Edwind McGhee has been appointed as head coach for North Park University Men’s Basketball, as announced Friday morning by Director of Athletics, John Born.
“Coach McGhee is the best candidate to lead the North Park men’s basketball team moving forward,” said AD Born. “Ed has been instrumental in every aspect of the program from the day he was hired two years ago, as associate head coach. His leadership, dedication, and commitment to North Park are unmatched. With his extensive background, recruiting ties, and mission fit to North Park, it was a clear selection. I am confident he will elevate Viking men’s basketball.”
McGhee played a significant role in leading the Vikings to the program’s first College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament Championship in 2023, guiding North Park to a Sweet Sixteen finish. The Vikings won 24 games, the highest win total since the 1986-1987 season. He helped develop and recruit a pair of first-team All-CCIW selections (Kolden Vanlandingham and Shamar Pumphrey) while working and learning under Sean Smith, the 2023 D3Hoops.com National Coach of the Year.
“I am humbled and honored to be named the next Head Men’s Basketball Coach at North Park University,” said Coach McGhee. “I want to thank President Mary Surridge, Vice President Anthony Scola and our Athletic Director, John Born, for entrusting me with this opportunity. North Park is a special place, and I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to continue working with our student-athletes. I’m extremely proud of our former and current student-athletes who have worked to bring enthusiasm back to our program. I am confident that we will continue to strive for excellence academically, athletically and in the community. I’m ready to get to work. Go Vikes!”
McGhee joined North Park in 2022 after coaching for four years at NAIA Lincoln College, spending the 2021-2022 season as the team’s head coach. In his time with the Lynx, McGhee coached Lincoln to a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) tournament runner-up finish and picked up a pair of wins against nationally ranked opponents. Additionally, he was directly responsible for recruiting a duo of all-conference players.
“Coach Edwind McGhee embodies the Christian mission and expectation for academic and athletic excellence, central to North Park University,” said President Surridge. “We have high confidence in Coach McGhee’s ability to build on recent success and sustain a winning tradition for Viking men’s basketball.”
McGhee graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts from DePaul University in 2014, where he was a team captain for the Blue Demons and a four-time member of the BIG EAST All-Academic Team. After his playing career, he immediately joined the Blue Demons staff as a graduate assistant, earning his MA in 2016 and launching his college coaching career.
