Nick Patella enters his third season at the helm of the West Virginia Wesleyan Men's Basketball program in 2021-22. A native of Elkins, W.Va., he returns for his second coaching stint in Buckhannon. He previously served as a Graduate Assistant for two seasons, and an assistant coach for another. Wesleyan is home for Patella, he has a rich family history with ties to the college, and a lifelong passion for the Bobcats.
Patella played college basketball for John Beilein at West Virginia University from 2002-2005. He was a member of the 2004-2005 Mountaineers squad that made it to the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament. Entering the WVU Men's Basketball program as a walk-on, Patella was eventually rewarded a scholarship for his contributions before his playing career was over. After graduation, he began his coaching career on a campus familiar to him in Buckhannon. While serving as the Graduate Assistant for Wesleyan, Patella obtained his Master's in Business Administration.
He has strong connections with the high school game and the recruiting realm, coaching at Halo Hoops in North Carolina for four years where he mentored young players to reach their dream of playing collegiately. Patella's career then took him down Route 33 to Davis & Elkins, where he was the head coach of the Senators for four seasons. While in Elkins, he captained the Senators to their second best season in the last 36 years in 2016-17, and their best back-to-back seasons since 1980-81. He also coached All-American Kevin Bracy-Davis, and 2016-17's second leading rebounder in the NCAA, Rickenjee Bellevue, at Davis & Elkins.
He is married to Ann Marie, and a father of three, sons NJ (eight years old) and Noah (five years old), and daughter Neva (two years old). Patella states that his role model is his father, and "the older that he gets, the more he realizes how smart his dad is."
