Herbst named Head Basketball Coach at Minot State - HoopDirt
Randall Herbst is returning to Minot State, this time as the Beavers’ new head men’s basketball coach.
Minot State’s Vice President for Student Affairs and Intercollegiate Athletics, Kevin Harmon, announced that Herbst has signed a contract to be the Beavers’ 16th head men’s basketball coach, returning to the Magic City where he spent two seasons as an assistant under Matt Murken.
“On behalf of Minot State University, I’m thrilled to welcome Randall Herbst as our next head men’s basketball coach,” Harmon said. “Coach Herbst brings a proven track record of success in the NSIC, and his deep understanding of our conference and region made him the ideal choice to lead our program. His prior experience in Minot and strong ties throughout the Upper Midwest will be invaluable as we continue to build a championship culture at Minot State University. We’re excited for what the future holds under his leadership.”
Minot State President Dr. Steven Shirley added: “With Coach Herbst’s background and success in North Dakota, the Upper Midwest, and within the NSIC, we are really excited welcoming him back to MSU and look forward to his leadership with the Beavers men’s basketball program.”
Herbst spent the past three seasons as a top assistant at the University of North Dakota under head coach Paul Sather, his second tenure with the Fighting Hawks. Prior to joining UND’s staff, Herbst spent two seasons as the top assistant at Minot State and replaces his former boss, Murken, who accepted a position as assistant coach at the University of South Dakota earlier this month.
“I am truly honored and excited to be back at Minot State University,” Herbst said Monday. “I am very thankful for the opportunity to be a head coach again. I look forward to bringing an exciting style of play to the Magic City.”
Herbst served as an assistant at Minot State for the 2020-21 COVID-shortened season and in 2021-22. The Beavers compiled a 26-17 overall record and advanced to the NSIC semifinals in 2020-21 during his time on the bench.
“I want to thank President Dr. Steven Shirley, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Kevin Harmon, Vice President Rick Hedberg, Dr. Kristi Berg, Associate Athletic Directors Jordan Boisner and Janna McKechnie, and everyone else involved in the process,” Minot State’s new head coach added. “It is a dream come true: This is a special place with special people, and I cannot wait to get started.”
Coach Herbst officially begins his duties with the Beaver men’s basketball program this Thursday, and prior to that will be on-campus this Wednesday for a “Meet and Greet” social with the public at 4 p.m. in the “Beaver Dam” in the Minot State Student Center.
It’s hard to find a coach more experienced than Herbst, who has four years of experience as a head coach on his resume, including an impressive stint at in-state rival the University of Mary where he compiled a 39-19 mark in two seasons. That includes a 23-6 record in 2010-11 and an 18-4 tally in the NSIC, good for 2nd place in the conference that season. Herbst was a finalist for National Coach of the Year, as well, that season.
While at Mary, Herbst also recruited and coached All-American Anthony Moody and First-Team All-NSIC player Eric Erdmann.
The Beavers’ new head coach also spent two seasons guiding his alma mater, Waldorf College (formerly a junior college), to a 34-27 combined record from 1998-2000 in his first collegiate head coaching stint. Herbst’s Warrior teams ranked No. 1 in the nation in team defense both seasons.
Overall, Herbst boasts a 72-47 overall head coaching career record.
“Minot State hit a home run with the hiring of Coach Herbst!” UND head coach Sather said. “Great leader, experienced recruiter, and a terrific man to lead the MSU basketball program. No one knows and understands the region better. What a great opportunity for him to be a head coach again and run his own program.”
Along with being a head coach, Herbst has spent time as a top assistant all over the country at the NCAA Division I and II levels, which includes two tenures with the Fighting Hawks, as well as two stints at Nebraska-Omaha, when the Mavericks were an NCAA Division II and later an NCAA Division I program, and four seasons at Wisconsin-Green Bay where he helped guide the Phoenix to the NCAA Division I “March Madness” National Tournament.
Herbst also spent time as a top assistant at NCAA Division II programs Florida Southern and Lincoln Memorial, and started his collegiate coaching career at North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) where he won the 1995 NJCAA Division II National Championship with the Trojans.
During his time at UND from 2000-06, he coached three North Central Conference (NCC) Players of the Year, three All-Americans, and 2003 NCAA Division II National Player of the Year, Jerome Beasley, who went on to be drafted by the Miami Heat in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft.
While at Wisconsin-Green Bay he coached Amari Davis, who was named the 2020 Horizon League Freshman of the Year, Warren Jones, the 2017 Horizon League Sixth Man of the Year, and First-Team Horizon League selections Sandy Cohen and JayQuan McCloud.
During his first tenure at Nebraska-Omaha, Herbst helped guide UNO to a school-record 25 wins, the North Central Conference Tournament title, and a second-round appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
In his second stop at UNO, Herbst helped guide the Mavericks to the team’s first NCAA Division I postseason berth in the 2013-14 College Insider.com Tournament (CIT), where they advanced to the second round. He also recruited and signed two-time First-Team All-Summit League and Defensive Player of the Year Tra-Deon Hollins, as well as 2015 Mr. Basketball in the state of Minnesota, J.T. Gibson.
A two-sport standout in college himself, Herbst earned All-Region honors in baseball and basketball and was named an NJCAA Academic All-American in both sports at Waldorf, and later was inducted into the Warrior Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016 both.
Herbst went on to finish his collegiate career playing baseball and basketball at Winona State. He was a member of the Warriors’ 1992 NAIA World Series baseball team that advanced to the national semifinals and finished his basketball career with 1,031 career points.
Herbst graduated from Winona State cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education, and earned his Master’s of Science in Sports Administration from Minnesota State, Mankato in 2005.
Herbst and his wife, Kari Ann, return to Minot with their daughter, Liza, and a son, Jude.
