Champaign, ILL.– Illinois head swimming and diving coach Jeana Kempe has announced the hiring of Kyle Patnode as assistant coach. An Illinois native and Big Ten alum, Patnode returns to the Midwest after spending last season alongside Kempe on the coaching staff at South Carolina.
"I am thrilled that Kyle is joining the Fighting Illini program and returning home," Kempe said. "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. 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 was a volunteer assistant coach at Ohio State in 2020-21, helping the Buckeye women win the Big Ten title with 1,584 points, the most in conference history. Ohio State went on to place seventh at the NCAA Championships, OSU's highest finish in women's program history. The following week, the Buckeye men also placed seventh at the NCAA Championships, marking the team's highest finish at the national meet since 1965.
Prior to his stint at Ohio State, Patnode spent two years as a graduate assistant at Oakland University where he oversaw the team's sprint and middle-distance events. While at Oakland he helped the women's team win its 25th and 26th consecutive conference championships and the men's team win its 41st and 42nd consecutive conference titles.
Patnode also brings extensive strength and conditioning experience to Champaign. He assisted in training the women's team at South Carolina and served as a volunteer assistant at both Iowa as an undergraduate and Ohio State. While at Iowa, he implemented strength and conditioning programs for six varsity teams including swimming. With the Buckeyes, he helped execute strength and conditioning programs for 27 different men's and women's varsity teams including swimming and diving.
Patnode was a four-year member of the Iowa swimming team from 2013-17, serving as team captain as a senior. He also received the Jim Marshall Award in 2017, presented annually to a male senior who contributes to the Hawkeyes to the best of his athletic ability.
Patnode is from Oak Park, Illinois. He swam at Oak Park-River Forest High School, earning All-State honors as a senior after finishing fourth in the 100-yard back and ninth in the 100-yard butterfly at the 2013 IHSA meet.
Patnode earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa in health and human physiology (exercise science emphasis) with a minor in human relations.
