Josh Pittman - Head Coach (1st year)

Josh Pittman enters his first year as head coach of the college's newest intercollegiate varsity program. The addition of men's soccer at MSC was announced last year and Coach Pittman was named head coach on March 6, 2007. The team will be one of eight teams in the highly competitive Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Pittman has over 12 years of coaching experience at various levels including college, high school and youth soccer. A former professional and college soccer player, Pittman most recently was a Developmental Staff Coach for the Real Colorado Soccer Club in Highlands Ranch, Colo.

The past two years he has coached the U-17 Elite 1 Boys team to the semifinals of the Disney Showcase, the Classic Cup finals and the US Club Soccer Regional Championship. He coached the U-15 Premier 1 Boys, the U-13 Classic Girls and U-17 Premier 1 Girls competitive teams.

From 2000-2002 he assisted the men's soccer coach at Metropolitan State College of Denver in training, recruiting, academic management and scouting. The 2000 team earned a NCAA tournament berth and finished with a national ranking.

Pittman earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. His Master's of Education with a concentration in Sports Management from East Stroudsburg University and numerous coaching licenses with the USSF (United States Soccer Federation) and the NSCAA (National Soccer Collegiate Athletic Association).

Mesa State is a member of the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division II.

Assistant Coach: Brian Iblings (1st year)

Brian Iblings enters his first season as the assistant men's and women's soccer coach at Mesa State College.

Coach Iblings was the head men's soccer coach for two season at Whatcom Community College (Bellingham, WA) taking over a program in its inaugural season in 2005. In his two seasons at Whatcom CC he guided the team to a 31-6-5 overall record, two Northern Division Championship titles and the Northwest Athletic Association of Community College (NWAACC) title in 2006.

He is a two-time Northern Division Coach of the Year and was named NWAACC Coach of the Year in 2006. Aside from his coaching duties at Whatcom CC he served as the academic advisor, facilities manager and work study manager.

Iblings club soccer experience includes the Associate Director of Development for the Whatcom FC Rangers (2006) and the Assistant Director of the Future Stars Academy (2003). He served as volunteer liaison with the Canadian National Team for the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup, as well as Manchester United FC during the 2003 Champions World Series of Soccer.

Prior to his arrival in Bellingham he coached one year at Green River Community College (Auburn, WA).

Coach Iblings played three years at Concordia University (Portland, OR) where he helped lead the team to back-to-back Cascade Conference Championships in 2001-2002. He also played for the Cascade Surge of the Premier Development League (PDL) winning the North Division championship in 2002.

He received his bachelor's degree in business administration and is currently pursuing his master's degree in business. He was President of Chi Beta Chi and an active member of several student business organizations while attending Concordia.

He holds a USSF National "D" license.

Assistant Coach: Brandon Swartzendruber (1st year)

Coach Swartzendruber enters his first season as an assistant men's soccer coach.

A native of Grand Junction, Brandon was an all-state selection at Grand Junction High School. He played two years at Chandler-Gilbert Community College where he was a two-time all-conference player, an all-region and All-American selection.

Swartzendruber went on to play two years at Midwestern State University earning all-conference, all-region and All-American status. He was selected Southwest Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

In 2007 Coach Swartzendruber played in the Premier Development League (PDL) for the Thunder Bay Chill. He was second in the league for points with 16 goals and five assists (37 points). His 16 goals placed him second overall in scoring.

He is pursuing a degree in Exercise Physiology.