LANCASTER, Pa. — West Liberty University junior running back Hunter Patterson has added another prestigious national honor to his standout 2025 season, earning selection to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Team as a Squad Offense honoree.
The D2Football.com Elite 100 Team is selected by the site's staff with input from numerous NCAA Division II head coaches and professional football scout Josh Buchanan. The annual honor recognizes first- and second-team performers on offense, defense and special teams, along with 25 "Squad" selections on each side of the ball — the equivalent of honorable mention recognition among the nation's top Division II players.
Patterson, a Chester, W.Va. native, was one of the Elite 100 Squad selections at running back after delivering one of the most explosive offensive seasons in West Liberty football history.
The national recognition adds to an already impressive list of accolades for Patterson, who was previously named to the Don Hansen Division II All-America Team (Honorable Mention) and earned Division II Commissioners' Association (CCA) All-Super Region I Second Team honors earlier this postseason. He was also recognized as the Mountain East Conference Offensive Player of the Year and a First-Team All-MEC selection following the regular season.
During the 2025 campaign, Patterson led the Mountain East Conference in scoring (120 points, 12.0 per game), rushing touchdowns (17) and total touchdowns (20), while ranking second in the league in rushing yards (1,219) and rushing yards per game (121.9). His consistent production anchored one of the most dynamic offenses in Division II.
Patterson capped his season with a record-tying performance in West Liberty's victory over Wheeling, matching single-game program records with five rushing touchdowns and six total touchdowns, further highlighting his big-play ability and finishing instincts.
His season-long production placed him prominently throughout the West Liberty record book. Patterson's 17 rushing touchdowns rank third-most in a single season in program history, while his 1,219 rushing yards stand as the fifth-highest single-season total at WLU. He also continued his climb up the career charts, finishing the year fourth all-time in career rushing touchdowns and fifth all-time in total touchdowns as a Hilltopper.
