Like most NCAA Division Three institutions, Lebanon Valley College’s athletic department is a living, breathing organism. Flying Dutchmen intercollegiate sports are constantly evolving.

Not only is Patrick Ratke the current face of that change, but he is also one of the facilitators of it.

Ratke is nine months into his current role as LVC’s director of athletics. To this point he continues to adjust well to change.

“I think we’re in a very strong position overall,” said Ratke. “Moving from the Commonwealth to the Freedom Conference (recently) was certainly an adjustment. It helped in some sports, and it hurt in others. There are shortcomings we need to work on, but all the pieces are there. It already has a very strong culture; it just needs a few tweaks.”

Read More: LVC to switch from MAC Commonwealth to MAC Freedom in 2023-24 school year

Lebanon Valley College offers 26 interscholastic varsity sports to its students. Approximately 40 percent of LVC’s 1700 students compete in athletics.

“It’s incredibly important from an enrollment standpoint,” said Ratke, a 37-year-old native of Williamsport. “It plays a huge role in campus life. It’s such a positive impact on student-athletes. It serves as their outlet.”

New Lebanon Valley College athletic director Patrick Ratke sits at the desk in his office in Annville. (Jeff Falk)

In addition to his duties of overseeing the day-to-day operations of Flying Dutchmen athletics, Ratke is also working on a master plan examining all of LVC’s athletic facilities, including but not limited to Arnold Field, its track, and the ice hockey facilities.

“I’m looking at a lot of different things,” he said. “We’re currently looking at the football facility. We know we need a new track and field. But do we need more stands? We’re open to every option. We’re looking at details to see if it’s possible.

“You look at your needs as a department. We know we need other facilities. We know we need additional locker space. But what does that look like? Our weight training room is too small for our number of student-athletes. The question becomes, ‘How can we be fiscally responsible and check off as many boxes as we can while getting student-athletes what they need to be successful on and off the field?’”

Ratke downplayed the notion that Lebanon Valley could add sports like wrestling or men’s volleyball in the near future.

Lebanon Valley College moved from the MAC Commonwealth to the MAC Freedom conference this year. In his new role as athletic director at LVC, Patrick Ratke is driving change and evolution in the department, focusing on facility upgrades and the potential expansion of sports offerings. (Jeff Falk)

“Probably not at this time,” said Ratke. “But we are open to adding sports in the future. Wrestling is gaining in popularity in the MAC (Middle Atlantic Conference). It would be a challenge without adding additional space. There are other sports that would require less facilities.”

Ratke was named LVC’s athletic director at the end of July last year. He replaced Lebanon High graduate Rick Beard, who accepted a new role as senior major gifts officer at LVC after spending 16 years as the Flying Dutchmen’s AD.

“When I saw the Lebanon Valley job was open, I had a conversation with my wife,” said Ratke. “It was hard being far from home. I really wanted a school that aligned with my values. I knew a little about the school, so I came down to campus, applied and the rest is history. I had such a positive interview experience.

“Ultimately it was the people on campus who made such an impression on me, just how they wanted to help each other out. You don’t find that every day. But it was also the potential of the school. All the pieces are here, and the culture is here. That was another draw for me.”

Ratke came to LVC from Colby College in Maine, where he was the associate athletic director of athletic facilities and operations. He graduated from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., with a bachelor’s in political science and a master’s in management, with a concentration in leadership, and later worked in that university’s undergraduate admissions department.

“Keep an eye on LVC,” said Ratke. “We’re a sleeping giant that needs awakening. I think we can find success pretty quickly.”

For additional information about Lebanon Valley College athletics, visit GoDutchmen.com.

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Jeff Falk is a seasoned journalist based in Lebanon, PA. He's a graduate of Cedar Crest High School, Penn State University, and a lifelong resident of Lebanon, born and raised. Currently, he is a feature writer for Engle Publishing in Lancaster, the editor of LebCoSports.com, sports director at WLBR...