Pat Herbst, a native of Rapid City, S.D., returned to his alma mater and took over the men's soccer program at Briar Cliff in 2006 and the women's program in 2008.
The 2016 season marked Herbst's 10th year with the Cliff. During the season, Herbst guided the women's soccer team to a 9-8-1 record while going 5-5 in the GPAC. The Chargers visited Concordia in the opening round of the conference tournament and fell 5-1. Herbst is now 67-81-15 in his career with the women's program at BCU. The men's soccer team went 9-9 and 3-6 in league play in 2016. Herbst is 71-112-13 all-time as the men's coach at Briar Cliff.
During his playing days at Briar Cliff, Herbst was a four-year defensive starter and three-year team captain. He was named an NAIA All-District 15 selection in both 1992 and 1993. Herbst was named to the NAIA All-North Sectional team in 1994, when the Chargers produced a program-best 17-4-1 record. That year, the Chargers were ranked number one in the Midwest Independent District and finished second in the district and regional playoffs. The following year, Herbst was named to the NAIA All-Midwest Region team. Briar Cliff ranked first in the Midwest Northern Independent District that year and finished second in the Midwest Independent District playoffs. Herbst graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in business administration from Briar Cliff in 1996. Herbst served as assistant men's and women's soccer coach at Briar Cliff from 1996 to 1999. He also served as an admissions counselor at the institution and was later promoted to assistant director of admissions. While a member of the Briar Cliff coaching staff, the men's program won the NAIA North Independent districts in 1996, placed second in the 1997 NAIA Midwest Independent Sectional, and qualified for regional play in 1998.
Herbst came to Briar Cliff after serving as the head men's and women's soccer coach at Clarke College, in Dubuque, Iowa for the past six years. He guided the women's team to the 2001 and 2004 Northern Illinois - Iowa Conference championship and was named the NIIC Coach of the Year each of those seasons. He leaves Clarke as the career coaching victories leader for both the men and the women. Both of his teams set school records for wins in a season (men in 2003 and women in 2004). At Clarke, Herbst also served as assistant to the director of athletics, overseeing the institution's athletic recruiting.
Herbst is a member of the United States Soccer Federation and the National Soccer Coaches Association. He received his National "D" Coaching License in 1996 in Sioux City, and his National "C" coaching license in 1998 in Lexington, Kentucky. He has directed youth soccer camps at Clarke since 2000 and has served as co-director of the Dubuque Soccer Academy since 2002. He has also coached youth teams and assisted with other camps throughout the years.
Pat and his wife, Micha, have three children, Brooke, Claire, and Domenick.
