Chapel Hill Review

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Four Tar Heel student-athletes have been named the 2023-24 recipients of the Patterson Medal, the highest athletic honor at the University of North Carolina. The honorees include a national champion women's tennis player, a four-time All-ACC men's golfer, a standout centerfielder in baseball, and the most prolific rebounder in NCAA men's basketball over the past six decades.

The 101st class of Patterson Medal winners features Armando Bacot (men's basketball), Fiona Crawley (women's tennis), Austin Greaser (men's golf), and Vance Honeycutt (baseball).

Patterson Medals are awarded primarily for career athletic achievements. Dr. Joseph Patterson first presented the medal in 1924 to honor his brother, John Durand Patterson. Recipients must have competed for at least three seasons with the Tar Heels and concluded their collegiate eligibility. Sportsmanship and leadership are also considered in selecting awardees.

This year's recipients collectively participated in 17 seasons for the Tar Heels, including five by Bacot and Greaser due to extra eligibility from Covid-19.

Bacot set Carolina records for rebounds (1,715), double-doubles (87), and offensive rebounds (593). He is UNC's second-leading scorer with 2,347 points and one of two Tar Heels to average a career double-double in scoring and rebounding over the last 50 years. Bacot was named Carolina’s Most Valuable Player three times alongside Lennie Rosenbluth, Billy Cunningham, and Tyler Hansbrough.

Head coach Hubert Davis remarked, "I can't think of a better person to win the Patterson Medal than Armando."

Crawley led the Tar Heels to their first NCAA championship in 2023 while earning ACC and National Player-of-the-Year honors from Honda and ITA. She won 141 matches, made All-ACC each season during her tenure, and was a four-time All-America selection.

UNC head coach Brian Kalbas stated, "The Patterson Award winner is an incredible honor... We are all so proud of Fiona."

Greaser represented Team USA in international competitions such as the Walker Cup. He won two NCAA regionals and contributed to 19 team tournament victories. His career stroke average of 71.04 ranks second-lowest among UNC players with over 100 rounds.

Head coach Andrew DiBitetto said, "Austin earned this prestigious award as his impact on our program was significant."

Honeycutt excelled as a five-tool player in college baseball with multiple first-team All-America honors as a junior in 2024. He broke UNC’s single-season home run record twice and holds their career home run record with 65 homers.

"Vance is an extraordinary player," commented head coach Scott Forbes.

Honeycutt became only Power Five conference player ever with at least 60 career home runs and 70 stolen bases.