Athletics Update

NEW ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, JOE PATTERSON

When 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.

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.

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 the school has only grown. “There is a joyfulness to this place that bears witness to the truth,” said Patterson.

In particular to the athletics at Ave Maria, Patterson possesses a vision for the program that he views as ingrained in the human existence. “We are all created in the image of the Creator, so we find our greatest fulfillment when we are creating,” he said. “Sports are fundamentally about the collaborative creative process.” With more than 40-percent of the student body engaged in varsity athletics, Patterson sees the positive power of sports. “The sports teams of Ave Maria understand their important role in spreading the good news of Ave Maria, namely that we desire excellence in accord with truth and love,” said Patterson.

It would be fair to say that Catholic education has been a lifelong vocation for Patterson. He earned his master’s degree in Catholic Leadership from the Catholic University of America, and his undergraduate degree from Villanova University. He has been involved— either as a student or as an educator/ coach—in Catholic education every year since his parents enrolled him in kindergarten. He and his wife, Jana, live in the town of Ave Maria with their six children, all of whom attend Catholic school. “Education without reference to faith cannot be a full education,” said Patterson. “The graduates of Ave Maria will have a profound impact on this culture, and it is the goal of Ave Maria Athletics to represent that which is best in the human spirit.”

COPELAND NAMED NEW BASKETBALL COACH

Jamon Copeland

When Ave Maria University looked to fill the men’s basketball head coach vacancy, it was important to find someone who could produce a winning program on the court while thoroughly understanding the mission of the school. After a month-long selection process, Jamon Copeland emerged as the candidate of choice.

“I look forward to getting to work,” said Coach Copeland. “I believe success comes from working with great people. We will have players that believe in the mission of this university, and we will engage the AMU basketball alumni who paved the way for us to be successful. This game is about relationships on and off the floor. We will work tirelessly to cultivate those relationships.”

Copeland was the founding coach of the Ave Maria University basketball program as it first competed in the 2009-2010 season. In just his third season, the Gyrenes had their first winning record, and in his fourth season, AMU broke through with its first 20-win season, going 23-9. At one point during that season, AMU rose as high as No. 14 in the nation in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Following his time at AMU, Copeland accepted the head coaching position at the University of Texas at Tyler, where he served as the head coach for six seasons. During those six seasons, his teams notched the second, third, and fourth-most wins in a season in program history while also posting the first postseason win in program history. This past season, Copeland served as the head coach at Aledo High School in Texas, where he won District 4-5A Coach of the Year honors.