Minnesota-Morris
Baseball, Football and Wrestling
1968-1972
Doug Patnode, a graduate of Milaca High School, made the move to continue his astonishing athletic career at the University of Minnesota-Morris in 1968. A four-year letter winner in both football and baseball, he also found time to compete admirably in UMM wrestling. As a freshman running back, Patnode amazed all onlookers by breaking the UMM rushing record while earning UMM freshman of the year. He finished his sophomore football season with a bang, setting the Minnesota-Morris single game and season rushing records while earning All-NIC Honorable Mention honors. During his senior campaign (1971) he was named team captain while earning team MVP honors as well. He currently holds the school career records for rushing yards, touchdowns and points scored. Patnode was a four-year starting runningback and missed only one game in four seasons. As a second baseman for the Cougars, Patnode earned All-NIC Honorable Mention honors his junior year and held the role of team captain his senior year while being named All-NIC. In 1970, he played for UMM’s first-ever NIC baseball and football championship teams. Patnode also contributed his talents to the UMM wrestling program competing his freshman year and the first half of his junior year as injuries prevented him from grappling on a full-time basis. After completing his B.A. in Physical Education with a minor in English in 1972, he received his M.A. from the University of Saint Thomas (Minn.) in 1985. Patnode then moved to Princeton, Minn. where he taught English for 16 years, physical education for 14 years and was the activities director during six of those years (all but one at Princeton H.S.). He is currently the head coach of the Princeton H.S. football team and is entering his 29th season of coaching on the gridiron. He has also coached baseball, softball, tennis, track & field and wrestling during his professional coaching tenure. Many of these seasons he has served as a volunteer coach for community education and traveling youth teams, as well as, amateur baseball including ten years as a team manager. Patnode and his wife, UMM graduate Mary (Heinz), are in their 29th year of marriage and reside in Princeton. They have four children: Dan- 22, Mark-18, Mike-16 and Lisa-15.