Texas Lutheran University

Troy Patterson enters his fifth season as the head coach of the TLU Women's Basketball program and ninth on the Bulldog coaching staff.

Patterson has compiled a 74-32 record in four seasons, including 49-15 in SCAC play. Patterson is one of two Bulldog head coaches with multiple 20 win seasons. Patterson currently ranks third all-time in program history in wins only trailing Mel Dixon and Lana Urbanek and became the fastest coach to the 60-win mark in program history, surpassing Dixon and Urbanek.

Patterson has led the Bulldogs to three wins over nationally-ranked opponents and one NCAA Division-II opponent.

In 2024-25, TLU won the SCAC regular-season and tournament titles with a 24-5 (14-2 SCAC) record, earning a berth to the NCAA Marshall Regional where the Bulldogs would upset #18/19 East Texas Baptist for the first NCAA Tournament win in program history. The 24-5 (.828) overall record is by all metrics the best season in program history which included a 14-2 SCAC mark, the most wins since joining the conference in 2013-14, a SCAC Gold Division Co-Championship, and winning the 2025 SCAC Tournament. The 2025 team also matched a program record with 327 steals on the season, previously set in 1991 and 2002.

TLU went 8-1 on the road in the SCAC in 2024-25, to finish as 2025 SCAC Gold Division Co-Champions. The Bulldogs would defeat rival Trinity, 73-63, in the SCAC Championship game for the third SCAC Tournament Championship in program history.

Kailee Mulkey earned WBCA All-America honorable mention honors and five Bulldogs earned All-SCAC honors. Mulkey is just the third women's basketball player in Texas Lutheran history to garner All-America honors. Mulkey concluded her career as Texas Lutheran's fifth all-time leading scorer with 1,196 points and the program's all-time leader in steals in the program's NCAA history (224). She also finishes eighth in the program's NCAA history in assists (197) and third in rebounds (576). The senior guard became the second Bulldog in program history to record over 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.

In his third season, Patterson became the second head coach in program history to win two SCAC Coach/Staff of the Year accolades, joining former head coach Mel Dixon. After replacing two starters from the 2022-23 team and facing numerous injuries throughout the season, Patterson guided the Bulldogs to one of the best seasons in program history and the fourth 20-win season in program history. In 2023-24, the Bulldogs had the best start in program history that included a win over NCAA Division-II St. Edward's and won 20 games for just the fourth time in program history. 

His second season saw the Bulldogs finish 14-12 and 9-7 in SCAC play as he guided a youthful Bulldogs squad to the second round of the SCAC Championship Tournament.

In his first season as head coach, Troy Patterson was named SCAC Coach of the Year. After being picked to finish fifth in the league's preseason poll, Patterson guided the Bulldogs to a second place finish and a program-best 13 conference wins - surpassing the previous record of 12 which was met in 2013-14, 2016-17, and 2018-19. The 13 wins ties Patterson for fourth most SCAC wins by any first-year coach in SCAC Women's Basketball history. Overall, TLU women's basketball finished the 2021-22 season with a 16-9 record.

Patterson was named the 9th head coach of the Texas Lutheran women’s basketball program on October 12th, 2021. With the hiring, Patterson became the first Black head coach in Texas Lutheran University history - regardless of sport.

Patterson was an assistant coach on Mel Dixon's TLU staff from 2017-2021 - serving in the Associate Head Coach role from 2018-21. He played a key role coaching, recruiting and scouting for the Bulldogs.

In his four seasons on the bench with Dixon, the Bulldogs made an NCAA Tournament appearance and after winning the 2019 SCAC Conference Tournament (with tournament wins over Schreiner, Austin College, and Trinity in succession over three days) and made an SCAC Tournament semifinal appearance in 2020.

Prior to coaching at Texas Lutheran, Patterson served as a head coach at the high school level for the Incarate Word Shamrocks. During his time as a coach for Incarnate Word, Patterson produced an overall record of 234-67 and won six district championships, one regional championship and made a trip to the final four of the TAPPS 6A State Championship Tournament. Coach Patterson received WOAI News "Coach of the Year" for the 2012-13 basketball season.

Coach Patterson was born in San Antonio, Texas, but he grew up in The Bronx, N.Y. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he majored in biology with a minor in chemistry. 

Coach Patterson and his wife Vanessa have been happily married for 42 years, and they have four children: Tiffany, Tracey, DeAnna, and Troy. The Pattersons have also been blessed with three grandchildren - Adrienne, Jaxon, and Jalen.

"We are tremendously excited about Coach Troy Patterson becoming our new head women's basketball coach.  As the Associate Head Coach, Coach Patterson has played a big role in the success the women's basketball program has experienced over the last four years including the 2019 SCAC Women's Basketball Conference Championship.  I have no doubt that Coach Patterson will continue to lead the TLU Women's Basketball in a championship direction. He is not only a great coach, but also a great role model. He truly coaches for the right reasons." TLU Athletic Director Bill Miller