Benjamin Patch

Benjamin Patch (born June 21, 1994) is an American former volleyball player who played for the United States national volleyball team.^[1] Patch helped the United States national team win the gold medal at the 2017 NORCECA Championship.^[2]

Ben Patch
Patch in 2020
Personal information
Full name	Benjamin Patch
Born	(1994-06-21) June 21, 1994 (age 30) Layton, Utah, U.S.
Hometown	Provo, Utah, U.S.
Height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Weight	198 lb (90 kg)
Spike	150 in (382 cm)
Block	141 in (358 cm)
College / University	Brigham Young University
Volleyball information
Position	Opposite
Number	13
Career
Years Teams 2013 2016–2017 2017–2018 2018–2022 BYU Cougars BYU Cougars Volley Callipo Berlin Recycling Volleys
National team
2015–2021  United States
Medal record Men's volleyball Representing  United States FIVB World Championship 2018 Italy/Bulgaria FIVB World Cup 2019 Japan FIVB Nations League 2019 Chicago 2018 Lille NORCECA Championship 2017 United States

Personal life

Patch was raised by white, Mormon adoptive parents in Utah, and he served as a missionary in Columbus, Ohio, for one year.^[3]

In October 2020, Patch publicly came out as queer in the German publication Der Tagesspiegel.^[4] He became the first openly queer active player in a German men's professional sports league.^[5][6]

Patch maintains an active ceramic art practice and a photography business alongside his professional volleyball career.^[7][8]

Sporting achievements

College

• National championships
  • 2013 NCAA national championship, with BYU Cougars
  • 2016 NCAA national championship, with BYU Cougars
  • 2017 NCAA national championship, with BYU Cougars

Clubs

• National championships
  • 2018/2019 German Championship, with Berlin Recycling Volleys
  • 2019/2020 German SuperCup, with Berlin Recycling Volleys
  • 2019/2020 German Cup, with Berlin Recycling Volleys
  • 2021/2022 German SuperCup, with Berlin Recycling Volleys
  • 2021/2022 German Championship, with Berlin Recycling Volleys

Youth national team

• 2012 NORCECA U21 Championship

Individual awards

• 2012: NORCECA U21 Championship – Most Valuable Player
• 2013: NCAA national championship – All-Tournament Team