Patrick Cunningham has led the Lady Matador Basketball program for all 20 years of its existence. The longevity ranks him second in tenure in school history and his 448 career wins make him the third winningest coach across all sports.
Cunningham’s 20th season saw a Lady Matador team beset with injuries battle back in the second half of the season to finish with a four game winning streak, sealing the 20th winning season in program history.
As the only coach in the history of AWC Women’s Basketball, the Matadors have enjoyed 20 winning seasons, 13 playoff appearances, 8 of which landed in the Region I Finals during a pair of 30-win seasons, resulting in one Region I Championship (2002) and a trip to the NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament. Under Cunningham the Matadors have consistently been ranked in the NJCAA Women’s Basketball Poll, rising as high as #2. Cunningham’s teams have produced 13 NJCAA All-Americans, 5 State Farm WBCA All-Americans and have helped over 30 student-athletes continue their career at the NJCAA level.
In addition to his coaching duties, Cunningham is a Professor of Economics in the BCIS at Arizona Western College holding a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Economics from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. He also holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Northern Arizona University.
