April 1, 2004

BALTIMORE - Terrapin assistant Jimmy Patsos has been named the head men's basketball coach at Loyola College in Baltimore, Md. Patsos, who has been one of the top scouts and recruiters on Gary Williams' staff, spent 13 seasons on the Terrapins' bench, beginning his career as a volunteer assistant in the 1991-92 season.

Patsos, who was named a "Coach on the Rise" by ESPN's Andy Katz prior to the 2003-04 season, accepts his first career head coaching position with the Greyhounds, becoming the 20th coach in Loyola history. During his 13 years on the Maryland sideline, Patsos assisted Williams in leading the Terrapins to 11-consecutive NCAA Tournament berths, seven Sweet Sixteen appearances, Final Four showings in 2001 and 2002 and the 2002 NCAA title. Patsos also helped guide Maryland to the 2004 ACC Championship and a pair of regular-season conference crowns in 1994-94 and 2001-02.

"Jimmy Patsos has done an outstanding job for our basketball program at the University of Maryland. He has been a very important part of our success," said Williams, who first employed Patsos at UM in 1991. "Jimmy will bring a tremendous amount of energy and enthusiasm to Loyola. He has worked hard to become a head coach and is the right person to build a program for Loyola. During his 13 years at Maryland he has touched many people in a very positive manner."

During Patsos' tenure at Maryland, the Terrapins have posted a school-record string of eight 20-win seasons and 10 finishes in the top half of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Patsos has coached 13 NBA draft choices, including first-round selections Walt Williams (1992), Joe Smith (1995), Steve Francis (1999), Chris Wilcox (2002) and Juan Dixon (2002).

A 1989 Catholic University graduate and former team captain with the Cardinals, Patsos began his coaching career as an assistant at Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C. There he helped in the maturation of successful collegiate players Charles Harrison (Wake Forest) and Lawrence Moten (Syracuse).

During his lengthy time on the Terrapin sideline, Patsos has done everything from academic and video work to recruiting, opponent scouting and on-court coaching. He supervised the team's academic progress for 10 years, and helped land national top-five recruiting classes in 2002 and 2003.

Patsos is now the 11th former Williams assistant to land a head coaching position. The list includes Patsos, Texas coach Rick Barnes, LaSalle coach Billy Hahn, Penn coach Fran Dunphy, former Philadelphia 76ers coach Randy Ayers, and NBA expansion Charlotte Bobcats president Ed Tapscott. Former Williams player at Boston College and NBA standout Michael Adams was named the head coach of the WNBA's Washington Mystics in February.