UC's Zach Patterson Balances and Scores

University of Cincinnati Carl H. Lindner College of Business senior Zach Patterson, as a born and raised Cincinnati native, is proud to be a Bearcat. While juggling classes and sports, this men’s soccer midfielder/defender sports an impressive 3.4 GPA as a finance major.

“The biggest challenge as a student-athlete has been trying to maintain practice times with time for school work. I advise other student-athletes, as well as students in general, to manage their time between school, sports and friends wisely,” states Patterson.

Patterson hit the ground running as a freshman on the soccer team, starring in six matches. In 2010, he started 11 matches and played in 14 as a midfielder/defender. Patterson got his first career assist against Louisville that season. He started in all 11 matches played in the 2011 season but missed some time due to injury. Patterson posted his third career assist against IUPUI and started four Big East matches during that season.

Patterson reflects, “My best athletic moment was, without a doubt, when two years ago, our team went to the Big East Final Four.”

Off the field, Patterson has found his passion in the field of finance. “Making it on the Big East Honor Roll was by far the greatest achievement of my academic career at UC. However, nothing can compare to the valuable experience I’ve had delving deep into my major and learning the different aspects of the business world. My best memory is the realization of finally seeing where I want to go in my life,” Patterson says.

Patterson recently completed a co-op assignment with UC at University Hall. He enjoyed learning firsthand about the different aspects of finance at a university. So much so that if he is unable to pursue soccer professionally, Patterson plans to go on to earn his master’s degree in finance.

As a student at William Mason High School, Patterson led the soccer team to three league championships. He scored 20 career goals, tying the school record and added nine assists. During his sophomore and junior seasons, Patterson earned all-conference honors. His was the first team to be all-conference, all-city and all-state and an NSCAA all-Region IV selection during his senior year. Throughout his younger years, Patterson played with the Ohio Elite Soccer Academy. While there, he was coached by former UC men’s soccer team assistant Jared Micklos.

Patterson adds, “During my time with the Ohio Elite Soccer Academy and William Mason High School, I was always around top quality coaches and players. I was able to feed off of their energy and talents which led me to grow into the best athlete and scholar I can be.”