CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced today that former University of Dubuque track & field student-athlete Otis Patterson has been named the A-R-C Duane Schroeder Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the 2024-25 academic year, in the 25th year of the award. The award, the highest individual honor from the conference, goes to an alumnus from the previous academic year. 
 
Patterson is a four-time All-American and seven-time NCAA qualifier. He earned seven A-R-C titles and 12 total all-conference honors. He was named the 2025 Indoor Track Athlete of the Year as well as the 2025 Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year. 
 
In the classroom, Patterson held a 4.00 cumulative grade point average during his undergraduate studies in communications. He now holds a 3.92 GPA during his master’s studies in management - sport management. He is a three-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-American honoree and a four-time American Rivers All-Academic honoree. He is a UD Wendt Character Scholar-Athlete of the Year and has earned the Spartan Academic Achievement Award. 
 
In leadership and community service roles, Patterson has served as a food pantry volunteer and took part in the UD Spartans Make a Difference Day. He has been a back to school drive worker and a high school heritage tour guide. Patterson has been a role model for young men through the YMCA Dubuque and has attended numerous community diversity and inclusion meetings. 
 
“Otis’s story is one of perseverance, humility, and purpose," said Marie Stroman, A-R-C Commissioner. "He embodies what it means to use the student-athlete experience as a platform for growth—lifting both himself and those around him through effort, integrity, and compassion. His legacy at the University of Dubuque reflects the best of what Division III athletics strives to nurture.”
 
Patterson is the first Spartan to earn Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year since 2020-21 when Zach Naatz earned the honor. Patterson is the fourth Spartan to earn this distinction. 
 
What They Say About Otis Patterson
Jake Malm, University of Dubuque Head Track & Field Coach: “I know Otis to be a person of high character. Despite all of his successes, he has remained humble, soft-spoken, and someone who cares about his team success just as much as his own. Perhaps this is due to teh fact that he has worked himself into the student-athlete he is today and nothing was gifted to him. He has seen the results of his work ethic and perseverance and he’s used that experience to inspire his teammates.”
 
Franklin Nii Amankwah Yartey, Ph.D., Professor of Communication: “Otis has a warm personality and quickly establishes rapport with others. This was evident during class interactions with his peers. He also effectively balances schoolwork, life, student-athlete activities, and extracurricular activities. I believe these qualities reflect well on his character as a young scholar. At the University of Dubuque, we encourage students to reach beyond their immediate communities. Due to Mr. Patterson’s high achievements both inside and outside the classroom, he was inducted into the Alpha Chi honor society, which recognizes excellence in scholarship and character. He was also a Wendt Scholar in the University of Dubuque’s Wendt Scholars program. This program selects exceptional students who ‘commit to personal and academic growth by actively pursuing learning, developing as leaders, exploring their vocation, and making choices that reflect their character and values’.”
 
Otis Patterson: “One of the most significant changes in me at UD is my confidence. That confidence empowered me to take on greater leadership roles as a Wendt Scholar and my track team. As a Wendt Scholar, I was able to give back by volunteering throughout the community and spreading the importance to the Dubuque community. The three words we showcased as a Wendt Scholar were compassion, integrity, and justice. As a team leader, I emphasized for everyone to follow the principles of ‘be yourself’ and ‘have fun and compete’. I believe it is crucial to understand the reason people participate in athletics initially is to have enjoyment and that is often lacking in society.”
 
Finalists for the 2024-25 Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year were Alex Aitchison of Coe and Zach Weis of Nebraska Wesleyan. 
 
The Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year is selected among the finalists by a vote of the A-R-C Faculty Athletic Representatives (FAR). 
 
About the Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards
The American Rivers Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards were first presented in December 2001 for the 2000-01 academic year. To be eligible for nomination, a student-athlete shall have graduated or exhausted their athletic eligibility during the academic year for which the award is given. The nominee must have demonstrated a high level of accomplishment and achievement in a varsity sport, have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale), and show evidence of scholarly achievements, community service involvement and leadership. Both awards were named originally for former Wartburg College and Conference sports information director Duane Schroeder in May 2002. The women’s award was renamed in 2013 for former Luther College student-athlete Johanna Olson - the inaugural winner of the women’s award - who lost a courageous battle with cancer in January 2013.
 
About Duane Schroeder 
The American Rivers Conference Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award is named in honor of the late Duane Schroeder, former sports information director (SID) at Wartburg College. Schroeder served as Wartburg’s SID for 43 years until his retirement in 2000. Upon his retirement from his sports information duties, he was named SID Emeritus and served as Wartburg’s News Director until 2001. During much of his four decades at Wartburg, Schroeder served as the Conference’s information director and secretary/treasurer.