Prossner And Schmidt Win Patterson Medal For 2005
October 20, 2005 | Men's Lacrosse
Oct. 20, 2005
CHAPEL HILL -- Jed Prossner, a two-time All-America lacrosse attackman, and Alice Schmidt, one of the premier middle distance runners in Atlantic Coast Conference history, are the 2005 recipients of the Patterson Medal, awarded annually to the University of North Carolina's most outstanding male and female senior student-athletes.
Prossner, the son of David and Candace Prossner of Easton, Md., is the first lacrosse player in Carolina history to receive the Patterson Medal. He earned first-team All-America honors by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association in 2004 and 2005, making him the third Tar Heel attackman to earn two first-team selections. He was a three-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection. He is just the third Tar Heel to win three All-ACC honors and the first to do so since 1983.
"We knew we had a great one when we recruited Jed," says Carolina head coach John Haus, himself a first-team All-America in 1982. "He established himself as one of the greatest players to ever play at our university and one of the better attackmen to ever compete nationally. The coaches across the nation showed their respect with back-to-back first team All-America honors. Jed worked hard and contributed to our program not only athletically, but also as a good student and in his leadership of the program.
"The Carolina lacrosse family is quite proud to have Jed Prossner be the first UNC lacrosse player to ever win the Patterson Medal," says Haus. Prossner, a finalist for National Player of the Year honors in 2004, is second all-time in goals at UNC with 113. He is seventh in school history with 172 points (113 goals and 59 assists) and was Carolina's Most Valuable Player in 2004 and 2005.
"Jed's scoring totals are even more impressive when you consider he was constantly the focus of the opposition's defense, facing double- and triple-teams his junior and senior seasons," says Haus.
Prossner was the second overall pick in the first round of the 2005 Major Lacrosse League Draft by the Philadelphia Barrage.
Schmidt, the daughter of David and Lois Schmidt of Omaha, Neb., is one of the most decorated Tar Heels to ever compete in track and field. She won three NCAA championships and eight ACC titles and was an 11-time All-America. Schmidt led the Tar Heels to eight ACC team championships (four outdoor, three indoor and one cross country) and NCAA Top 10 finishes on eight occasions (two outdoor, three indoor and three cross country).
"Alice is a true student-athlete and an outstanding leader," says head track and field and cross country coach Dennis Craddock. "Winning three NCAA championships and helping our teams win numerous ACC titles is truly amazing. She competed in 12 sport seasons over her career while at the same time doing outstanding academic work. That warrants recognition at the highest level and Alice is most deserving of this award."
The ACC record-holder in the outdoor 800 meters (2:01.16), Schmidt won the NCAA championship in that event in 2002 and 2003 and was third in 2004. She concluded her career at Carolina in the fall of 2004 as a member of the cross country squad that placed 10th at nationals.
In addition to NCAA titles as an individual in the 800, Schmidt ran on the NCAA champion distance medley relay in 2003. The Tar Heels were second in the DMR in 2001 and 2002 (setting the American record in 2002), and won the title in 2003 with Schmidt, Erin Donohue, Anissa Gainey and Shalane Flanagan.
Schmidt was a five-time ACC champion in the 800 meters (three indoors and twice outdoors) and twice earned All-ACC honors in cross country.
Schmidt also earned Academic All-America honors in 2004 and was a member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll four times. She is the third women's track athlete to win the Patterson Medal and the second in as many years. Sharon Couch won in 1991 and Shalane Flanagan was co-winner in 2004.
Schmidt, who still trains with UNC distance coach Michael Whittlesey, currently resides in California.
The Patterson Medal is based primarily on athletic accomplishment, although sportsmanship and leadership are also considered. A committee of athletics, faculty and student representatives selects the winners, who are nominated by their respective head coaches. The award was first given in 1924 by Dr. Joseph Patterson in memory of his brother, John Durand Patterson. The Patterson family of Chapel Hill continues to present the award.
