Retiring Hope College coach John Patnott is humbled that he will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America next week at the organization’s annual awards banquet.
The 58th annual CSCAA event will be held Monday, May 7 at the Hilton Orrington in
Evanston, Illinois. Patnott will be recognized along with retiring Wheaton (Illinois)
College head coach Jon Lederhouse.
“It’s really an honor to be recognized. There are many deserving coaches out there,”
Patnott said. “This is totally unexpected. I never look for awards like this, so when
they come, it’s a bit of a surprise.”
Patnott announced last month that he will retire from coaching and teaching after
the 2018-19 school year.
He founded Hope’s swimming & diving program in 1978 and, during his tenure, he has
coached 30 national champions, 118 All-Americans, 41 Academic All-Americans, 19 women's
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association team champions, and 12 men's MIAA team
champions. He was named NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year three times by
the CSCAA: 1998 and 1994 for the women, and 1991 for the men.
Dr. Kirk Brumels, chairperson of Hope’s Department of Kinesiology, said this is an
amazing award which appropriately recognizes the work of someone we know as an outstanding
professor, swim coach, mentor, colleague and friend of many.
“Hope and Hope College Athletics has been fortunate that we have been and continue
to be the main recipients of JP’s lifetime of achievement,” Brumels said. “It has
truly been an honor for many of us to learn from and work with JP. A true legend!”
Wheaton’s Lederhouse, who retired after the 2016-17 season, told CSCAA that Patnott
exemplifies the qualities that distinguish Hope College: academic excellence and a
deep Christian faith joined together to strengthen each other in a supportive and
welcoming community.
“I can speak personally to that effect for when my youngest daughter was diagnosed
with cancer, John had his Hope teams send her cards and pray for her during that entire
swim season,” Lederhouse said. “I am humbled to be included in the same award tribute.”