Mark Berson

Last updated
Mark Berson
Biographical details
Born (1953-03-16) March 16, 1953 (age 70)
Hartford, Connecticut
Playing career
1971–1974 North Carolina Tar Heels
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1977 The Citadel Bulldogs
1978–2020 South Carolina Gamecocks
Head coaching record
Overall522-266-76
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Conference USA Regular Season Championship (2011)
Conference USA Tournament Championship (2010)
Conference USA Tournament Championship (2005)
Metro Regular Season Championship (1993)
Awards
National Soccer Coaches Association Coach of the Year (1984, 1985, 1988, 1995)
South Carolina Youth Soccer Association's Hall of Fame (1992)
Independent Coach of the Year (1998)
Conference USA Coach of the Year 2011

Mark Berson (born March 16, 1953) is an American retired soccer coach. He spent 43 seasons as head men's soccer coach at the University of South Carolina. He started his coaching career at The Citadel in 1976.

Contents

Collegiate career

Berson graduated from Summit High School in Summit, New Jersey in 1971 and enrolled at the University of North Carolina. [1] On the Tar Heel soccer team, he played midfielder his freshman year and goalie the final three years. Berson graduated in 1975 with a degree in journalism and later earned a master's of education degree in sport administration in 1977 from Ohio University.

Coaching career

Berson took a position as an assistant coach on The Citadel's men's soccer program in 1976. A year later, he became the head coach and guided the Bulldogs to their best record ever with an 11–5 mark. In 1978, Berson accepted the head coaching position at the University of South Carolina. He led the Gamecocks to a 13–3–1 record in the program's first season and in the second season they obtained a spot in the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship. The program achieved a high level success under his guidance and his teams won three conference championships in only seven years of being in a conference. The program has made a total of 22 appearances in the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship, all under his direction. Berson coached three players who appeared in the World Cup (Clint Mathis, Josh Wolff and Brad Guzan) for Team USA, spanning a total of 21 years.


When he retired after the 2021 season, he had the most wins of any active coach in NCAA Division I with 522 career victories.

Personal life

Berson is married and has two children, Erin and Luke, who both went to the University of South Carolina.

Head coaching record

SeasonCollegeWonLostTiedNotes
1977 The Citadel 1150
1978 South Carolina 1331
1979 South Carolina 1450 NCAA Appearance
1980 South Carolina 1252
1981 South Carolina 1641
1982 South Carolina 1252
1983 South Carolina 8112
1984 South Carolina 1442
1985 South Carolina 2031 NCAA Appearance
1986 South Carolina 1750 NCAA Appearance
1987 South Carolina 1623 NCAA Appearance
1988 South Carolina 1444 NCAA Appearance
1989 South Carolina 1732 NCAA Appearance
1990 South Carolina 1452 NCAA Appearance
1991 South Carolina 1450 NCAA Appearance
1992 South Carolina 1353 NCAA Appearance
1993 South Carolina 1644Metro Champions; NCAA Appearance
1994 South Carolina 1640 NCAA Appearance
1995 South Carolina 1640
1996 South Carolina 892
1997 South Carolina 1631 NCAA Appearance
1998 South Carolina 1650 NCAA Appearance
1999 South Carolina 1072
2000 South Carolina 1243 NCAA Appearance
2001 South Carolina 1252 NCAA Appearance
2002 South Carolina 1181 NCAA Appearance
2003 South Carolina 972
2004 South Carolina 1271 NCAA Appearance
2005 South Carolina 1272Conference USA Tournament Champions; NCAA Appearance
2006 South Carolina 1151
2007 South Carolina 1162
2008 South Carolina 1065
2009 South Carolina 785
2010 South Carolina 1382Conference USA Tournament Champions; NCAA Appearance
2011 South Carolina 972Conference USA Regular Season Champions; NCAA Appearance
2012South Carolina5112
2013South Carolina775
2014South Carolina10100
2015South Carolina1182NCAA Appearance
2016South Carolina1181NCAA Appearance
2017South Carolina692
2018South Carolina7100
2019South Carolina792
2020South Carolina871gamecocksonline.com - Men's Soccer - 2023 South Carolina Men's Soccer History & Records - Head Coaching Records
Overall5222667622 NCAA Appearances

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References

  1. Mark Berson profile, CSTV. Accessed November 5, 2007. "A 1971 graduate of Summit (N.J.) High School, Berson attended the University of North Carolina and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism in 1975."