Vanderbilt Basketball parts ways with coaches David Grace, Ricardo Patton
Patton and Grace spent one season on staff before departing.
May 11, 2020
Last Updated May 14 at 12:03 p.m. CT
May 14
The Hustler recently confirmed that Vanderbilt men’s basketball has parted ways with former coaches David Grace and Ricardo Patton. On May 14, the university confirmed that Grace’s former position—associate head coach—will be replaced. It was not indicated whether the replacement would be promoted internally or hired externally.
Patton formerly served as senior advisor to the head coach. The university did not confirm whether his role would be replaced.
May 11
Vanderbilt men’s basketball has parted ways with associate head coach David Grace and senior advisor to the head coach Ricardo Patton, the university confirmed to The Hustler Monday. The reason for their departures remains unclear.
Grace was the first coach hired under head coach Jerry Stackhouse on April 18, 2019. He spent the 2018-19 season as the assistant head coach at the University of California with prior stops at UCLA, Oregon State, University of San Francisco and Sacramento State.
Patton was officially hired on May 23, 2019 after a three year stint as as an assistant coach at the University of Denver. He had 15 seasons of experience as a Division I head coach, holding that title at the University of Colorado and the University of Denver. Patton was the ninth assistant hired by Stackhouse.
The two have since been removed from the Vanderbilt men’s basketball roster, which now lists ten staff members beneath head coach Jerry Stackhouse.
The university has not yet issued a statement on the departures or potential replacements.
Stay tuned to The Hustler and @VUHustlerSports for updates.

Simon Gibbs (‘21) is the Sports Editor of the Vanderbilt Hustler. He has been on staff since the first semester of his freshman year, previously serving as a Staff Writer, Senior Writer and Deputy Sports Editor. Simon is also the host of VU Sports Wired on Vanderbilt Video Productions and The Hustler Sports 30 on VandyRadio.
Simon has attended several events as credentialed media, including the 2019 NFL Draft, 2019 College Baseball World Series and the 2019 SEC Tournament. Outside of his Commodore...