July 10, 2007

COLUMBIA, S.C. — University of South Carolina men’s soccer coach Mark Berson announced the addition of Mike Babst to the Gamecock coaching staff on Tuesday. Babst joins the Gamecock program as an assistant coach following three seasons at Duquesne University. A collegiate goalkeeper at Boston College (1996-99), Babst will train the South Carolina goalkeepers.

“We are very pleased to have Mike joining our program,” Berson said. “He is a quality individual and an excellent coach. Mike will be involved in all aspects of our program, with an emphasis on our goalkeeper training and development.”

In Babst’s three seasons at Duquesne, the Dukes compiled a 37-18-3 record and earned at least a share of the Atlantic-10 Conference title in both 2004 and 2005. Babst also coached the 2005 Atlantic-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, goalkeeper Zach Varga, and the Dukes moved as high as No. 13 in the national polls, the highest in school history, during that season.

“I am very excited to get to work with both Coach Berson and Coach Molinary as well as the players I have gotten to know through camps over the past two summers,” Babst said. “It is an exciting time to be a part of South Carolina soccer.”

Prior to joining the Duquesne staff, Babst coached at Washington and Lee University. In two seasons at W&L, he supervised the goalkeepers, directed the off-season strength and conditioning program and assisted in all areas of collegiate coaching including recruiting, scouting, researching and organizing visits.

Babst owns a bachelor’s degree in economics and marketing from Boston College (1999) and law degree from the University of Pittsburgh (2007).

A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., Babst replaces Alex Maslow, who will begin law school at the University of Charlotte this fall.