Heidelbauer, Patterson crowned SC ESPY Athletes of the Year
INDIANOLA, Iowa – With championships, school records, and national honors across the board, Ulysses Patterson and Megan Heidelbauer showcased the very best of Storm Athletics in 2024-25, earning this year's SC ESPY Athlete of the Year recognition.
Heidelbauer powered Simpson softball to new heights with record-shattering offensive numbers, while Patterson closed his decorated career as one of the most accomplished multi-event athletes in program history.
Ulysses Patterson, men's track and field
Patterson added two more All-American honors to his resume in 2024-25, earning First Team recognition in the indoor heptathlon and Second Team in the outdoor decathlon, bringing his career total to four All-American distinctions. He placed eighth nationally in the heptathlon and 14th in the decathlon.
He dominated the conference all year long, sweeping the A-R-C titles in both the heptathlon and decathlon and becoming just the second Simpson athlete to win both indoor and outdoor MVP awards in the same year. Patterson also secured all-region accolades in each event and was named the USTFCCCA Midwest Field Athlete of the Year for the indoor season after shattering the school and conference heptathlon record with 5,021 points at the A-R-C Championships.
Megan Heidelbauer, softball
Heidelbauer's 2024-25 campaign was one for the ages. She earned NFCA Second Team All-American honors and claimed the NFCA Gold Glove award at first base, recognizing her defensive prowess. Offensively, she was equally impressive, receiving first team all-region accolades and the prestigious A-R-C Position Player of the Year award, alongside first team all-conference recognition.
Heidelbauer set new single-season program records for hits (71), RBIs (68), and total bases (142), showcasing her offensive dominance. On a national scale, she ranked in the top five in RBIs, total bases, and slugging percentage. She also finished in the top 15 across multiple other offensive categories, including batting average, hits, home runs per game, on-base percentage, and runs scored.
Her stellar performance was instrumental in guiding the Storm to an American Rivers Conference regular season championship and a return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016.
2024-25 SC ESPYS
J Jensen III - Male Record-Breaking Performer of the Year
Haley Rasmussen - Female Record-Breaking Performer of the Year
Noah Cracraft - Male Newcomer of the Year
Paige Gershmel - Female Newcomer of the Year
Women's Wrestling - Coaching Staff of the Year
Softball - Team of the Year
Ulysses Patterson - Male Athlete of the Year
Megan Heidelbauer - Female Athlete of the Year
