Bowling Green State University Athletics
Habrecht Named Men's Soccer Assistant Coach
May 13, 2009 | Men's Soccer
May 13, 2009
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSUFalcons.com) - Bowling Green State University men's soccer coach Eric Nichols has announced the hiring of Paul Habrecht as assistant coach. Habrecht comes to BGSU after five years as the head coach of the women's soccer program at Ohio Dominican University.
"I am pleased to add Paul to the staff," said Nichols, who was named BGSU's head coach on Feb. 17, 2009. "Paul has had great success as a head coach, and has the respect of everyone associated with him. That speaks volumes, not only about his coaching ability, but also about his character and integrity.
"He is extremely sharp, innovative and thorough, and will push everyone associated with the program to make us better. Paul will be a great representative of the University and BGSU athletics, and our players and alumni are fortunate to have such a quality addition to the program."
Habrecht took over the ODU women's program in the summer of 2004 and posted an overall record of 51-35-6, including an American Mideast Conference mark of 29-11-2.
"Leaving the team at Ohio Dominican was an incredibly hard decision," said Habrecht. "I knew that it would have to be a truly unique opportunity for me to make a move from ODU, but the chance to work with Eric and be part of restoring the proud soccer tradition at BG was an opportunity I could not pass up."
After a 4-13-0 record in his initial season, Habrecht-coached teams posted a 47-22-6 (66.7%) mark over the last four years. The Panthers have won nearly 83 percent of their conference matches in that time, going 28-5-2 in AMC play over that four-year span.
In 2008, the Panthers posted an overall record of 13-5-2, and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time in program history. ODU finished with a 10-1-2 mark in AMC play, finishing second in the regular-season standings, then won the conference tournament, also a program first. The team was ranked as high as 21st in the national polls.
Habrecht was named the Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association Coach of the Year after that '08 season.
In 2007, ODU finished 14-3-1 en route to a second consecutive AMC South Division title (the AMC had just one division for the first time in 2008). The '07 club ended the season ranked No. 1 in the NAIA Region IX and 20th nationally, while also receiving their second-straight AMC South Division Fair Play award. That team also received a third consecutive Gold Star from the NSCAA, which recognizes a team for completing an entire season without a single card.
Additionally, the 2007 team was selected as a finalist for the NAIA-Citizenship Through Sports Alliance (CTSA) "All That's Right in Sport" award. The award recognizes a college student-athlete or team that competes at the highest competitive level while also demonstrating the spirit of sportsmanship.
In 2007, Habrecht was named the AMC South's Coach of the Year for a third consecutive season.
The 2006 version of the Panthers finished 8-7-2 overall, and tied for the AMC South Division crown with a 7-1-0 record.
In '05, his second year at the helm, Habrecht guided ODU to a 12-7-1 record, tripling the win total from the prior year. That 2005 club also had a league mark of 6-2-0, after finishing 1-6-0 in the AMC South in 2004.
Prior to heading to ODU, Habrecht spent two seasons as the graduate assistant for the women's soccer team at John Carroll University. While there, he helped the Blue Streaks to an Ohio Athletic Conference regular-season championship in the 2002 season.
A Toledo native, Habrecht also has coaching experience at Owens Community College, where he was the goalkeeping and strength and conditioning coach.
A graduate of St. John's High School, Habrecht earned a Bachelor's degree in history, as well as a Master of Arts in Humanities, from JCU. A three-year soccer letterwinner with the Blue Streaks, missing his sophomore year due to a medical redshirt, he was a captain on the first JCU men's soccer team to go to the NCAA Division III Championships, in 2000.
In that 2000 season, Habrecht was named the OAC's Defensive Player of the Year, and also was named to the All-Region, All-OAC and Academic All-OAC first teams.
Habrecht is a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and the U.S. Soccer Federation, and holds the NSCAA's National and Advanced National Diplomas. He also has worked with the Upper Arlington, Ohio-based Eagles Soccer Club.
Habrecht is engaged to Heather Borton, with the couple's wedding date set for June 6, 2009.
