Midland College reached out to a very familiar person when they named their new head coach. Pat Rafferty, who served previously at MC from 1994-1999, was tabbed as the new head coach on Wednesday, June 7, 2017, replacing Jordan Dreiling at the helm of the Chaps.  Dreiling resigned the position in late March.  In Rafferty the Chaps have a veteran coach who has experience at every level from junior college to the professional ranks.

Rafferty is a native of Buffalo, WY and was an all-state basketball player for his father Jack (Rafferty) who is a very well respected coach in his own right, with the elder Rafferty having been selected to the Wyoming Coaches Hall of Fame.  Pat played collegiately at Northwest Community College in Powell, WY (one season) and he subsequently transferred to Eastern Montana College (now, Montana State University-Billings) where he completed his college playing career and where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Health and Physical Education.

Rafferty’s coaching career began in 1981 as an assistant coach at Eastern Montana College, his alma mater.  Along the way Rafferty assumed various coaching roles, including NCAA Division I head coach (including two years under the legendary Denny Crum at Louisville), NCAA Division I assistant coach, NJCAA head coach, NBA scout (Minnesota Timberwolves) and up to his job preceding coming back to Midland College, assistant coach with the Long Island Nets of the NBADL.  Rafferty is a combined 362-287 (.558) in his head coaching career (includes one year as an interim head coach at Eastern Montana College).  In his previous stint with the Chaps, Rafferty went 97-51 (.665).

Midland College Director of Athletics, Forrest Allen says of Rafferty, “We are very pleased to have Coach Rafferty back with us.  His resume speaks for itself, including working with Hall of Famers as well as within the highest levels of professional basketball in the world (NBA).  His experience and connections made us feel extremely comfortable that he is the person we need to lead this program back to national prominence.  We welcome Coach Raff and his wife, Toni to the Midland College family.”