User:PPaterson

Patrick Paterson (c. 1989-2008) was a scholastic Academic Decathlete from Park City, Utah who competed in the 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08 seasons. Paterson has been to Nationals, winning a Division III National Championship in San Antonio, and missing the same title by 23.3 points the next year in Honolulu, and taking second again in 2008 in Garden Grove. He is one of very few decathletes on record ever to have won three consecutive National overall medals (Silver 2006, Gold 2007, Gold 2008). In 2008, he was the highest scoring Scholastic in the country, with 8956 points at the national competition. This made him the first top scorer in a division ever to have come from a D III school, and the highest scoring Division III Scholastic of all time.

Paterson is the current all-time record holder for overall score in the state of Utah, with 8785 points from the 2008 state finals. He was named the top scholastic in the state for all three years in which he competed. Additionally, he was the highest overall scorer in the state in 2007 and 2008. On both occassions, he recieved subject medals in all 10 events.

He was also one of twelve Americans to represent the US in the first-ever World Scholar's Cup, where he and his team, the 2007 Western States All-Stars, recieved second place overall, won the debate showcase, and lost a lot of chess games to Frank Li.