June 27, 2017
Joe Patching, who concluded his Auburn swimming career with 16 All-America honors and 51 individual dual meet victories, has been awarded a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
A graduate of the Raymond J. Harbert College of Business, Patching earned his degree in finance and will begin working for Deloitte in March before returning to school to work towards an MBA.
"Auburn University has given me the privilege to learn and grow from so many great leaders and mentors," Patching said. "From the outset of freshman year I was provided the support and encouragement needed to develop into an Auburn Man."
Patching, from Ascot, England, was a Regions Bank Scholarship holder and was a member of the Chi Alpha Athletic Honors Society and the Financial Management Association Honors Society.
"Auburn University provides many opportunities and everyone willing to be proactive and grab them with both hands will inevitably leave the university able to enter the rest of their lives with the skills and experiences needed to positively impact the world," Patching said.
In the pool, Patching left the program as the school record holder in the 200- and 400-yard individual medleys, owning eight of the top 10 200 IM performances and six of the top 10 400 IM performances in school history. He was also a part of the school record-setting 800-yard free relay at the 2017 NCAA Championships, is the third-fastest performer in school history in both the 100- and 200-yard backstrokes and the fourth-fastest performer in the 200-yard freestyle.
"To be nominated for this nationally competitive award shows the degree of opportunities Auburn provides its student-athletes," Patching said. "The Auburn Family is a special community. I hope in the future I can give back a small fraction of what has been given to me. War Eagle!"
A team captain as voted on by his teammates, Patching was also a two-time SEC Community Service Team honoree and Auburn's H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship nominee.
"Joe is the epitome of what a student-athlete should be," Auburn head coach Brett Hawke said. "From the moment he stepped on campus as a freshman to the day he left after a stellar career as a senior, Joe was beloved by his teammates and coaches for his hard work and dedication to both Auburn swimming and Auburn University. I could not be prouder of the individual that Joe has become. He certainly deserves this scholarship."
Established in 1964 to promote and encourage graduate education, the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship selection criteria include academic performance as measured by overall grade point average; having performed with distinction as a member of the varsity team in their respective sport; active involvement in institutional and community service, and; serving as a role model and student leader.