Tiger Men’s Head Coach Pat Skerry

MEN’S COACH PAT SKERRY

When Pat Skerry was announced as the 13th men’s basketball head coach at Towson University on April 5, 2011, he took over a program that had endured 15-straight losing seasons. The Medford, Mass. native has revitalized the Towson men’s basketball program, leading the Tigers to consistent success in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Under Skerry’s leadership, Towson has the highest Graduation Success Rate (GSR) in the CAA.

Towson enters the 2020-21 season having won at least 18 games in six of the last eight years. The Tigers have participated in two postseason tournaments since the 2013-14 campaign. In 2015-16 and 2016-17, Towson finished with at least 20 wins, the second time in school history that Towson has won 20 games in consecutive seasons. Towson’s 25-win year in the 2013-14 campaign was the highest amount of victories in a season in Division I and most since 1977-78.

The Tigers enjoyed a strong 2019-20 campaign that resulted in 19 victories and a third-place finish in the CAA for the third time in five years. The Tigers won a program record seven CAA road games and had a seven-game winning streak during the month of January. Brian Fobbs and Allen Betrand finished in the top-11 in the CAA in scoring and earned All-CAA Second Team and Third Team respectively while Nicolas Timberlake was the CAA Sixth Man of the Year.

During the 2017-18 season, Towson won the Florida Gulf Coast Showcase and the Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic. In addition, Towson had a 10-game winning streak, which was tied for the third best in program history. The Tigers started the season 10-1, which was the best in Towson’s Division I era, and received votes in the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the second time in program history. The Tigers also spent six weeks in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll peaking at No. 4 on Dec. 19, 2017.

Skerry, who won his 100th career game as Towson’s head coach on Nov. 21 following a win over Penn, was the recipient of the 2017 Gene Bartow award, which recognizes outstanding achievement and contributions to the game.

After winning just one game during his first season, Skerry led the Tigers to an 18-13 record in 2012-13. Not only was it the first winning season since 1995-96, it was also the largest single-season turnaround in NCAA Division I history. Skerry was selected as the CAA Coach of the Year: he became the first coach to receive that honor since Terry Truax earned back-to-back Big South Conference Coach of the Year honors in 1992-93 and 1993-94.

The success continued during the 2013-14 season as the Tigers won a Division I record 25 games. This includes winning their first two postseason games as a Division I program in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. The 2013-14 season saw the Tigers end the year ranked 84th in the RPI, marking the first time Towson finished the season in the Top 100. The Tigers also received their first votes in the national polls in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.

Skerry has used his platform as a head coach and teamed up with Tom Herrion to start Autism Awareness in college basketball. What started as two guys with an idea has turned into a national event where hundreds of coaches wear the prominent blue puzzle piece pin. The effort put forth by both Skerry and Herrion were recognized as the duo was honored with the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Guardians of the Game Service Award.

Skerry served as an assistant for two seasons at the College of Charleston. In addition, Skerry spent five years with league teams William & Mary (200003) and Northeastern University (1998-2000).

In 1996, Skerry became the second-youngest head coach in the nation at the age of 26 when he was selected to guide the Curry basketball program. During his two-year stop with the Colonels, he led Curry to its first winning season in five years.

Skerry played collegiately at Tufts from 1989-92 where he was a two-time team captain and garnered All-New England honors. As a point guard, he recorded a school-record 650 assists during his career - a mark that still ranks as the 17th best in NCAA Division III history.

Skerry earned both of his collegiate degrees from Tufts, earning his bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1992 and his Master’s Degree in education in 1995.

Pat and his wife, Kristen, have two sons, Ryan and Owen.