Kyle Patnode Added to Illinois Coaching Staff as Assistant

Illinois has announced the addition of Kyle Patnode as an assistant coach. Patnode recently spent the last year at South Carolina, which is where new head coach Jeana Kempe spent her time most recently as well. Kempe was announced as the head coach for Illinois at the end of April.

“I am thrilled that Kyle is joining the Fighting Illini program and returning home. He has great relationships in this state and knows what it takes to be successful in the Big Ten, having competed four years at Iowa and worked at Ohio State. He is the complete package, with technical knowledge of swimming alongside strength and conditioning expertise as well,” Kempe said. “But the thing that impressed me the most about Kyle during our time together at South Carolina was his passion. He has an energy on the deck that is contagious and will be amazing for our team. I can’t wait for him to get started and see those bonds form and the impact he will have on our athletes.

Patnode spent his collegiate career from 2013-2017 at the University of Iowa. There he was a team captain in his senior season. In his senior season, he also was awarded with the Jim Marshall Award which is presented to the male senior who contributes to the Hawkeyes to the best of his athletic ability.

He then spent two years as a graduate assistant at Oakland University where he earned a master’s in liberal studies.  He then became a volunteer assistant for Ohio State in 2020-2021. He spent the last year at South Carolina where he was an assistant coach.

Patnode will be traveling closer to where he grew up as he is originally from Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and about two and a half hours from Illinois-Champaign. So far, the coaching staff for the Fighting Illini is in-state as head coach Kempe also is an Illinois native.

The Fighting Illini finished 11th out of 12 teams at the 2022 Women’s Big Ten Championships (there is no men’s team at Illinois). Out of the 37 individual points scored, almost all will be returning as the only individual points scorer that will graduate is diver Taylor Shegos. Shegos scored nine points.