"MVNU’S PATTERSON
SELECTED AS NCCAA’S ROTE AWARD RECIPIENT"Written by Dave
Parsons, MVNU Sports Information Director
GREENVILLE, S.C. –
The National Christian College Athletic Association recently
announced that Zach Patterson of Mount Vernon Nazarene
University has been unanimously selected as the NCCAA Kyle
Rote, Jr. National Player of the Year Award recipient.
The NCCAA Kyle Rote, Jr. Award is presented each year to
the outstanding NCCAA men’s soccer player (junior or senior)
in the nation who possesses a vital Christian testimony on
and off the field and exhibits outstanding leadership
qualities including Christian service activities. This
award, which is sponsored by the Gary Beck Foundation,
highlights excellence in competition, skill, and service.
The award is named after Kyle Rote, Jr., a former
professional soccer player. The recipient receives a
beautiful trophy recognizing their accomplishment along with
an engraved watch with the award being presented at the
NCCAA National Tournament Kick-off Banquet on December 2 in
Kissimmee, Fla.
Patterson, a senior defender from Dayton, Ohio, has
played in 67 matches during his four-year career with the
Cougars with 57 starts.
During the past four years, the former Dayton Christian
High School standout has helped the team post a 48-23-9
record during which time the defense that he has anchored
has compiled 34 shutouts.
This season, Patterson has started and played every
minute of all 21 matches for MVNU as the Cougars have posted
a 16-3-2 overall record and finished second in the rugged
American Mideast Conference.
The team has also cracked the NAIA Top 25 for the first
time in the program’s history and moved all the way to No. 7
in the final poll.
MVNU, which has gone 4-1-1 against teams ranked in the
Top 25 this year, also qualified for the NAIA National
Championship for the first time ever.
During Patterson’s career, he has received numerous
accolades leading up to his selection as the Kyle Rote, Jr.
Award recipient. As a junior, he was named to the AMC South
Division Second Team, the NCCAA East Region Team, the NCCAA
All-American First Team, and selected as the team’s Most
Valuable Player. This year, he has already been named to the
AMC First Team and selected as the First-Knox Cougar
Invitational Most Valuable Defensive Player.
In addition to his accomplishments on the soccer field,
Patterson has also achieved success in the classroom. As a
double major in International Business and Financial
Management, he has posted a 3.37 grade point average and
been named to the MVNU Dean’s List for four semesters. In
addition, he was selected as both an NAIA and NCCAA
Scholar-Athlete as a junior.
Patterson has shown his leadership abilities by serving
as a captain for the Cougars this season. He has been
involved in a number of Christian ministries such as serving
with his teammates in soup kitchens and nursing homes during
his four years at MVNU. He will also be making his fourth
missions trip to Tijuana, Mexico this December with a
Christian humanitarian project building homes.
“Zach is a prototypical defender,” said MVNU coach Paul
Furey. “He has speed, strength, athleticism, the technical
skills and the ability to read the game and react quickly.
He is also a competitor
a fierce competitor. You want him on
your team whether it is soccer, cornhole, or checkers. His
desire to win and be competitive is contagious.”
“What is really special about Zach, though, is seeing the
man he has become and the leadership qualities he now
demonstrates,” Furey continued. “Just as he has developed
into a tremendous player, it has been a thrill to see him
take on the challenge of being a model player for his
teammates and a student-athlete who embodies what our
Christian university and the NCCAA is all about. This is why
Zach is an excellent choice for the Kyle Rote, Jr. Award.”
Patterson and the Cougars will look to continue their
special season on Monday, December 1, in Fresno, Calif.,
when the team will square off with top-ranked Lindsey Wilson
(Ky.) College in the second round of the NAIA National
Championship at 4:30 p.m. PST. MVNU advanced to the 16-team
final site with a 2-0 victory over Lee (Tenn.) University on
Saturday in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round.
