DALLAS, Texas – Hardin-Simmons'
Charlie Patterson has been named the American Southwest Conference co-Male Athlete of the Year, marking him the first HSU player to earn that award.
The ASC Athlete of the Year award recognizes a male and a female student-athlete whose athletic accomplishments best contributed to their sport, their institution's overall athletic program and to the conference during the past athletic year and is presented for the 25th time in 2024-25. The selection is made from campus nominees with the recipients chosen by vote of the conference sports information directors.
Patterson, a linebacker from Auburn, Illinois, had one of the top seasons in the history of the league. He was the ASC defensive player of the year and was named a first-team All-American by D3football.com, the Associated Press, Walter Camp and the American Football Coaches Association.
Patterson led the ASC in sacks with eight and finished the season with 14 tackles for loss and 80 total tackles.
He was a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award, given to the top small college defensive player in the nation, was the Region 3 defensive player of the year by D3football.com, and a Gagliardi semifinalist. Patterson was also named to the Hampshire Honor Society for a career GPA above 3.2.
He helped the Cowboys to their second straight ASC title after going 6-0 in conference action. Hardin-Simmons went into the NCAA playoffs as the No. 2 overall national seed with a 10-0 regular season record. Patterson graduated this year with a nursing degree with honors.
Remarkably, he is the first HSU male athlete of the year honoree in the history of the league. He joins six HSU female athletes to win the league's top honor. HSU has won 93 American Southwest Conference titles, more than any other school.
He shared the award with LeTourneau baseball player Dane Jones, who is the all-time home run leader in the ASC with 62 career home runs. Softball player Tristen Maddox of East Texas Baptist won the women's award for the third straight year.
--- www.hsuathletics.com ---
