Kansas State Athletics Director John Currie announced today that Deb Patterson has been relieved of her duties as the Wildcats’ head women’s basketball coach.

“Coach Patterson and I met Friday night, and I shared with her my decision to make a change in leadership of our women’s basketball program,” Currie said. “I want to sincerely thank Coach Patterson for her 18 years of service to Kansas State and our women’s basketball program.”

Currie also announced that associate head coach Kamie Ethridge will serve as interim head coach and will oversee the daily operation of the program until a new head coach is hired.

K-State concluded the 2013-14 season with an 87-84 overtime loss to KU in the first round of the Big 12 Championships to finish the year with an 11-19 overall record and 5-13 mark in league play. Patterson concludes her K-State career with a 350-226 record and led the Wildcats to nine NCAA Tournaments while also capturing Big 12 Championships in 2003-04 and 2007-08.

“We have great tradition here at K-State, which includes multiple conference championships and the distinction of being one of the Top 15 winningest programs in Division I history as well as a Basketball Training Facility that I truly believe is one of the finest in all of college athletics and terrific fan support that continually ranks among the Top 30 in the nation,” Currie added. “We will be aggressive in finding the right person to lead our women’s basketball program to the next step in our development.”

A national search for a replacement will begin immediately for a program that in 2011 became just the 13th in NCAA Division I history to win 800 games, currently ranks 15th nationally in total wins with 853 and is the second-oldest program in the Big 12 with play dating back to 1968.