NIU head coach Lindsay Chouinard added one of DePaul[apos]s most decorated student-athletes, when she hired Amber Patton to the Northern Illinois coaching staff in 2009.
A two-time Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American, Patton completed her senior season with the Blue Demons in 2009 with a school-record .497 batting average which topped the BIG EAST Conference and was second in the nation. A four-year letterwinner at third base, she holds DePaul[apos]s career records in assists (556) and sacrifice hits (58) and the single-season marks in hits (87), batting average, games started (69), games played (69) and at bats (216). Patton earned all-BIG EAST honors all four years, as a first team selection in 2008 and 2009 after being named to the second team in 2006 and 2007.
In addition to her collegiate career, Patton has competed on the professional and international levels. The native of Forsyth, Ill. played for the Chicago Bandits this past summer and competed for USA Softball in the Japan Cup, becoming the only DePaul softball player to compete for USA Softball. The Amateur Softball Association named Patton an alternate to the 2010 USA Softball Women[apos]s National Team in January 2010.
Patton also excelled in the classroom. She was a Lowe[apos]s Senior Class first team All-American, a second team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American, a two-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection and was named to DePaul[apos]s Dean[apos]s List and to the Athletic Director[apos]s Honor Roll in all eligible quarters. She graduated from DePaul in November 2009 with a bachelor[apos]s degree in marketing with a concentration in sales.
