North Park University Athletics

After two seasons as Associate Head Coach, Edwind McGhee was promoted to Head Coach for North Park University Men’s Basketball on April 19, 2024. His first official season at the helm was the 2024–25 campaign, guiding North Park to a third-place finish in the CCIW. The Vikings also opened conference play with a 4–0 record for the first time since the 1982–83 season. In that inaugural season, McGhee developed two All-CCIW selections: Rico Powell (First Team) and Lance Nelson (Second Team).

Prior to his promotion, McGhee played a pivotal role in leading the Vikings to the program’s first College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament Championship in 2023, advancing to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. That season, North Park won 24 games—the program’s highest total since 1986–87. He was instrumental in recruiting and developing a pair of First-Team All-CCIW selections, Kolden Vanlandingham and Shamar Pumphrey, while working under former head coach Sean Smith, the 2023 D3Hoops.com National Coach of the Year.

Before arriving at North Park in 2022, McGhee spent four years at NAIA Lincoln College. As an assistant, he helped propel the Lynx to a 50–28 record, highlighted by an A.I.I. Championship and a trip to the NAIA National Tournament in 2019–20. In his sole season as head coach (2021–22), McGhee guided Lincoln to a CCAC Tournament runner-up finish, closing the year with seven straight victories before falling in the title game. During his time at Lincoln, he recruited and developed multiple all-conference players, and picked up a pair of wins over nationally ranked opponents.

McGhee’s coaching journey began after completing his playing career at DePaul University. A magna cum laude graduate with a B.A. in 2014, McGhee was a team captain for the Blue Demons and a four-time member of the BIG EAST All-Academic Team. He immediately transitioned into coaching as a graduate assistant at DePaul, earning his M.A. in 2016. Following his GA role, McGhee became the Head Post-Grad Coach at Victory Rock Prep in Sarasota, Florida, where he also served as Associate Head Coach for the Victory Rock Prep National Team. There, he helped guide the team to the 2018 Grind Session World Championship and coached more than a dozen players who went on to play Division I basketball at programs including UMASS, LSU, Rutgers, California Berkeley, Ohio State, and the University of South Florida.

“Coach Edwind McGhee embodies the Christian mission and expectation for academic and athletic excellence, central to North Park University,” said President Mary K. 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.”

What They Are Saying

“North Park has hired a future star as their next head coach and Edwind will keep NPU among the nation’s elite D3 programs. Ed has always led with his leadership and character and will continue to do the same as he leads the Vikings.”
— Pat Sellers, Head Coach, Central Connecticut

“Edwind’s care for his players, staff, university and the game of basketball is what makes him special. Players love playing for him and his teams all play with toughness and energy. He is a winner and a tireless worker. North Park hit a home run with this hire.”
— Pat Lepper, Assistant Coach, Purdue Fort Wayne

Coaching Career, Season-by-Season