Pat Kelsey is still getting used to his new role as the head basketball coach at the University of Louisville. It is a rather big adjustment from the previous stops in his career.
He could not comprehend the size of his new office!
Kelsey, 48, played point guard at Wyoming and Xavier in the mid-to-late 1990s. His coaching career began at his alma mater, Elder High School in Cincinnati, Oh. From there, he spent six years as an assistant at Wake Forest and three years as the associate head coach at Xavier.
Winthrop offered Kelsey his first opportunity to serve as a head coach in 2012. Charleston hired him away in 2021. The former competes in the Big South. The latter competes in the Coastal Athletic Association. Neither school has an abundance of resources. Neither school can pump millions of dollars into basketball facilities. They are mid-major programs.
Pat Kelsey is in a whole new world!
This first year with Louisville is Kelsey’s first season as a head coach on the high-major level. And of all the high-major programs, it is among the most basketball-focused.
The Eagles and Cougars practiced in their home gym. The Cardinals are set to renovate their multi-million dollar practice facility, again, after a massive donation in 2018. Their home games are played off campus.
All of this goes to say that there is a huge gap between mid-majors and high-majors.
Kelsey went to check out his new space for the first time on Friday morning. A small crowd gathered to meet him outside of the building.
He was blown away by his new office, which he assumed was some kind of players lounge.
There are high expectations for Kelsey, who won 68% of his games and made five NCAA Tournament appearances in 13 years at Winthrop and Charleston. It is expected that he will win, and win fast.
Louisville has not played in March Madness since 2019. Kelsey was there in each of the last two years.
If he was able to win in his old offices, imagine what he can do in his new office!