Patrick ZaratePatrick Zarate was named the interim head coach for Texas Lutheran women’s cross country and women’s track and field, Director of Athletics Bill Miller announced on June 19, 2006.
Zarate has been involved with the women’s cross country and women’s track and field programs for the last seven years. He served as an assistant coach with the women’s cross country and women’s track and field programs for the past three years. Zarate was a student assistant coach with the same two programs during his four years as a TLU student.
Zarate graduated from TLU in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. Zarate is USA Track & Field Level 1 certified and is working on his Level 2 certification.
“Patrick Zarate is proud to call TLU home, and we are proud to have him as the leader of our women’s cross country and women’s track and field teams,” said Miller. “He knows these two programs better than anyone, and I’m excited for him to have this opportunity. Coach Zarate knows firsthand the high standards that the two programs have achieved in recent years, and I am confident that he can lead our teams to meet and exceed those standards.”
Zarate succeeds Alicia Mein, who resigned May 31 after one season as the head coach for both sports. The Bulldogs’ cross country team finished third in the American Southwest Conference Championships in the fall, and the women’s track and field team took second place at the ASC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the spring.
TLU sent five student-athletes to the 2006 NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The women’s 4x100 meter relay team placed sixth at the national meet for a second consecutive year and collected All-American honors for relay members Ashley Williams, Taffey Gray, Jessica Raglon and Natalie Wood. Williams, Gray and Raglon will be juniors next year. Wood will be a senior.
“I am grateful for this opportunity and for the trust that Coach Miller and the TLU administration have shown to me,” said Zarate. “It is truly an honor to be in this position. I look forward to working with our student-athletes so that they can best compete for conference and national titles.”
In his seven years at TLU, Zarate has assisted both programs in winning a combined four ASC Championships. Zarate also has been a part of seven ASC team runner-up finishes.
Zarate is the son of Carmel and Mary Zarate of Pearland, Texas. Zarate’s father is one of five brothers (all living) who served in World War II. Zarate and his wife Nichole, a 2002 TLU graduate, were married in June 2005 and reside in Seguin.