Paul Patterson
Coach's Email
Entering his 31st season at Taylor University, head coach Paul Patterson has established the Trojan basketball program as a preeminent figure on the collegiate basketball landscape. In a career marked with distinction, glorious accomplishments, and immeasurable contributions to Taylor University, 2009 saw Coach Patterson reach another accomplishment--more college graduates prepared to do real work in the real world.
"I really want to coach because athletics continues to be one of the few places where you have a direct impact on young people's lives. If a parent were to ask me, ‘Why should my son play for you?' the answer would be, ‘At the end of four years, your son will know how to do something really hard, well.' It is rewarding for me to see our players going into their chosen field and making an impact of their own."
In over forty years of coaching, many things have changed, but the foundation for success remains the same--championship programs are built with championship people. "One of our strengths over the years has been to recruit championship people on and off the court. They realize the commitment, discipline, and dedication it takes in order to be successful in all areas of their lives."
Patterson's graduates include several successful high school teachers and coaches, college coaches, authors, doctors, counselors, ministers, administrators, business professionals, CEOs, and financial planners, many of whom have climbed to the top of their professions. Of all the statistics, accomplishments, and accolades Patterson has received, the one he is the most proud of is every player to play four years for Coach Patterson has gone on to earn a college degree.
While at Taylor, Patterson has amassed a record of 667-318 (.677), won 15 conference championships, and been to 14 NAIA National Tournaments. Patterson has 12 Coach of the Year awards to his credit, including the 1990-91 NAIA National Coach of the Year honor and the 1994 NAIA Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year. In 1996 he was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame as well as the Hanover College Athletic Hall of Fame (his alma mater).
Nine players have earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors and 24 have been selected to NAIA All-District or All-Region teams. In addition, Patterson has coached players to 22 NAIA All-American awards at Taylor.
Patterson-coached teams are known for being fundamentally sound and for playing tough, aggressive defense. Taylor consistently ranks among the NAIA's best teams in team defense and team free throw percentage.
Arriving at Taylor University in 1979, Coach Patterson took over a program that had never been to the NAIA National Tournament nor won a conference championship. In his fifth season at the helm, Patterson managed to lead the Trojans to the 1983-84 District 21 title by defeating Tri-State University 57-30 in the championship game. Taylor fell in the National Tournament to eventual national champions, Fort Hayes State.
The 1985-86 season saw the Trojans win a second district championship in thrilling fashion with a 70-69 victory over Purdue Calumet. The game marked Taylor's first time hosting the District 21 championship and ignited the spark of excitement that would follow TU basketball to another National Tournament. The Trojans finished that season 26-7 after falling to the College of Charleston.
1986-87 marked another exciting season in Taylor basketball with another district title and another trip to the national tournament. The Trojans finished the season with a 25-8 record and a Sweet 16 finish after knocking off Southern Tech in the national tournament.
In 1988-89 Taylor University posted a school best 27 wins and only eight losses and found themselves in position for another district title and automatic tournament berth. Once again, TU would prove to be the head of the class as they beat Marian College 80 - 68 for their fourth district title and trip to the national tournament.
It was the 1990-91 season that secured Taylor's place among the elite NAIA basketball programs in the country. That team finished 34-4 and advanced to the Final Four. TU would only lose one District 21 game the entire year and run away with the championship with a 78-60 win over Franklin College.
Taylor made quick work of Francis Marion University in the opening round with a 68-47 win and then followed that up with a nail-biting win over Northern State University 60-59. The scene was set for an Elite Eight matchup for the Trojans with the nation's #1 ranked team Wisconsin Eau Claire. TU prevailed 64-57 in a game the Trojans dominated from beginning to end. Central Arkansas ended the Trojans' storybook season by defeating them in the Final Four 66-60.
TU would go on to win four straight District Titles from 1991-1994 including an Elite Eight finish to add to the previous Final Four finish of 1991. Over the four-year span, the Trojans compiled a 119 - 21 record for an .850 winning percentage.
From 1984-94, the Trojans recorded ten straight years with 25 or more wins, a feat that has only been achieved by three other schools at any level of collegiate basketball (UCLA, UNLV, and Lipscomb). The ten-year record was 271-69 (.797). Taylor also managed to win eight conference titles and make eight trips to the NAIA National Tournament over the same ten-year span.
Taylor eventually moved from District 21 to the current Mid-Central Conference where they captured a conference crown in 1997 with a thrilling 96-95 double overtime victory over the nation's #1 ranked team, Bethel College.
After experiencing such tremendous success over two decades, Coach Patterson proved up to the challenge of a third decade of domination by leading his troops to five straight conference championships from 2002-2006.
