Athletics Hall of Fame – October 2, 2005
Miss Paterson Hernandez, a 1999 graduate of Coker University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education, finished her collegiate career as the greatest pitcher in Coker history. She owns every Coker pitching record, 17 total, and also holds the single-season batting record for most base-on-balls.
Nationally, Hernandez owns the career NCAA record (All-Divisions) for strikeouts per seven innings with 12.5, is second all-time in Division II in strikeouts (1,474), third in winning percentage (.882), fifth in shutouts (65), and seventh in earned run average (.052). Her 26-0 record and 14.2 strikeouts per game as a freshman are both NCAA single-season marks, and her ERA of 0.13 that season is third best all-time. Three times Hernandez was named Carolinas-Virginia Athletic s Conference Female Athlete of the Year, and she was named the CVAC Softball player of the year, and tournament MVP during all four years at Coker. She was a Dean’s List student at Coker and earned CVAC Presidential Honor Roll recognition as well.
Hernandez played professionally for one year in Italy before earning her Masters degree in Sports Administration from Florida State.