CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) on Wednesday afternoon announced the six male nominees for its 2024-25 Duane Schroeder Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. Former University of Dubuque track & field student-athlete Otis Patterson was named a nominee for this prestigious award. 

Otis Patterson | University of Dubuque 
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. 
 
Jake Malm, University of Dubuque Head Track & Field Coach: "I know Otis to be a person of high character. Despite all his successes, he has remained humble, soft-spoken, and someone who cares about his team's success just as much as his own. Perhaps this is due to the 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 has used that experience to inspire his teammates."
 

The Duane Schroeder A-R-C Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year nominees are former Central College basketball and track & field student-athlete Kaleb Brand, former Coe College football student-athlete Alex Aitchison, former University of Dubuque track & field student-athlete Otis Patterson, former Luther College soccer and swimming & diving student-athlete Jack Bell, former Nebraska Wesleyan University soccer student-athlete Zach Weis, and former Wartburg College football student-athlete Ben Bryant. 
 
This year's nominees move before the Scholar-Athlete Recommendation Committee, comprised of three Faculty Athletic Representatives and three Athletic Communication Directors. The Scholar-Athlete Recommendation Committee will select a maximum of three finalists. The Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year are selected from among the finalists by a vote of the A-R-C Faculty Athletic Representative. 
 
The finalists will be announced on December 17, 2025. The Scholar-Athletes of the Year will be announced on January 7, 2026.

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.