Head Coach Amy Patton

As of September, 2009

Entering her 18th season on the Dartmouth sideline in 2010, head coach Amy Patton has led the Big Green to unprecedented success. With 187 career wins, 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, eight Ivy League championships and four NCAA final fours to her credit, Patton is one of the nation’s elite coaches. Beyond Hanover, Patton is an active part of U.S. Lacrosse, currently serving as head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Developmental team.

In 17 years as head coach, Patton owns a 187-88 overall record, 89-25 in Ivy League play, winning 78 percent of Dartmouth’s conference games. Since her arrival in Hanover in 1993, the Big Green has reached double figures in wins 13 times and advanced past the NCAA first round seven times. Patton’s teams are no strangers to perfection, five times winning the Ivy League unbeaten, most recently in 2005. From 1997-2001, Dartmouth won 22 consecutive Ancient Eight contests, en route to three-straight 7-0 championship seasons.

While the numbers speak volumes for Patton, she is perhaps best known for her abilities as a strategist, teacher, leader and competitor. She is comfortable switching styles to suit the personnel in any given season, and has even done so midyear. In 2006, after starting the season at 6-4, Dartmouth stirred up the lacrosse world by going on an 8-1 run, storming to the NCAA national championship game. After an epic battle in front of a strong pro-Dartmouth crowd at Boston University’s Nickerson Field, the defending national champion Northwestern got past the Big Green, 7-4.

Perhaps most important, Dartmouth’s players develop both as athletes and people during their time in Hanover. Since 1993, Patton has coached 28 first team All-Ivy players honored 48 times. Also in that time, Dartmouth boasts 26 All-Americans honored 43 times, including 21 first team honorees. Patton has mentored four Ivy League Players of the Year, three Ivy Rookies of the Year, a national player of the year and a national defensive player of the year.

Known for her work with goalkeepers, Patton’s recent netminders have had tremendous success on both the national and international scene. Devon Wills ’06, a three-time All-America and current member of the U.S. National Elite team, is regarded as one of the top goalkeepers in the world. First team All-Ivy goalie Sarah Hughes ’02 was part of the U.S. National program and current goalie, junior Julie Wadland ’10, has been part of the U.S. Developmental Squad since 2008.

Two Patton-coached players saw success on the world stage this past summer when Wills and Whitney Douthett ’07 helped the United States to the 2009 Lacrosse World Cup Championship in Prague. Wills was named MVP of the championship game.

Patton’s efforts have not gone unrewarded on a personal level. She was named the IWLCA National Coach of the Year in 1998, was one of three finalists for that honor in 1993 — her first season at the helm — and has been the Northeast Region’s Coach of the Year three times (1994, 1995, 1998).

One of the most recognized names in college women’s lacrosse, Patton is a prominent member of the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA). She was vice president of the IWLCA for two years. Most recently, Patton headed the Brine All-America selection committee and has served on the Tewaaraton Trophy selection committee. Patton was a U.S. Squad selector in 1993, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007 and 2008. She was also a member of the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Committee and assistant coach for the U.S. National Developmental team in 1998-2000. Patton has served as head coach of the developmental squad since July, 2006.

Prior to her appointment as head coach at Dartmouth, Patton served as an assistant to former coach and current athletics director Josie Harper from 1991-92. Patton served as an assistant for the University of Maryland women’s lacrosse team during the 1990 season.

Patton is a 1988 graduate of the University of Maryland where she earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education. As an athlete, Patton was a four-year letterwinner in both lacrosse and field hockey, earning All-America and All-ACC accolades. She was a member of Maryland’s 1986 NCAA national championship lacrosse team and earned the Terps’ scholar-athlete award.


The Patton File

Name: Amy R. Patton
Education: Maryland ’88
Coaching Experience:
Dartmouth and
Career Record:187-88  (.680 winning percentage) (17 seasons)
Ivy Record: 89-25

Coaching Highlights:

10 NCAA Appearances
8 Ivy League Championships
IWLCA National Coach of the Year 1998

Coached 1 national player of the year, 4 Ivy League players of the year, 48 first team All-Ivy selections, 21 first team All-Americans

Current U.S. Developmental Team head coach

Personal:
Favorite Food: Italian food
Favorite Quote: “Try your hardest. Make the effort. Do your best.” — John Wooden
Favorite TV show: 24
Favorite Hobby: Relaxing on the golf course
Most Memorable Dartmouth Lacrosse Memory: Leading the team onto Nickerson Field for the 2006 semi-final game vs. Notre Dame and hearing the roar of the Dartmouth fans as we made our way across the field. It was a magical moment.”

Amy Patton’s Coaching Influence
Devon Wills ’06 — Current volunteer assistant coach at Dartmouth
Katieanne Christian ’05 — Former assistant coach at Boston College
Katy Cuneo ’02 — Current assistant coach at North Carolina
Jen Newitt ’02 — Former assistant at Notre Dame, former volunteer assistant at Penn
Amy Zimmer ’01— Former first assistant at Syracuse; former volunteer assistant at Dartmouth
Sarah Hughes ’02 — Former assistant at Albany, former assistant at Stanford
Melissa Frazier ’00 — Former assistant at Columbia
Kate Graw ’00 — Former assistant at Dartmouth, former volunteer coach at Georgetown
Lauren Holleran ’95 — Former assistant at Harvard, Former assistant at Cal-Berkeley
Marianne Bocock Doyle ’92 — Former first assistant at Dartmouth
Kelly Hannigan ’97 — Former assistant at Dartmouth

Player Views
“Amy is one of the greatest coaches I have ever had. She is the type of coach who makes you not only want to be a better player but a better person as well. She spends hours upon hours watching game tape, recruiting, scouting and just thinking and worrying about the team. Amy has created a tradition under Dartmouth lacrosse of pride and a love for the sport. She has taught me how to sacrifice my personal interest for the betterment of the team and has turned me into the best lacrosse player I could be. She is an amazing coach and somebody who has made a tremendous impact on my life.” — Whitney Douthett ’07

“Amy is not only a great coach, but a great leader, mentor and friend. She is committed to making our lacrosse team the best we can possibly be by pushing us as far as we can go. She brings knowledge and passion everyday and her remarkable abilities as a coach are manifested in the success Dartmouth lacrosse has seen over the past 14 years. Her accomplishments on the lacrosse field are notable, but more importantly, Amy helps to shape each player into a great person as well. Amy cares about each and every player on our team, our lives, our emotions, along with our lacrosse skills. The qualities of accountability, commitment, character, leadership and pride, among others, are emphasized and demanded of every player on our team. With these traits, Amy sets up players to be successful in ways that span much farther than lacrosse and college.” — Sarah Szefi ’07

“Amy Patton’s understanding of the game of lacrosse is unparalleled. She has been a student of the game for so long, and she translates all of that knowledge into incredibly effective and well-rounded coaching. She is an amazing communicator and makes me feel so supported on this team. Amy’s coaching has made me grow both as a lacrosse player and as a person.”    - Eliza Bennett ’10
   
“I love playing for Amy because not only does she know absolutely everything about lacrosse, but she also runs a program that, as a part of, you are truly inspired to challenge yourself and push your limits. In just two years I know I have developed immensely as a lacrosse player from playing for Amy Patton, but more importantly, I have learned so much about myself and grown tremendously in life off the field.” - Kat Collins ’11

Amy Patton’s Record vs. All Opponents

Amy Patton at Dartmouth