DELAWARE – Senior Christian Patterson (Cincinnati, OH/Norwood) was the only jumper to clear 6-11.50 and claimed the 2014 NCAA Division III Outdoor High Jump National Championship during the 2014 Championships held at Ohio Wesleyan University. He defeated two of the last three National Champions in the high jump to claim the title.
"Words can't explain how I feel to win this national championship," said Patterson. "I think back to four years ago to the day (competing as a freshman at the outdoor championships) and it's an amazing feeling. I couldn't ask for a better opportunity."
It capped a whirlwind couple of months for the senior. As a member of the Wilmington men's basketball team, Patterson participated in the NCAA Division III tournament. A week later, he earned indoor All-American. A couple of week ago Patterson graduated, and now he is a National Champion.
He returned to the same stadium in which he experienced his first taste of the outdoor national meet four years ago, and shook off a shaky start for the win. Patterson finishes his stellar track career as an outdoor National Champion, three-time outdoor All-American and an indoor All-American.
"He has been really inconsistent in the last couple of competitions," said Wilmington head coach Ron Combs. "I just think he had a lot of things happen in the last couple of weeks with graduation and other distractions. But, you have to give the kid credit. It looked like he was going to go out early and he just persevered. He has the experience of being here before and it helped. One of the things we have been working on the last couple of years is his mental approach. Early in his career, he would let misses bother him."
After passing on the first distance and clearing the second distance on his first attempt, Patterson missed the first two attempts at 2.0 meters. Undeterred, he cleared the height easily on his third attempt, and then cleared 2.03 meters on his first attempt.
With four heights cleared, 14 of 20 jumpers still remained. Patterson cleared 2.06 meters on his second jump and clinched at least All-American honors by clearing 2.09 meters on his third chance. That left just four jumpers remaining, and they all missed on their first opportunities.
Patterson, jumping first of the foursome, cleared 2.12 on his second attempt and just had to wait. But, inside he was hoping one would make the height.
"I always want someone to make it to keep challenging me," said Patterson. "I just don't want them to do better than me."
But, no one was able to clear 2.12 meters, and Patterson was the high jump champion.
It is Wilmington's first male track national champion and just the second male national champion in school history – joining wrestler Jimmy Wallace. Patterson is the sixth track champion, including three in the high jump.
"It's nice to get that monkey off our back," Combs said of the men's national track championship.