September 28, 2012

FAYETTEVILLE, NC – Fayetteville State head women’s basketball coach Eva Patterson-Heath was inducted into the North Carolina A&T Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony held on Friday, Sept. 7 in Greensboro.

Patterson-Heath, who is entering her fourth season at the helm of the Lady Broncos program, was a four-year starter for the North Carolina A&T women's basketball program from 1974-77, and was a team co-captain during each of those four seasons. She led the team in scoring during the 1975-76 season and then was the team-leader in rebounding the following season. Patterson-Heath was part of two North Carolina Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women District III championship teams (1975-77), and was presented the Senior Award that culminated all of her accomplishments while at North Carolina A&T.

“It’s a humbling experience to be part of North Carolina A&T immortality,” she said. “It speaks to my time at A&T, which was very special. I loved it, loved the experience and loved the girls that I played with. I am just honored to be a part of the Hall of Fame, and to God be the glory.”

Prior to becoming the head coach at Fayetteville State, Patterson-Heath spent 24 years as the Head Girls’ Basketball Coach at Red Springs High School in Red Springs, NC. She led the Red Devils to a 503-128 record in her 24 seasons. Her teams won 17 conference titles, 11 conference tournament championships, appeared in 23 state playoffs and played in the state championship game twice. Patterson-Heath developed 21 collegiate student-athletes, seven North Carolina East-West All Star players, three Robeson County Players of the Year and one Cape Fear Region Player of the Year.

During her three seasons with the Lady Broncos, Patterson-Heath has compiled a 37-46 overall record and 22-31 mark in the CIAA. She led Fayetteville State to its third CIAA Championship in her first season with the program after posting a 20-10 overall record and 13-7 CIAA record. The Lady Broncos appeared in the NCAA Division II playoffs that season, and became just the third coach in school history to win a CIAA Championship while becoming one of two coaches in Fayetteville State history to win 20 or more games in their first season.

This is the second time that Patterson-Heath has been selected to a Hall of Fame as she was also named to the inaugural class inducted into the Robeson County Sports Hall of Fame and, in 2006, she was chosen as the North Carolina High School Athletic Association's Female Coach of the Year.

Patterson-Heath earned her Bachelor of Science degree in History with a concentration in Education from North Carolina A&T in 1977, and later received her certification from Fayetteville State in Special Education and her Master of Arts degree in Education from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.