North Park University Athletics

After two seasons as Associate Head Coach, Edwind McGhee was promoted to Head Coach of the North Park University men’s basketball program on April 19, 2024. His first season at the helm during the 2024–25 campaign marked a new era of momentum for the Vikings, guiding the program to a third-place finish in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW). North Park also opened conference play with a 4–0 record for the first time since the 1982–83 season and hosted a CCIW Tournament game for the first time in program history. The season featured strong individual performances as McGhee developed two All-CCIW selections: Rico Powell (First Team) and Lance Nelson (Second Team).

Under McGhee’s leadership, the Vikings have continued to elevate the program’s offensive production and competitiveness within the CCIW. During the 2025–26 season, North Park set a program record for most three-pointers made in a season (246) and most assists in a game (39), while also scoring a program-record 138 points in a single contest. The Vikings also connected on a school-record 17 three-pointers in a conference game. The team averaged 85.7 points per game, the program’s highest scoring average since the 1987–88 season.

McGhee’s second season also featured several individual milestones. Kolden Vanlandingham earned Preseason All-American recognition and recorded the fourth triple-double in North Park program history. The Vikings also saw three players record 30-point games in the same season for the first time since 1978–79. Following the season, Mike Vuckovic earned First Team All-CCIW honors while Vanlandingham was named Second Team All-CCIW, giving McGhee four All-CCIW selections across his first two seasons as head coach.

The Vikings’ recent success has also been historic in terms of program consistency. Under McGhee, North Park secured its first back-to-back winning seasons since 2016–17, qualified for the CCIW Tournament in consecutive years for the first time in program history, and recorded its first consecutive top-four conference finishes since the 1992–93 and 1993–94 seasons.

Prior to his promotion, McGhee played a pivotal role in leading the Vikings to the program’s first 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. McGhee 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 Lincoln College (NAIA). As an assistant coach, he helped the Lynx compile a 50–28 record, highlighted by an Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) Championship and a berth in the 2019–20 NAIA National Tournament. In his lone season as head coach (2021–22), McGhee led Lincoln to a CCAC Tournament runner-up finish, closing the season on a seven-game winning streak before falling in the championship game. During his time with the Lynx, he recruited and developed multiple all-conference players while also earning two victories over nationally ranked opponents.

McGhee’s coaching career began following his playing career at DePaul University. A magna cum laude graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2014, McGhee served as a team captain for the Blue Demons and was a four-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection. He immediately transitioned into coaching as a graduate assistant at DePaul, earning his Master of Arts degree in 2016.

Following his graduate assistant role, McGhee became the Head Post-Graduate Coach at Victory Rock Prep in Sarasota, Florida, while also serving as Associate Head Coach for the Victory Rock Prep National Team. During his tenure, the program captured the 2018 Grind Session World Championship and produced more than a dozen Division I players who went on to compete at programs including UMass, LSU, Rutgers, California, Ohio State, and 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