ATHLETICS UPDATE
NEW ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, JOE PATTERSON
W
hen Ave Maria University approached Joe Patterson about being the new director of athletics, he responded with an enthusiastic, yes! “The sports programs at Ave Maria are critical to the fabric of the school,” said Patterson. “We want to build a culture of competitiveness that doesn’t compromise the core mission of being faithful followers of Christ.” For Patterson, that culture of competitiveness goes hand-in-hand with the larger culture of excellence within the University. A key component of that excellence is, of course, academics. During Patterson’s four years as head football coach at AMU, the football team’s grade point average has improved dramatically, just recently eclipsing the 3.00 mark for the first time in program history.
a v e m a r i a m a g a z i n e | s u m m e r 2020
Retention for the football program has also skyrocketed, and success on the field followed as the Gyrenes went from a winless season in 2016 to Sun Division Champions in 2018, a turnaround earning Patterson Sun Division Coach of the Year honors. During the most recent season, the football team had a record 21 players named to the Dean’s List while 18 were awarded Academic All-Conference honors. “Progress would have been impossible without cohesion with the University’s strong culture of faith and virtue,” said Patterson.
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Prior to coming to Ave Maria University, Patterson taught literature for 19 years at St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C., where he also served as the school’s head football coach. As an educator, he recognizes the positive role athletics can have in a student’s education. “There are so many lessons learned in a team setting,” said Patterson. “When done properly, sports will reward the same virtues that life rewards. Sports help to show us that happiness awaits those who prioritize
faith, self-sacrifice, discipline, and teamwork.” During these past few years, the University’s athletic profile improved also because of facility upgrades. Patterson’s leadership was integral to the installation of the new artificial turf field servicing soccer, lacrosse, and football (2017) and the permanent lighting accompanying that field (2018). These two projects transformed the student-athlete experience and promoted a fan-friendly atmosphere. Patterson first began visiting Ave Maria on a yearly basis in 2008 when his in-laws moved here. Over the years, the vision and values of the University, as established by its founder Tom Monaghan, began to take root in his mind. In February 2016, Patterson accepted AMU’s offer to be the head football coach, and his attraction to
