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Penn State Director of Athletics Tim Curley announced "this will be the finest chapter in our history" as he introduced Patrick Chambers as the 12th head coach in Nittany Lion basketball history before an enthusiastic crowd of nearly 300 invited guests, including nearly 50 members of the Chambers family, on June 6, 2011 in the Bryce Jordan Center. Described as "passionate" "energetic" "upbeat" "dynamic" and a "habanero chile" by the media in attendance, Chambers made an instant connection with the Nittany Nation during the event broadcast nationwide on the Big Ten Network and described as "less an introduction than a passionate call to arms," by Blue-White Illustrated writer Nate Bauer. "I hope you all embrace this new attitude that we're going to bring," Chambers declared. "We're going to follow in the traditions of Penn State basketball. Succes with Honor is our motto. We're going to recruit kids that are serious about their degrees, that love to play basketball, that will represent Penn State with integrity and will be out in the community and work charities and do whatever we can to help the area. "They're excited, I'm excited. We're going to play a style I hope you will enjoy and come out and support. We are going to play up-tempo. We're going to push the ball. We're going to get layups. If we don't get layups, we're going to shoot threes."
Chambers came to Penn State from Boston University where he led the Terriers to the America East Conference Championship and the program's first NCAA Tournament berth since 2002 during the 2010-11 season. He posted a 42-28 record in two years as head coach at BU was the only BU coach to earn 20 wins in each of his first two seasons and the fastest to earn a conference championship in program history. A native of Newtown Square, Pa., Chambers previously played for and coached with two of the nation's most successful college coaches. From 2004-09, he was a member of Coach Jay Wright's staff at Villanova University, serving as associate head coach in 2008-09, helping the Wildcats earn four NCAA Sweet 16 appearances and advance to the 2009 NCAA Final Four. Chambers played for Coach Herb Magee at Philadelphia University, college basketball's all-time victories leader (922) and a 2011 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. "Patrick Chambers ushers in a new era with proven success, an appreciation of and commitment to Penn State ideals, and the energy and enthusiasm required to compete at the highest level," Curley said. " His outstanding record of achievement in a relatively young coaching career is a direct testament to his knowledge of the game, his passion for his players and his relentless pursuit of success. His contagious, positive attitude; confidence in the program and the university...and his values inspired us to believe he is the perfect (coach) to lead the program to greatness." "I am truly honored and excited to be joining the Penn State family," Chambers stated. "I'm looking forward to bringing passion, energy and enthusiasm to Nittany Lion Basketball. We will play a style, and bring an attitude, that Nittany Nation can be proud of." In 2010-11, Boston University earned a 21-14 mark for the second straight year under Chambers and fell to No. 1 seed Kansas in the Terriers' first NCAA Tournament game since 2002. Chambers led BU to the semifinals of the College Basketball Invitational in 2009-10. The Terriers won at Oregon State and beat Morehead State in the CBI, marking BU's first post-season wins since 1959. BU also posted its first perfect home conference record since 1998. Chambers served on the Villanova coaching staff under Jay Wright for five seasons and was instrumental in helping lead the Wildcats to a 126-45 record (.737), including the school's single-season win record of 30-8 in 2008-09. The Wildcats advanced to the NCAA Tournament all five seasons of Chambers' tenure and posted a 56-28 (.667) record in Big East Conference games. Chambers had responsibilities in all facets of the program, including recruiting, scouting, on-court teaching and player development. Named Villanova's associate head coach in 2008, Chambers helped lead the Wildcats to the 2009 NCAA Final Four and saw Villanova advance to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in five NCAA appearances during his tenure. Villanova posted an 11-5 mark in the NCAA Tournament during Chambers' time on the Wildcat staff and won at least 22 games in each of his five seasons, including the 2009 senior class posting a school record 126 career victories. Chambers also served as Villanova Director of Basketball Operations (2004-05) and as an assistant coach (2005-2008) under Wright, the 2009 Big East Coach of the