SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara University has appointed Associate Head Coach Cameron Rast as the sixth men's soccer head coach in Bronco history, Director of Athletics and Recreation Cheryl L. Levick announced today.
Rast, who was promoted to the position of associate head coach prior to the 2001 season, takes over for Mitch Murray who recently retired from college coaching as the winningest coach in SCU men's soccer history. He has served as the team's top assistant coach and primary recruiting coordinator the past eight seasons. Terms of the five-year agreement were not disclosed.
"Cameron is without a doubt the best person to lead our men's soccer program," said Levick. "He has had several opportunities over the last few years to be a head coach at other Division I institutions. However, he has remained loyal to Santa Clara University and I have every confidence that he will continue the great tradition of success for our program."
"I am very excited to be the head coach at my alma mater," said Rast, who helped lead the Broncos to six NCAA Tournaments and two College Cup appearances in eight seasons. "I hope to be able to continue the tradition of success that Mitch Murray helped establish here at SCU. We have some tremendous young players and with the support that the university, athletic director and athletic department is giving to the program, I see no reason for us not to be able to continue to be among the nation's elite."
A 1992 graduate of Santa Clara University, Rast was a two-time All-American sweeper for the Broncos. He earned a piece of Santa Clara's 1989 co-national championship and played a key role in leading the Broncos to the 1991 NCAA championship game. During his four-year career at Santa Clara, the Broncos compiled a 57-4-11 record. As a sophomore in 1989, he earned his first All-America selection, scoring a career-high 30 points on 11 goals as Santa Clara finished with a 20-0-3 record, the nation's top ranking and a share of the NCAA title.
Rast also made an impact on the international scene, helping the United States team to a gold medal at the 1991 Pan-American Games in Havana, Cuba, and served as the captain of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team in Barcelona, Spain. He also played in the 1993 World University Games in Buffalo, N.Y., and was a member of the U.S. Under-20 team that reached the semifinals of the 1989 Youth World Cup in Saudi Arabia.
In the spring of 1997, Rast was named an assistant coach with the U.S. Under-17 National team, helping guide the squad to a fourth-place finish in the 1999 U-17 World Cup in New Zealand. He currently serves the sport with his participation as an executive member of U.S. Soccer's Board of Directors.