Brad Herbster Named Distance Coach for Clemson Track & Field

July 20, 2009

Clemson, SC – Brad Herbster has been added to Clemson’s track & field coaching staff. Director of Track & Field Lawrence Johnson made the announcement Monday. Herbster, most recently an associate head coach with the Charlotte 49ers, will be in charge of all phases of the men’s and women’s distance programs. He will also be in charge of the cross country teams, starting immediately.

“Brad is an exciting addition as cross country and distance coach,” Johnson said. “He is very knowledgeable about distance running, particularly in the Southeast. He brings a new level of excitement to those programs at Clemson. We’re fortunate to have him.”

Herbster, like current Clemson assistant Tim Hall, joins the Tiger coaching staff after a stint with Charlotte. Herbster coached the distance athletes for the 49er program from 2002-09. During his time with the program, he was an integral part of four straight women’s Atlantic-10 championships as well as three of the last four men’s A-10 team champions.

His student-athletes earned great individual acclaim during Herbster’s tenure with the 49ers. He coached 35 conference champions (including relays) between indoor and outdoor track & field in his seven years with the program. In cross country, he mentored 28 all-conference performers, including the 2008 men’s and women’s individual champions.

The 2008 cross country season was a banner one for Herbster’s athletes. The women’s team was runner-up at the A-10 meet, thanks to an individual championship by Amanda Goetschuis. She went on to also earn All-Region honors and compete individually at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in November. On the men’s side, Herbster coached Adu Dentamo to the first-ever A-10 individual championship in Charlotte history. The men placed fourth at the league meet.

In 2002, Herbster’s first year, the men’s cross country team won its only Conference USA championship. Herbster was named Conference USA Coach-of-the-Year in his initial campaign with the 49ers.

On the track, an astounding 27 of Herbster’s conference champions came from the women’s track & field team. He coached Aja Jackson to nine individual championships from 2007-09 and Cassie Ficken to seven in 2005 and 2006. Under Herbster’s coaching, Ficken became the first indoor All-American in Charlotte women’s track & field history in 2005. Jackson was named A-10 Performer-of-the-Year in 2009 after winning both the 800m and 1500m events at the league meet.

Herbster coached the 49ers to 10 conference championships in 2009 alone, including four relays. Charlotte swept the men’s and women’s distance medley relay at the A-10 Indoor Championships, while the women’s 4x800m relay won both indoor and outdoor crowns. Four of his individual champions in 2009 were first-time winners at the A-10 Track & Field Championships.

Prior to joining the Charlotte program, Herbster spent four years as a high school coach in North Carolina. He coached cross country and distance events for North Mecklenburg High School for three years. He was named Coach-of-the-Year by the Charlotte Observer in 2000-01. He produced six All-Americans and five state champions while at North Mecklenburg. He then spent one year at Hopewell High School in Huntersville, N.C., where he helped a startup track program finish second in its conference in its first year of existence.

Herbster earned his undergraduate degree from the University of South Carolina in 1991. He competed for the Gamecock cross country and track & field teams. Herbster was a three-time all-conference performer and still ranks fifth in school history on the all-time 3000m steeplechase performance list.