Year. Four Villanova players Chambers worked with have played in the NBA and five other Wildcats from his tenure have played professionally overseas. He recruited four McDonald's All-Americans while at Villanova. A standout guard at Episcopal Academy (Newtown Square, Pa.), Chambers graduated from Philadelphia University in 1994 with a degree in marketing and a minor in finance. He joined the NCAA Division II university's basketball team as a walk-on in 1990 and went on to have an outstanding career, becoming the team's starting point guard and the school record holder in assists with 709. Chambers earned first-team All-ECAC honors. Chambers helped lead the Rams to four NCAA Division II Sweet 16 appearances and two Elite Eight appearances under Herb Magee, a member of the 2011 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction class. Chambers began his coaching career with a one-year stint as an assistant coach at Delaware Valley (Pa.) College in 1995-96. In 1999, he was named the top varsity assistant coach at Episcopal Academy, a position he held through 2004. High School All-Americans Wayne Ellington (North Carolina) and Gerald Henderson (Duke) were among the players he helped develop at Episcopal Academy. Three of Chambers' 11 siblings are Penn State graduates -- brothers Chris and Joe and a sister, Megan. A nephew, Patrick Flanagan, will be a redshirt freshman on the Nittany Lion football team this fall. Chambers and his wife, Courtney, have a daughter, Grace, and a son, Ryan.
What They are Saying about Penn State Basketball Coach Patrick Chambers
"Penn State and Pat Chambers are a perfect match - class, pride and integrity. Pat is a talented coach and an outstanding recruiter. I know how fired up he is about Penn State and I know Penn Staters will love him."
"It was clear right away he had a little something extra you don't find in a lot of guys. He wasn't a scoring threat at all. But, I had scorers. But, his ability to lead and defend and do all the things on and off the court that coaches need made me fall in love with the kid. Once he got the job, he never relinquished it."
"He was selling for the family business and doing well. But, I just had that feeling he would make a great coach. He was one of those people who love the game so much and know the game so well. He had that Philly ability to recognize situations and know what people should be doing and know what to do with the ball and that intense desire to win. I loved the way he interacted with the players. He's quick to jump on them if they're not doing everything exactly the right way. There's no short-cuts with him."
"Pat Chambers has been fortunate enough to play for and work for some of the most successful coaches in the Philadelphia area - long-time coach Dan Dougherty at celebrated Episcopal Academy, Naismith Hall of Fame coach Herb Magee from Philadelphia University and 2008 NABC National Coach of the Year Jay Wright from Villanova. Hopefully, in addition to leading Boston University to an NCAA Tournament appearance in his second year as a head college coach, these experiences will provide a toolbook and a resource for him to build a program that will be competitive in the Big Ten on a regular basis and make Penn State fans proud."
"It's hard to imagine Penn State finding a more promising coach and better fit than Patrick Chambers. It certainly helps that he worked for one of the best, classiest coaches in Jay Wright, but Patrick showed in his two years at BU that he could stand on his own as a coach. Penn State has every reason to be thrilled about its basketball future."
"Before I joined ESPN.com, I worked in Philadelphia and watched Chambers tutor alongside Villanova coach Jay Wright. His passion for basketball and his eagerness was so overwhelming that more than one person asked, "Is this guy for real?" The implication being that Chambers' personality might be somewhat disingenuous. It is not. It is who he is.
At Boston University, he coached hard and recruited well, the two biggest tools in a head coach's tool belt. But he also recognized that involving the fans and inspiring the campus was key. That's what Penn State needs. In Chambers, that's what it has: an architect."
"I like the Chambers hire - young, energetic, from good stock."
"He can get it done. He's a bulldog. He can sell you anything...He was in the business world before he was at Villanova. He's a very good communicator. We had top recruiting classes before I was at Villanova, and he was pretty much part of most of those. So, he's a very, very good recruiter."
"Pat Chambers brings enthusiasm, energy and integrity to Penn State. His student-athletes will benefit greatly from his teaching, coaching and leadership."
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