Pat McKee, who made the successful transition from a career as a sports writer to that of a basketball coach, has announced his resignation as coach of the Columbus North girls.
McKee guided the Bull Dogs to three state finals appearances, finishing as runner-up in 2012 and 2016 an winning the Class 4A state championship in 2015.
“That’s the singlular top moment,” McKee said. “Getting to the state three times and being a few seconds away from another state title in 2012 also were big moments, as well as observing our players perform at a high level and some of them getting recognition.”
The Bull Dogs also reached the state’s final four in 2017 and won six consecutive sectional titles from 2012-17. This season, he became North’s all-time winningest girls basketball coach and had a record of 230-56 in 11 years at the helm.
McKee coached four Indiana All-Stars, five Indiana Junior All-Stars and the 2015 Miss Basketball, McDonald’s All-American and MaxPreps National Player of the Year in Ali Patberg. Just as important to him, he coached two IHSAA Mental Attitude Award winners, two Jack Cramer Ideals of Athletic Competition Award winners and 21 Academic All-State honorees in his 11 years with the Bull Dogs.
“That’s so impressive,” McKee said. “Their intelligence did transfer to basketball IQ, which allowed us to succeed at a high level.”
McKee was new to coaching high school basketball when he came to North in 2010, but not to coaching the sport entirely. He spent four years as an assistant at Butler University and 16 years coaching travel team basketball while he was a sports writer and editor in Indianapolis.
At North, McKee also had been sports information director, but that role is coming to an end. He will remain as sports information director for Conference Indiana and for the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.
The Bull Dogs went 13-6 this season, falling to East Central in the sectional title game. North went undefeated in Conference Indiana to win its eighth conference title in McKee’s 11 seasons.
McKee credited his players and his current and former assistant coaches for the success the team enjoyed during his tenure.
“They’re instrumental to our success,” McKee said. “I designated not minor things to the assistant coaches, but really important things, to them. They are so good that it only made sense to give them that authority within tremendous segments of what we were doing. When I was younger, I don’t know if I would have had confidence in myself to to that.”
