Pat Ritchie (2013)
About Pat Ritchie
Coming out of the University of Akron and having competed in three NCAA Cross Country Championships and one NCAA Track Championship, Pat got his start at Mogadore HS where he coached for two years – and won a District Championship – before heading to Walsh Jesuit and building them into one of the most highly decorated and respected programs in the state. In his 34th year of coaching cross country at Walsh Jesuit, the Warriors ended the 2012 campaign in a manner we have all come to admire: a District Championship, a Regional Championship, and a 6th place finish at the State Meet. It’s been like this at Walsh since Pat took over. In fact, Pat’s teams have won 19 District Championships and been District Runners-up ten times. There are eight Regional Championship and nine Regional Runner-up trophies in the case and his teams have qualified to the State Meet 23 times. Once there, they won two State Championships, five State Runner-up awards, and finished in the top ten 18 other times. Walsh Jesuit has had 10 individual District Champions, three individual Regional Champions, and twenty athletes have earned individual All-Ohio honors. In track and field, Pat’s accomplishments have mirrored this success winning three District Championships and three Runner-up titles. Nine relays and 17 individuals have qualified to the State Meet earning All-Ohio honors 16 times and winning a State Championship in the 4 x 800M. A coach’s coach, Pat has promoted the sport of cross country by hosting the Walsh Jesuit Tomahawk run, the Warrior Classic, the Walsh Jesuit Turkey Trot, the Bunsey Memory Run, the Akron CYO Championship Meet, and a summer cross country running camp. In track and field, he hosts the Warrior Relays and the Akron CYO Championship Meet. Pat served as the District 4 representative to the OATCCC from 1989-1992. He still coaches cross country and track at Walsh Jesuit and resides with his wife in Silver Lake, Ohio.
