Christopher Partida has been named as the new Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Minnesota North College, Mesabi Range Campus.
Born and raised in Torrance, California, to his wonderful parents Ana and Luis Partida, who both hail from Mexico, basketball has always played a significant role in his life. He began playing recreational and youth basketball, eventually transitioning to the AAU circuit in 6th grade, where he competed year-round. Christopher played high school basketball all four years at West Torrance High School.
At 26, he decided to return to college and pursue his dream of playing collegiate basketball. He enrolled at Los Angeles Harbor College, where he played for two years and earned two degrees: an Associate of Science in Early Childhood Development and an Associate of Arts in Social and Behavioral Sciences.
Christopher transferred to the University of Saint Katherine in San Diego, California, where he was mentored by Coach Kevin Williamson, who had coached at Bemidji State University and the University of Minnesota Duluth. During his four years at Saint Katherine, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities with a concentration in History and a Master of Science in Kinesiology.
While serving as an assistant coach for four seasons at Saint Katherine, Christopher worked with 10 players who earned All-Conference honors. He played a key role in developing the first-ever men’s basketball valedictorian at the university and helped the team consistently achieve academic success, including receiving the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award for four consecutive years. Under his guidance, over 15 individual academic honors were achieved, including NAIA Daktronics Scholar-Athlete awards. During the 2023–2024 season, the team reached new academic heights, with a GPA of 3.56 in the spring term.
In terms of basketball accomplishments, Christopher coached against 12 NCAA Division I programs, including matchups against Long Beach State, Pepperdine, UNLV, and Arizona State. His team led San Diego State, who went on to reach the NCAA March Madness finals. In 2020–2021, during the pandemic, his program thrived by playing 10 NCAA Division I teams, providing athletes with exceptional experiences despite the challenges.
Christopher led Saint Katherine to a conference championship in the California Pacific Conference in 2021–2022 and guided the team to two NAIA National Tournament appearances (2021–2022, 2023–2024). In the 2023–2024 season, the team broke the school record with a 23-9 overall record and once again qualified for the NAIA National Tournament.
Beyond college basketball, Christopher is passionate about helping athletes transition to professional opportunities. He has built strong relationships with professional basketball teams in Mexico, particularly in Mexicali and Tijuana, where he organizes tryouts for former college players, helping them secure contracts.
Previously, he was a full-time PE teacher and defensive coordinator at Los Angeles Harbor College. When the opportunity arose to lead Minnesota North Mesabi Range as head coach, he knew it was the right fit. Christopher takes pride in teaching defense, a skill honed from his mentors. His coaching style blends old-school fundamentals with newschool innovation, reflecting his recent playing experience.
Since his second year of coaching under Kevin Williamson, Christopher has known that coaching is his true calling. The move to Minnesota North Mesabi Range feels like a perfect fit, and he is ecstatic to be part of the Norse family. He looks forward to a long and successful tenure, bringing his energy, experience, and passion for basketball to this new chapter.