Patterson Medal Winners
1924-- Monk McDonald (football, basketball, baseball)
1925-- M.D. Bonner (football)
1926-- Jack Cobb (basketball)
1927-- Ad Warren (football, boxing, wrestling)
1928-- Galen Elliott (track)
1929-- Henry Satterfield (basketball)
1930-- Ray Farris, Sr. (football, boxing, baseball)
1931-- Henry House (football, baseball)
1932-- Staton McIver (football)
1933-- Stuart Chandler (football)
1934-- Virgil Weathers (basketball)
1935-- Harry Williamson (track)
1936-- Harry Montgomery (football)
1937-- R.D. Buck (football)
1938-- Andy Bershak (football, basketball)
1939-- George Nethercutt (baseball)
1940-- George Stirnweiss (football, baseball)
1941-- Paul Severin (football, basketball)
1942-- Bobby Gersten (basketball, baseball)
1943-- Carlyle Thomas Mangum (track)
1944-- Denny Hammond (swimming)
1945-- E.B. Schulz (track)
1946-- Jim Jordan (basketball)
1947-- Walt Pupa (football)
1948-- Jim Camp (football)
1949-- Vic Sexias (tennis)
1950-- Charlie Justice (football)
1951-- Jimmy Thomas (swimming)
1952-- Cecil Milton (swimming)
1953-- Chalmers Port (baseball, football)
1954-- Miles Gregory (football, wrestling)
1955-- Albert Long Jr. (track, football, basketball, baseball)
1956-- Jerry Vayda (basketball)
1957-- Lennie Rosenbluth (basketball)
1958-- Buddy Payne (football)
1959-- Dave Scurlock (track)
1960-- Jack Cummings (football)
1961-- Rip Hawkins (football)
1962-- Ray Farris Jr. (football)
1963-- Joe Craver (football)
1964-- Bill Haywood (baseball, soccer)
1965-- Harrison Merrill (swimming)
1966-- John Shaw (baseball)
1967-- Danny Talbott (football, baseball)
1968-- Larry Miller (basketball)
1969-- Bill Bunting (basketball)
1970-- Charlie Scott (basketball)
1971-- Don McCauley (football)
1972-- Dennis Wuycik (basketball)
1973-- George Karl (basketball)
1974-- Tony Waldrop (track)
1975-- Charles Waddell (football, track, basketball)
1976-- Mitch Kupchak (basketball)
1977-- Walter Davis (basketball)
1978-- Phil Ford (basketball)
1979-- Greg Norris (baseball)
1980-- Bonny Brown (women's swimming)
1981-- Lawrence Taylor (football) and Al Wood (basketball)
1982-- C.D. Mock (wrestling)
1983-- David Drechsler (football)
1984-- Sue Walsh (women's swimming)
1985-- Ethan Horton (football)
1986-- Brad Daugherty (basketball)
1987-- Kenny Smith (basketball)
1988-- Rob Koll (wrestling)
1989-- Jeff Lebo (basketball)
1990-- Shannon Higgins (women's soccer)
1991-- Sharon Couch (women's track and field)
1992-- Dwight Hollier (football)
1993-- Kristine Lilly (women's soccer)
1994-- Mia Hamm (women's soccer)
1995-- Tisha Venturini (women's soccer)
1996-- Marcus Jones (football)
1997-- Debbie Keller (women' soccer)
1998-- Cindy Werley (field hockey) and Antawn Jamison (men's basketball)
1999-- Cindy Parlow (women's soccer) and Ebenezer Ekuban (football)
2000-- Lorrie Fair (women's soccer) and Tripp Phillips (men's tennis)
2001-- Meredith Florance (women's soccer) and Brendan Haywood (men's basketball)
2002-- Katie Hathaway (women's swimming) and Danny Jackson (men's soccer)
2003--Laura Greene (volleyball) and Matt Crawford (men's soccer)
2004--Shalane Flanagan (women's track and field and cross country), Catherine
Reddick (women's soccer) and Nicholas Monroe (men's tennis)
2005--Alice Schmidt (women's track and field and cross country) and Jed Prossner (men's lacrosse)
