Bio

Patte Zumbrun inherited, as she once put it, “historically one of Goucher’s treasured legacies” when she was appointed director and head coach of its equestrian program in 1987. She spent the next quarter of a century not only developing one of the top riding programs in the mid-Atlantic region, but also turning Goucher into one of the premier collegiate equestrian locations in the entire nation.

Zumbrun, who was employed by the college since 1978, officially retired at the conclusion of the 2012-13 academic year.

Under her guidance, the Gophers captured six Intercollegiate Horse Show Association Zone IV Region I titles during a span of 11 years and were crowned Zone IV champions for the first time in 2011-12, which allowed them to advance to the IHSA National Horse Show as one of 15 intercollegiate riding programs in the Collegiate Cup Hunter Seat team competition. In fact, four times Zumbrun-coached teams qualified to advance to IHSA nationals, where they placed 14th overall in 2007, in a tie for seventh in 2012 and a tie for fifth in 2013, and in sole possession of sixth in 2014.

In two of the first three years that a panel of head coaches and athletic administrators selected an All-Goucher Team to recognize the 10 most distinguished student-athletes and most outstanding coach during an academic year, the coaching honor went to Zumbrun.

Goucher’s equestrian facility features two full-care barns, 10 turnout paddocks, indoor and outdoor riding rings, multiple rolling riding fields and acres of trails, and many of these were improvements and/or additions made during Zumbrun’s coaching tenure.

Zumbrun’s induction into the Goucher College Athletics Hall of Fame comes less than one month after she was presented the prestigious IHSA Lifetime Achievement Award, joining 22 other equestrian team coaches who received the award during the organization’s 48-year history. In addition, she is a two-time recipient of the Professional Service Award from the United State Hunter Jumper Association/American National Riding Commission.