Coach Tom Harbert is entering his 52nd year as a head coach at Saint Vincent College in 2015.
Harbert started his career as the school's wrestling coach in 1963, he has also coached men's cross country and men's and women's lacrosse before his current duties of women's cross country head coach. He was instrumental in creating both the men's and women's lacrosse programs, and is the lone coach in the history of Bearcat women's cross country. Harbert also coached the first female athlete in the history of the college. Coach Harbert was honored as "Bearcat of the Year" at the 2014 Bearcat Open.
Under Harbert's guidance, Ivette Mejia earned two PAC Championships and NCAA All-American status, setting school records at all distances and recently qualified for the World Corporate Team Championships representing the New York RoadRunners. The Bearcats as a team have had consistent strong finishes in the annual PAC Championship meet, placing several runners on postseason All-PAC teams, while also placing 10th at the ECAC's and a 10th place finish at the University of Notre Dame Catholic Nationals.
Prior to joining the NCAA Division III and the PAC, the Bearcats were a consistent force in the NAIA, capped off with the team's first Top 25 ranking in 2005. Over the years, his teams have won numerous invitationals, while his runners have also displayed excellence in academics, as dozens of Bearcats have been named to the PAC's Academic Honor Roll, NAIA All-Academic and the national NCAA Division III All-Academic awards. His 2008 squad also received the Sportswomen's Foundation Team Award as well as several individuals receiving the YWCA Sportswomen of the Year Award in Westmoreland County.
A native of Wilkinsburg, PA and graduate of Shippensburg University, Harbert was a top wrestler, winning the PSAC title as a junior before being selected for the United States Olympic Trials. He was also a member of the Shippensburg track team, running the one and two-mile events. He continued to run competitively following graduation, participating in four marathons, and collected a third place finish in one held at Cabos San Lucas in Mexico. He also won the United States Masters Wrestling Tournament at the University of Pennsylvania. Harbert continued his education by completing his masters degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Harbert has picked up a number of accolades over the course of his career, including NAIA District Cross Country Coach of the Year, Honorary Chair for the Pennsylvania XC Challenge, while he received the Saint Vincent College Letterman of Distinction Award, was inducted into the Southwestern Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame at the 2001 Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic, and into the Tri-Boro chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. The following year he earned an induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame at Shippensburg University. Finally in 2010, he was inducted into the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and received a certificate of appreciation from the NCAA Division III Track and Field Association for outstanding contribution to the sport.
Coach Harbert directed the 2004 American Mideast Conference National Qualifying Cross Country Meet, as well as the 2007 and 2010 Presidents' Athletic Conference championships, and serves on the ECAC Championship Cross Country Committee. Harbert has directed the Saint Vincent College Invitational for more than 30 years. He produced 35 NAIA National Qualifiers during his tenure, and a number of his runners remain active following graduation.
Harbert also served as director of the NIKE Girls Lacrosse camp held on campus from 2004 through 2014.
