Three of UNC’s top athletes from this past year were recognized Tuesday for their outstanding achievements, as they were awarded the Patterson Medals–the school’s most prestigious athletic honor.
Based primarily on career accomplishments, this year’s winners were: Justin Jackson (men’s basketball), Hayley Carter (women’s tennis) and Ryan Switzer (football).
Jackson was named ACC Player of the Year this past season, on the way to leading the Tar Heels to the 2017 NCAA Championship.
The wiry forward–now with the NBA’s Sacramento Kings–helped UNC win 92 games during his three years on campus, including a 13-2 record in the NCAA Tournament.
“We are very proud of Justin for winning the Patterson Medal,” head coach Roy Williams said, in a statement released by the university. “Not only because of the exceptional basketball career he had as a Tar Heel, but also the hard work and success he had as a student and the type of young man that he is.”
Carter, meanwhile, became the ACC’s all-time leader in women’s tennis singles victories with 168–and took home the conference Player of the Year award for a second straight season.
She finished ranked among the top three players in the entire country in three of her four years at UNC.
“Hayley is arguably the most accomplished player in UNC women’s tennis history and to be recognized as the one of the best athletes at Carolina is remarkable,” Carter’s head coach Brian Kalbas said.
On the football field, Switzer shattered a number of school records as both a wide receiver and a punt returner. He holds the all-time UNC marks for receptions (244), receiving yards (2,907), punt return yards (1,082) and punt return touchdowns (seven).
The West Virginia native also became just the fifth Tar Heel to earn First Team All-ACC honors three times–which helped him become a fourth-round draft choice of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys this past spring.
“This is a tremendous honor for Ryan,” head football coach Larry Fedora said of Switzer’s Patterson Medal.
The Patterson family will present the medals to each of the three athletes during ceremonies during the 2017-18 school year.
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