ABCA Hall of Fame

Pat McMahon has distinguished himself as one of the most versatile ambassadors of baseball, serving the game on every level. With the New York Yankees organization at the time, the ABCA board member was the recipient of the 2015 ABCA/Wilson Lefty Gomez Award.

McMahon was in his fourth season as Coordinator of International Player Development with the Yankees when he received this award. He previously led the short-season Class A Staten Island Yankees in 2008, where the team posted a league-best 49-26 record, and served as a special assistant for player development and scouting.

Prior to the Yankees, McMahon amassed 30-plus years of combined college and high school coaching experience. McMahon served seven seasons (2001-07) as head coach at the University of Florida. He led the Gators to a runner-up finish in the College World Series in 2005 and a 231-143-1 record in those seven seasons.

McMahon got his first collegiate head coaching job at Old Dominion (1990-94) and was also head coach at Mississippi State (1998-2001).

In his first season as head coach at Mississippi State, McMahon was named ABCA South Region Coach of the Year after guiding the Bulldogs to the College World Series. He subsequently led the Bulldogs to consecutive NCAA Super Regional appearances. The team went 164-88 in his four seasons and also won the 2001 Southeastern Conference Tournament.

McMahon began his collegiate coaching career at Mississippi State as a graduate assistant from 1980-81 and served as assistant coach (1983-89) and associate head coach (1995-97), working under ABCA Hall of Famer Ron Polk during all three stints. The Bulldogs went to the College World Series in 1981 and 1985 and posted at least 50 wins three times, including a school-record 54 wins in 1989. They also went to the College World Series in 1997, McMahon's final season as associate head coach before Polk retired and McMahon was elevated to head coach.

As head coach at Old Dominion, McMahon guided the Monarchs to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, two 40-win seasons and an outstanding 189-86 record from 1990-94. ODU won the Colonial Athletic Association title in 1994. After McMahon left for MSU, Old Dominion won two more CAA titles in 1995 and 1996.

McMahon has worked extensively with USA Baseball throughout his career. He helped lead the USA to a Pan American Games bronze medal as an assistant in 1991, was pitching coach in 1997 and was head coach of the 2001 squad.

As a player, McMahon was drafted in the 18th round by the New York Mets out of Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville, Fla., in 1971, but turned down a pro contract to play in college. He played two years at St. John's River College in Palatka, Florida, and two years (1974-75) at Stetson as a pitcher.

McMahon served as a student assistant coach at Stetson in 1976 and was head coach at Bishop Kenny from 1977-80.

McMahon and his wife, the former Cheri Wells, live in Gainesville, Florida. They are the parents of a daughter, Logan, and a son, J. Wells.

Named after the great Lefty Gomez, this annual award is presented to an individual who has distinguished himself among his peers and has contributed significantly to the game of baseball locally, nationally and internationally. The Lefty Gomez Award is sponsored by Wilson Sporting Goods.