Oakton Legend Pat Savage Honored with NJCAA Coaches Legacy Award

Des Plaines, Ill. (June 17, 2025) – Former Oakton College marathon, cross country and track & field coach Pat Savage has been honored with the prestigious Coaches Legacy Award, presented by Nufabrx and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). 

"Pat is deeply deserving of this national-level award," said Christine Paciero, director of Oakton's Athletics. "The title of it says it all; he's created a legacy of coaching, giving and inspiring personal, academic and competitive excellence."

Coach Savage was honored during a luncheon in Charlotte, N.C., June 17, ahead of the 2025 NJCAA Hall of Fame and Awards event. Savage is among nearly 200 coaches across 28 sports to receive the inaugural Coaches Legacy Award.

"I am humbled to be included with so many successful NJCAA Coaches who have earned the Legacy Award," said Coach Savage. "It is such an honor, and I am thrilled to be in Charlotte with my wife, Melissa Savage, to accept this prestigious award. I was very lucky that I had a great mentor and friend in Tom Jorndt, who was the director of Athletics at Oakton. I owe much of my success to him. I was fortunate to also have Oakton's former president, Dr. Tom TenHoeve, as an advocate for our athletic program. Dr. TenHoeve attended and supported many running events at Oakton."

Savage, an NJCAA Region 4 and Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Hall of Fame inductee, qualified for the Legacy Award based on his outstanding record in the sport of half marathon, where his teams and runners earned three or more national championships. His coaching career at Oakton spanned over three decades, from 1971–2003, during which he led men's and women's cross country, marathon, and indoor and outdoor track & field teams.

Under his leadership, Savage trained 39 NJCAA All-Americans and four NJCAA individual national champions. In 2002, his team captured the NJCAA National Championship in the marathon. His teams also claimed numerous Skyway Conference and Region 4 titles, including eight regional cross-country championships and women's indoor and outdoor track and field regional championships.

Beyond the accolades, Savage's impact continues today through the Pat Savage Endowed Scholarship at Oakton, supporting cross-country athletes and carrying forward his legacy of excellence and mentorship.

A Chicago native and graduate of DePaul University, Savage was a standout collegiate athlete, a two-time team captain, and MVP of both the Blue Demon track & field and cross country teams. He was inducted into the DePaul Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993, and the university still awards the Pat Savage Endowed Scholarship for Track and Field, its largest athletic scholarship.

Savage has also been a dedicated contributor to high school athletics, coaching cross country at Niles West High School for 36 years. In recognition of his impact, the school's annual invitational now bears his name, and he has been inducted into the Niles West Athletic Hall of Fame. His remarkable career as a coach and educator extended over 45 years.

In addition to his coaching, Savage has held leadership roles in several professional organizations, including serving as president of the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association, the Illinois Community College Track and Cross Country Coaches Association, and the Chicago Runner Association. He was inducted into the Illinois Cross Country & Track Coaches Hall of Fame in 1989. 

Oakton Athletics prepares student-athletes for success in the classroom, on the field, and throughout their lives. Learn more at oakton-owls.com.