UPLAND, Ind. – Taylor University will honor long-time men’s basketball head coach, Paul Patterson, on Saturday, October 15 as the Odle Arena court will be formally named Paul Patterson Court.

The Paul Patterson Court ceremony will take place at noon on October 15 as part of a busy Homecoming and Family Weekend celebration for Taylor University. In addition to having the court named in his honor, Patterson will be one of four individuals to be inducted into the Taylor Athletics Hall of Fame during halftime of the TU football game at 1:00 pm and his 1990-1991 Final Four men’s basketball team will also be honored.

The court naming ceremony is open to the public and will be streamed live on the Trojan Sports Network at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/taylor/.

“We are thrilled that our basketball floor will forever bear the name of Coach Patterson,” remarked Taylor University athletics director Kyle Gould. “His legacy of success on the court and in the lives of his players is virtually unparalleled in college athletics. We hope that Paul Patterson Court will be a reminder to all who visit of his lasting impact on the lives of his players.”

Those comments were echoed by Butler University head men’s basketball coach and Taylor University alumnus Chris Holtmann, who played for and served on staff with Coach Patterson.

“For the last 25 years, Coach Patterson has had the greatest impact on my life outside of my family,” said Holtmann. “Our relationship began as player-coach, then as a coaching mentor and now to a trusted friend. I was never pushed harder, demanded more of, or understood the beauty of team endeavors more than in my years as a player under Coach Patterson. While the Hall of Fame resume speaks to his excellence as a coach, his profound impact on all of his former players is the true fulfillment of his calling. I, along with so many other former players, celebrate this significant honor for Coach and his wonderful family. Congratulations to Coach Patterson and Taylor University.”

Patterson ended a Hall-of-Fame 34-year career on the bench with Taylor after the 2012-2013 season, retiring with 734 wins and a .662 winning percentage. During his record-setting career from 1979 through 2013, Patterson guided the Trojans to 15 league championships, 14 trips to the NAIA National Tournament, a pair of Sweet 16 appearances and one NAIA Final Four.

Along the way, Patterson’s teams posted 28 winning seasons, won at least 20 games in 23-of-34 campaigns and registered 10-straight years with 25-or-more victories from 1984 through 1994.

As the wins piled up, the accolades rolled in with Patterson netting 12 Coach-of-the Year honors including being touted as the NAIA National Coach of the Year in 1991. Patterson also earned a spot in the Hall of Fames for the NAIA, Taylor University, Hanover College, Indiana Basketball, Grant County and Hammond Sports.

At the close of his career, Patterson ranked second in wins among all active NAIA Division II men’s basketball head coaches, 11th among all men’s basketball collegiate coaches on any level and tops among all collegiate men’s basketball coaches in the state of Indiana.

Patterson coached 24 individuals to NAIA All-American honors and saw each student-athlete who played four seasons for him at TU go on to earn a collegiate degree.

Patterson and his wife, Phyllis, have two children, a son, Shannon, and a daughter, Michelle (Chris) Bombei, and two granddaughters.

To signify the court’s new name, the playing surface will feature a new Paul Patterson Court logo on each half, with the signature of the Hall-of-Fame coach prominently displayed.

The Taylor University men’s basketball team will take Paul Patterson Court in Don Odle Arena for the first time when it opens its 2016-2017 season against Great Lakes Christian for a 7:00 pm tip on Friday, October 28.