Brother Rice’s Pat Richardson has chosen to retire from his position of Head Basketball Coach. He leaves firmly intact a legacy of outstanding achievement, dedication to his players, and a proud commitment to one of the premier basketball programs in the state of Illinois.

Coach Richardson said the following about his coaching career at Brother Rice: “It’s been an incredible honor and privilege to be the basketball coach at Brother Rice for the past 24 years. I can’t imagine a better place to coach basketball.  The support I’ve received from the administration, faculty, parents, alumni, and Crusader Crazies has been incredible. I’ll never forget the loyalty and work ethic of all of the coaches I have worked with. I’m especially grateful to all of the players I have been fortunate enough to coach.  They are an amazing group of young men who have given so much to our program.  I will be forever grateful.”

Dr. Kevin Burns, President of Brother Rice High School, said, “As friends and colleagues, we are all pleased that Pat (Richardson) is going out on his own terms, and we are thrilled that he will remain on our staff as a teacher.  He is such a valuable asset to our school.”

Coach Richardson has completed his 24^th year as Head Coach of the Crusaders.  He is a 1982 graduate of Illinois Benedictine College where he earned a B.A. in History.  During his tenure at Brother Rice, the Crusaders have won 37 championships including nine Catholic League, eight Thanksgiving, five Christmas, eleven IHSA Regional, and four IHSA Sectional Championships as well as one Elite Eight appearance in 2005. His Crusader teams have reached the 20 win plateau twelve times, including a streak of nine seasons in a row from 1997 to 2005.

Coach Richardson has coached 40 All Catholic League and ten All State Players.  Five players have been nominated for Mr. Basketball of Illinois. One player, Bobby Frasor, was named to the McDonald’s All American Team in 2005.   Twelve of his players have earned Division One basketball scholarships and dozens of others have gone on to play college basketball at the Division II, III and NAIA level.  Three players have become small college All-Americans and four have gone on to play professionally in Europe.

Coach Richardson has been named IBCA Coach of the Year seven times and Catholic League Coach of the Year four times.  He has also received Coach of the Year honors from the Daily Southtown, Reporter, and City Suburban Hoops Report.  The 2005 Crusaders were the City Suburban Hoops Report “Team of the Year.”

Brother Rice is widely regarded as the best shooting team in Illinois.  Coach Richardson’s teams have made more three point field goals over the last twenty years than any team in Illinois. He also directs the Crusader Summer Basketball Camp, one of the largest and most successful basketball camps in the Chicago area.  He has also been a guest speaker at camps and coaching clinics throughout Illinois.  In 2003,

Coach Richardson was inducted into the Brother Rice Hall of Fame; in 2008, he was inducted into the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame; and in 2011, he was part of the inaugural class of the Circle of Champions (the Brother Rice Athletic Hall of Fame). In November of 2011, Coach Richardson won his 400^th game as head coach of the Crusaders.