Rick Zombo - Coaching Career

Coaching Career

In 1998 Zombo was named head coach of the St. Louis Sting of the Tier II Jr. A North American Hockey League. Zombo remained head coach of the team from the 1998–99 season through 2000–01 season. Following the 2001 season the team relocated to Springfield, Missouri. He was named head coach of Marquette High School in Chesterfield, Missouri from the 2001–02 season through the 2002–2003 season. In 2003 Zombo resigned from Marquette and became the head coach and general manager of the St. Louis Heartland Eagles of the Tier I Jr. A USHL. head coach in May 2003 and remained in that position for the 2003–04 season. Following the season the team suspended operations and the folded after failing to find a more suitable facility.

In 2008 he became an assistant coach at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri under head coach Derek Schaub. In the two seasons as assistant coach the team won back-to-back ACHA Division I Championships with a record of 80–9–0 in 89 games over the two seasons. On July 14, 2010 it was announced Zombo would become the school's second men's ice hockey head coach. Under Zombo the Lions won their third consecutive CSCHL Regular Season Championship with a regular season record with a 29–3–0. The Lions qualified for the 2011 national championship tournament and swept through the initial rounds of the tournament before they were defeated by Davenport University 2–3 in overtime of the championship game on March 9, 2011. The team finished the 2010–11 season season with an overall record of 32–4–0 and 13–1–0 in the CSCHL. The Lions started the 2011-12 season with a record of 11-4-0, before the team recorded a 16-game win streak and ended the regular season with a record of 27-4. LU finished the regular season going undefeated in CSCHL conference play for the first time in the history of the program. The team also received an autobid with the CSCHL title to the 2012 ACHA DI National Tournament. The Lions defeated the Central Oklahoma 5-2 in second round, after the team was seeded second and received a first round bye; followed by the Minot State 7-4 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinal round, the Lions lost 3-6 to Delaware, the eventual 2012 ACHA DI Champions. The team finished the season with an overall record of 31-5.