament sub-regional attendance ranked second best in the nation in 2001-02.   

For her efforts during the year, Patterson was recognized nationally by numerous publications and organizations. She distinguished herself as ESPN The Magazine Coach of the Year, Big 12 Coach of the Year, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association District V Coach of the Year, the Dallas Morning News, the Austin-American Statesman, the San Antonio Express News Big 12 Coach of the Year and the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Women's Basketball College Coach of the Year. She was also named a finalist for the prestigious Naismith College Basketball Coach of the Year, and the Associated Press and WBCA National Coach of the Year Awards.

The achievements of 2001-02 were a culmination of years of commitment, hard work, and persistence by Patterson and her staff. In 1996-97, Patterson embraced the extraordinary challenge of rebuilding a Wildcat program that had been hit by NCAA penalties and probation just months prior to her arrival.

The Wildcat program had not posted a winning record in Big Eight Conference play for five consecutive years prior to her arrival. It did not take long for Patterson to make her mark. In her first year at Kansas State, she guided the Wildcats to the school's first NCAA Tournament bid in 10 years and to the championship game of the Big 12 Tournament. In 1998-99, she led K-State to its first-ever WNIT appearance.

The intensity, determination, and unwavering commitment to excellence that Patterson has demonstrated in directing the program's turnaround are the same qualities evident in her Wildcat teams and individual players. Patterson has mentored numerous players to national recognition and success, most notably, Nicole Ohlde, Kendra Wecker, Laurie Koehn and Megan Mahoney. Wecker, Ohlde and Koehn are the top three all-time leading scorers in school history, while Mahoney holds the school record for career assists. All four are currently enjoying professional playing careers in the WNBA and overseas.

From 2002-2005, a Wildcat has been named league player of the year, Kodak All-American, first team All-American, first team all-conference and a top finalist for some of the nation's most coveted awards including the Wade Trophy, Naismith Trophy, Honda, John R. Wooden and NCAA Woman of the Year Awards.

Nicole Ohlde, one of the most decorated players ever in the program's history, was honored twice as a Kodak/WBCA All-American and Big 12 Conference Player of the Year in 2003 and 2004. Kendra Wecker followed in Ohlde's footsteps having been named a Kodak/WBCA All-American and Big 12 Conference Player of the Year in 2005. Wecker broke nearly ever school record previously held by Ohlde, including the distinction of becoming the school's all-time leading scorer (2,333) and rebounder (1,087). Her career scoring mark is also tops in the Big 12, where she became only the second player in league history to have recorded 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career. Both Wildcats are the only two women's basketball players to have their jerseys retired in the rafters of Bramlage Coliseum.

Wecker was named a consensus first team All-American by The Associated Press, Kodak/WBCA and USBWA in 2004-05. She was also selected as the national winner of the Senior CLASS Award, presented annually to the nation's top senior women's basketball player. Wecker was drafted fourth overall by the San Antonio Silver Stars in the 2005 WNBA Draft, to become the highest-ever draft pick in the program's history.

In 2003-04, Ohlde and Wecker, both National Player of the Year finalists, received first team and third team All-America honors by the AP respectively. Ohlde was later drafted sixth overall by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2004 WNBA Draft, a draft class tabbed as one of the deepest and most talented classes in league history. She is a two-time first team All-American and three-time first team All-Big 12 selection. She collected Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors in 2000-01 and was a third team All-Big 12 selection that same year.

Koehn, a two-time second team All-Big 12 standout, left her mark in NCAA history as the all-time leader in career three-pointers made (392) in 2005. She holds the school and conference records for career three-pointers made and three-pointers attempted. Koehn and Wecker became the first freshmen teammates in Big 12 history to be named third team all-conference in 2001-02. Off the court, she was the first women's basketball player in school history to be named a first team CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2004 and earned second team honors in 2005. Koehn played with the Washington Mystics during the 2005 WNBA season as a free agent. Mahoney, a first team All-Big 12 pick in 2003 and two-time All-Big 12 honorable mention, was drafted 34th overall by the WNBA's Connecticut Sun.

Patterson's coaching excellence has also been a factor on the international basketball scene. While working to build K-State into a national power, she served as an assistant coach for three gold-medal winning USA Basketball teams, including the 2000 Junior World Championship Qualifying Team, the 1998 World Championship Team and the 1997 World University Games Team.

In the summer of 2000 as an assistant coach, Patterson joined head coach Geno Auriemma (University of Connecticut) and assistant Ed Baldwin in guiding the 2000 USA Basketball Women's Junior World Championship Qualifying Team to a 5-0 record and a gold medal.

In 1999, she helped the United States Senior National team capture the gold medal at the FIBA World Championships in Germany as an assistant coach on Nell Fortner's (Auburn University) staff. The United States women posted an unblemished 9-0 record to clinch their third title in the last four FIBA World Championships and sixth overall. In the championship game on June 7 in Berlin, Germany, the U.S. overcame a 12-point deficit in the game's last minutes to earn a 71-65 victory over Russia and win the gold medal.

During the summer of 1997, Patterson traveled to Trapani, Sicily, with the World University Games Team, along with head coach and former mentor Jim Foster (Ohio State) and assistant Ed Baldwin. In September 1997, Patterson assisted Fortner along the sidelines during the USA Invitational Tournament in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Patterson is a proven winner. In her 10 years as a Division I assistant coach, she contributed to eight consecutive 20-win seasons for three different programs. During her four seasons as the top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator on the Vanderbilt staff, she helped the Commodores to a 106-26 record (.803), including four-straight seasons with at least 23 victories. In 1992-93, Vanderbilt posted a 30-3 record, won the SEC Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Final Four behind All-America center Heidi Gillingham. In 1993-94, Vanderbilt recorded a 25-8 record and reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. During Patterson's third year on the staff, Vandy again won the SEC Tournament title and reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen with a final mark of 29-7. The Commodores reached the NCAA Elite Eight and finished 1995-96 with a 23-8 record.

Patterson helped Vanderbilt produce two Kodak All-Americans during her four seasons in Nashville, in addition to four first team All-SEC selections, four CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and 19 Academic All-SEC selections. As the Commodores' recruiting coordinator, she was instrumental in landing some of the top recruiting classes in the country, including the signing of five high school Kodak All-Americans.

Prior to her four seasons at Vanderbilt, Patterson spent the 1991-92 season as an assistant coach at Southern Illinois, where the Salukis posted a 20-5 record and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. From 1988-91, she was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Northern Illinois, where she was part of three consecutive 20-win seasons and a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 1990.

Patterson began her coaching career in 1983 as the head basketball coach at Rockton Hononegah (Ill.) High School, where she rebuilt a program with an 0-22 record before her arrival to a 21-2 mark in just four years. She was named the Illinois High School Association Coach of the Year in 1985 and back-to-back conference coach of the year in 1985 and 1986. In 1986-87, she accepted her first job on the collegiate level as a part-time assistant coach at Northern Illinois.

Off the court, Patterson has been recognized by numerous organizations for her leadership skills. She received the Outstanding Leadership Award from Kansas State's Leadership Studies and Programs in 2001. Patterson has also been recognized as a "Champion of Diversity," an honorary Colonel for Kansas State University Army ROTC, and as Honorary Commander for the Kansas State University Air Force ROTC.

In the community, she is an active member of the advisory committee for the Coronado Area Council, Boy Scouts of America and Manhattan Young Life.

A native of Rockford, Ill., Patterson graduated from Rockford College, where she was a two-time student-athlete of the year and a President's Scholar in 1979. She is a member of the Rockford College Hall of Fame after starring in basketball and field hockey from 1975-79.