Kyle Patnode

Kyle Patnode was officially hired as assistant coach on Jeff Poppell’s new staff at South Carolina on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.

Patnode most recently served as a volunteer assistant coach at The Ohio State University. In 2020-21, he was instrumental in helping the Ohio State women win the Big Ten title with the highest point total ever recorded in conference history. Ohio State went on to finish seventh at the 2021 Women’s NCAA Championships, which was their highest NCAA finish in school history. The following week, the Buckeye men also placed 7th at the 2021 Men’s NCAA Championships, which marked the team’s highest finish at the national meet since 1965. Ohio State was one of just six schools at the 2021 NCAA Championships whose men and women’s teams both placed in the top-10.

Prior to 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 working alongside head coach Peter Hovland, he helped the women’s team win its 25th and 26th consecutive conference championships while the men’s team won their 41st and 42nd consecutive conference titles.

Patnode also brings extensive strength and conditioning experience to his new role at South Carolina after serving as a volunteer assistant with the strength and conditioning staffs at both the University of Iowa as an undergraduate and during his stint 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. While at Ohio State, Patnode continued to capitalize on his strength and conditioning background by leading the Buckeyes’ dynamic warm-ups, stretching, and explosive activation drills pre and post competition.

“Kyle brings an energy and passion to our program at South Carolina that I think the athletes will enjoy,” said Poppell. “His recent experience at Ohio State with the Big Ten champion women’s team and Big Ten runner-up men’s team, will be invaluable as we seek to change the culture of our program into one centered on doing the necessary things to be great. In addition, Kyle’s strength and conditioning background will prove to be a valuable asset that I feel we can capitalize on to help our athletes take the next step in their individual development.”

Patnode earned a bachelor of arts in health and human physiology (exercise science emphasis) with a minor in human relations from the University of Iowa where he was a four-year member of the Hawkeye men’s swimming team (2013-17) and served as team captain his final year. He received a master of arts in liberal studies from Oakland University in 2020.

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