Pat Kelsey to Louisville: What fans are saying about Kenny Payne's successor
Louisville men's basketball has found its next head coach.
Charleston's Pat Kelsey will be named Kenny Payne's successor at a news conference after a meeting of U of L's Athletic Association Executive Committee and Board of Directors at 3 p.m. Thursday, a source with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed to The Courier Journal.
Kelsey would become Louisville's fifth head coach since the Cardinals parted with Rick Pitino in 2017.
This would be Kelsey's third head-coaching gig. He coached for nine years at Winthrop and spent the last three seasons with the Cougars.
Here is how social media reacted to Kelsey getting the Louisville job:
Louisville basketball fans, others react to Pat Kelsey news
Most major college wins prior to becoming Louisville men's basketball head coach:
354 - Rick Pitino
261 - Pat Kelsey
215 - Chris Mack
19 - John Heldman
Pitino and Kelsey are the only two of UofL's 24 head coaches to have multiple major college head coaching jobs prior to UofL.— Kelly Dickey (@RealCardGame) March 27, 2024
Pat Kelsey is a Cincinnati guy with roots close to Louisville and will bring a totally fresh mentality to the Cardinals. Has gone 58-12 in the last two years with back-to-back NCAA Tournaments. He does it with high tempo, lots of offense and intensity. Quality hire by Louisville.
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) March 27, 2024
I’m so pumped that Pat Kelsey is our next coach! pic.twitter.com/T89DctALIa
— DJ ATM (@AdamMaddox_) March 27, 2024
If you were gonna hire Pat Kelsey you should have begged Chris Mack to come back. He’s not even in the same universe as Chris
— Steven Rummage (@StevenRummage) March 27, 2024
None of this is Pat Kelsey’s fault and it has nothing to do with his ability to coach…but the optics are kinda wild…
The last P6 program Kelsey worked for was Wake Forest. He was an assistant coach for a guy who Louisville turned over to the FBI for extorting their head coach pic.twitter.com/78kCrnaZ1U— Nick Coffey (@TheCardConnect) March 27, 2024
This guy is going to turn Louisville completely around. Great hire. #PatKelsey#OurCityhttps://t.co/BDpSA7TBqv
— CK (@RaisinKane66) March 27, 2024
Reach sports reporter Prince James Story at pstory@gannett.com and follow him on X at @PrinceJStory.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville basketball coaching search: Pat Kelsey reaction from fans