Track & Cross Country Adds Katie Patterson To Coaching Staff

DEFIANCE, OHIO  --  The Defiance College Athletic Department has announced the hiring of Katie Patterson as an assistant coach with the Yellow Jacket cross country and track & field programs.

Patterson joins the DC coaching staff from Villa Maria Academy in Erie, Pa. where she served as an assistant and helped guide the cross country team to a Pennsylvania State AA Championship in 2016. 

Patterson also has coaching experience at the collegiate level as a graduate assistant at Penn State-Behrend, her alma mater, where she assisted both the cross country and track programs.  During her time at PSU-Behrend, she helped coach several teams to conference championships and was named the 2016 Men's Mid-East Region Assistant Coach of the Year by the USTFCCCA in outdoor track.  Patterson coached two track All-Americans (one indoor and one outdoor), including an additional national qualifier, and helped coach athletes to 27 All-Conference performances.  

In cross country, Patterson was a part of several conference championship teams at PSU-Behrend, including leading the women's team to two titles (2013 and 2015), in addition to assisting the men's program to three conference championships (2013-15).  In 2015, she was part of a coaching staff that was named the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Women's Cross Country Coaching Staff of the Year.  In her first season as coach, she mentored one national qualifier. 

Patterson earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from PSU-Behrend.  She earned a Bachelor's degree in marketing and then went on to receive her Master's in business administration.  

While earning her undergraduate degree, she was also a four-year member of the Lion cross country and track & field teams.  She served as a team captain during her junior and senior seasons, and was a three-time first-team All-AMCC award winner in cross country, including helping lead her team to the 2012 AMCC Championship.  Patterson went on to finish in the top 40 percent at the NCAA Mid-East Regional Championship Meet as a sophomore and junior and was also tabbed the team's Cross Country "Rookie of the Year" as a freshman.

In addition to cross country, Patterson also excelled on the track, serving as a team captain as a junior and senior and was a three-time Mason Dixon Track and Field All-Conference Award winner in the 10,000-meter run (2011-13).  She was also a qualifier in the 10k for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and currently ranks on the PSU-Behrend all-time top-10 performance list in three events.

While at Defiance, Patterson will serve as assistant cross country coach & track and field coach overseeing the distance programs as well as being the recruiting coordinator.

"We are extremely excited to have Katie join our coaching staff," said DC Head Coach Ken Ciolek.  "Katie has a vast knowledge in multiple different event areas, and will be a tremendous addition to our staff where she will oversee our distance programs as well as head all recruiting efforts as the Recruiting Coordinator.  It was immediately evident that Katie would be a perfect fit for our programs from her phone and on campus interview. From helping guide her team's to NCAA All-Americans to a PIAA Cross Country State Title, Katie has dedicated her energy to helping guide athletes to both academic and athletic success."