July 15, 2009

Charlotte, N.C. - Charlotte 49ers head track and field coach Bob Olesen has announced that head cross country and assistant track coach Brad Herbster is leaving the program for a position with Clemson University.

"I greatly appreciate all of Coach Herbster's hard work and dedication to the program during his years here at Charlotte," said Olesen. "He has been instrumental in the successful pursuit of my vision for a balanced program that is highly competitive at the conference level and advances student-athletes to the regional and national level and I wish him the best of luck at Clemson."

Herbster spent the past seven seasons with Charlotte cross country and track and field, with Charlotte claiming the individual championship honors on both the men's (Adu Dentamo) and women's (Amanda Goetschius) sides last fall. It was the first individual title for Charlotte on the men's side and the second title for a 49er on the women's side. Goetschius was the fourth Charlotte runner to advance to the NCAA Championship meet last fall. Five 49ers earned All-Atlantic 10 honors last fall by finishing in the Top 15 at the A-10 Championships, held on campus last November.

In Herbster's time with the Niners, Charlotte has had 17 All-Conference selections on the cross country side. Charlotte has earned seven men's and 11 women's individual or relay indoor or outdoor conference championships of 800 meters or more in Herbster's tenure. Former Niner Cassie Ficken earned All-America honors in 2005 for the Niners.

The Niners begin their 2009 season with a meet at Appalachian State on Friday, August 29. Charlotte hosts its own meet on campus on Friday, October 2.