BALTIMORE — US Lacrosse has selected Amy Patton, who led Dartmouth College to the 2006 NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse Championship Game, as the new head coach of the United States Women’s National Developmental Team. Patton previously served as an assistant coach on the U.S. Developmental squad from 1998-2000.

"We’re thrilled to get a coach of Amy’s caliber to be involved with the U.S. Team program," said Chip Rogers, chair of the US Lacrosse Women's Division National Teams Committee. "She has strong experience and success as a Division I head coach, highlighted by Dartmouth’s first national final berth in 2006. Her support of the USA program, as evidenced by her student-athletes’ involvement on our national teams, has been an important part of our continued growth. We’re thrilled that she’s ventured into this part of coaching."

Patton has been the head coach at Dartmouth since 1992, with an overall record of 163-56 and a mark of 77-16 against Ivy League opponents. She led the Big Green to their 10th NCAA Tournament appearance in 2006, and the program’s fourth final four berth. Dartmouth lost 7-4 to Northwestern in the 2006 national championship game.

Under Patton’s leadership, Dartmouth has also claimed eight Ivy league Championships, produced four Ivy League Players of the Year, and had 18 players recognized as first team All-Americans. Patton has helped to develop 16 players who have earned positions on the US National Team. Three of her current players – Devon Wills, Whitney Douthett and Ann Leibovitz – are also members of the U.S. National Team.

Patton was named the IWLCA national Coach of the Year in 1998, and has been the North Region’s Coach of the Year three times (1994, 1995, 1998).

Patton is a 1988 graduate of the University of Maryland, where she earned All-America honors in both lacrosse and field hockey. She also began her coaching career as a volunteer assistant coach with the Terps in 1990, helping Maryland reach that season’s NCAA championship game.

As an active member of the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA), she served as the organization’s vice-president from 1993-1995 and has also served as an IWLCA clinician on numerous occasions. In addition, Patton was a member of the Brine All-America Selection Committee from 1993-1998, and served as a selector for the U.S. National Team in 1993, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

The U.S. Developmental Team is one of three squads, along with the Under-19 Team and the Elite Team, directed by the US Lacrosse Women’s Division and the National Teams Committee. The Elite, Developmental and U-19 squads will be selected during try-outs at UMBC on August 5-9, 2006.

US Lacrosse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the national governing body for men's and women's lacrosse. To learn more about the organization, please visit www.uslacrosse.org.