Patterson was a two-year team captain at Philadelphia High School for Girls coached by James Ellis and Jane Maunus. In her first year competing for WVU, she finished first in the 1,000-yard freestyle against Duquesne, Maryland-Baltimore County, Maryland and St Bonaventure, Fairmont State, Virginia Tech, and LaSalle and Maryland. She also finished first in the 200-yard free at Pitt, Fairmont State, West Virginia Wesleyan, Duquesne, Allegheny, Maryland-Baltimore County, and Maryland and LaSalle. Patterson finished first in the 500 free against Maryland and St Bonaventure, second at the Eastern Championships, and third at the Atlantic 10 Championships.

Her sophomore year (1994-95), Patterson  was named women's team MVP, earned honorable mention CSCAA all academic honors, established new marks for WVU and the Natatorium in the 1,000 free, broke her own school record in the 500 free, set a record in the 200 and 1650 free, won 25 consecutive events spanning nine meets, qualified provisionally for the NCAA championship meet in the 500 and 1650 free, finished first in the 200, 500 and 1000 free against West Virginia Wesleyan, Maryland-Baltimore Co., Rutgers, St Bonaventure, Virginia Tech, Pitt and LaSalle, finished first in the 200 and 500 free at the Rutgers Invitational, took first in the 100, 200 and 500 free at the Buffalo Invitational, runner up against George Washington in both the 100 free and 500 free, and placed third at the Atlantic 10 championship in the 200, 500 and 1650 free. As a junior she (1995-96) placed first in the 200 free against Pitt, Maryland and St Bonaventure, first in the 500 free against Virginia Tech, second in the 200 free and 1650 free at the Rutgers Invitational, first in the 200 500 and 1000 against Pitt, Maryland and St Bonaventure, second in the 200, 500 and 1650 at the Clemson Invitational, first in the 500 and second in the 1650 and 200 free at the Big East championships, which qualified her provisionally for the NCAA Championships, and set school records with her times in the 200,500 and 1000 free. Entering her senior year she was the top distance swimmer in WVU history with more than 70 wins during her tenure at WVU.