The five-year time frame saw the Trojans win 127 games with only 39 losses, a winning percentage of .765. Highlights included a regular season conference title in 2002 and 2003, a conference tournament championship in 2004, a regular season championship and conference tournament championship in 2005, as well as a regular season championship and a Sweet 16 finish in 2006.
In the summer of 2005, Coach Patterson was selected as a court coach for USA Basketball's Under 21 team under head coach Phil Marteli of St. Joseph College. "It's really the thrill of my career. I've watched this happen and seen guys have this opportunity over the years, and it's the highlight of their coaching careers."
A native of Hammond, Indiana, Patterson attended Hammond Morton High School.
He played basketball and baseball for Hanover College and earned his Bachelor's Degree in physical education and mathematics from Hanover in 1964. He also played four years of semipro baseball.
Patterson went on to earn his Master's Degree in education from Central Missouri State in 1965. He served as a graduate assistant coach at Central Missouri in 1965.
From there, Patterson served as head coach at high schools in Spencer, IN. (1965-68); Somerset, KY. (1968-70); and Amelia, OH (1970-71). He was an assistant coach at Northwest Missouri State University from 1971-75.
Prior to his arrival at Taylor, Patterson was the head coach at Ashland Paul Blazer High School (KY), one of the premier high school programs in the country, from 1975-79. While at Blazer, his team made the Kentucky State Tournament each year and was named Conference Coach of the Year in 1977.
In 1978 he served as the head coach of the United States All-Stars at the Derby Classic, and in 1979 he led the Kentucky All-Stars to two wins over the Indiana All-Stars in the annual Kentucky-Indiana High School All-Star series. In 2003 Paul Blazer High School honored Patterson with the Distinguished Tomcat Award.
In addition to his coaching duties, Patterson is an associate professor in the Physical Education and Human Performance department at Taylor. He also serves as the director each summer for the Taylor Basketball Camp, which has been held on Taylor's campus for the past 53 years and has over 65,000 alumni.
Active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Patterson has worked at FCA basketball camps for 19 years. He also is a much sought after speaker at basketball clinics across the nation. During the 1994-95 season, he served as the President of the NAIA Basketball Coaches Association.
ASSISTANT COACHES
ASSISTANT COACH - CHAD TAPP
Chad Tapp is entering his sixth season as an assistant coach for the men's basketball program.
Tapp has played an integral role as a recruiter with the signing of six Top 60 athletes from Indiana, thirteen All-State selections from five different states, and two former NAIA All-Americans.
A native of Madisonville, Kentucky, Tapp prepped at Hopkins County Central High School. As a senior, he helped lead Hopkins County Central to the Sweet Sixteen in the Kentucky State Tournament.
Tapp's collegiate career began at Tennessee Wesleyan College in Athens, Tennessee. After one season Tapp transferred to Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Illinois where he was an All-Region nominee, selected to the Illinois Junior College North vs. South All-Star Game, as well as the Illinois vs. Missouri Junior College All-Star Game.
From there, Tapp moved on to Taylor University where he was a member of the 2003-2004 NAIA National Tournament team that was ranked as high as number two in the country. That is one of three conference championships and three national tournament appearances Tapp has been a part of at Taylor, including a Sweet 16 appearance at the NAIA National Tournament in 2006.
Tapp graduated from Taylor in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and completed his Master's in sports management in 2008. His main responsibilities include recruiting, scouting, strength training, as well as the development of post players. Outside of his coaching duties, he also serves as an assistant athletic director for event management. He currently resides in Marion with his wife Lindsey.
ASSISTANT COACH - BRET BURCHARD
Bret Burchard is entering his second season as an assistant coach for the men's basketball program.
The Columbia, Missouri native was a member of the Taylor Trojans from 2004-08. During his senior season Burchard was named a team captain and helped lead his team to victories over seven nationally ranked teams.
As a sophomore Burchard was a member of the Trojan squad that won a Mid-Central Conference title, made a Sweet 16 appearance, and finished at 28-7 as the eighth ranked team in the national poll. Burchard's freshman year concluded with a Mid-Central Conference regular season and tournament championship, a trip to the national tournament, as well as a #14 ranking in the national poll.
Burchard graduated from Taylor in 2008 with B.S. in Sport Management and minor in Public Relations. In December he will earn his master's in sports management.
Before arriving at Taylor University, Burchard was a prep standout at Hickman High School where he helped lead his team to a district championship as a junior.
Burchard currently resides in Upland and is an assistant sports information director within the Taylor Athletic Department. He also serves as the sports information director for the Mid-Central College Conference.