Pat Ferguson is in his eighth season as Head Coach of the Wright State women's soccer team. Each year, Ferguson's teams have posted double-digit wins, highlighted by a 2006 campaign which saw the team finish 12-3-4. Last season, Ferguson guided the Raiders to the Horizon League final and posted his seventy-fifth win at WSU. Before joining WSU, Ferguson served as the head coach at Campbell University for five seasons. Ferguson also coached at his alma mater Malone University, where he walked-on and captained the team.
Grove: “Did you play sports as a child?”
Ferguson: “I played virtually all sports as a child, but I didn’t play soccer until I was 14. Before that, I primarily played baseball.”
Grove: “You played soccer in college, right?”
Ferguson: “Yes. I played for four years at Malone University, which is a small D-II college in Northeast Ohio, and I was a captain there.”
Grove: “What drew you to soccer?”
Ferguson: “My mom actually signed me up because I was a hyperactive kid that got into a lot a trouble. She signed me up to try to get rid of some of my energy.”
Grove: “How did you get into coaching?”
Ferguson: When I got out of college, I was a youth pastor for two years, and the local high school had an opening for boy’s varsity soccer coach. I ended up coaching baseball, as well, and I realized what I should be doing for the rest of life is coaching young people in a competitive atmosphere.”
Grove: “How did you end up at WSU?”
Ferguson: “I was the head coach at Campbell University, a small Division I school in North Carolina, and was quite successful there. I was looking to take a step forward to the mid-major level. I applied, (Wright State Athletic Director) Bob Grant gave me a call and it went from there.”
Grove: “What are your favorite experiences at WSU?”
Ferguson: “My favorite experience happened very recently, as we just beat Milwaukee with two seconds to go. It was the first time we’ve won there since 1989. Also, making the Horizon League championship game last year is up there as well.”
Grove: “What do you enjoy most about your job?”
Ferguson: “I think the thing that gives me the most long term satisfaction is seeing one person enter at one level and leave at another level. And seeing them go on after their college career for the next five to 60 years as better people.”
Grove: “What are your career goals?”
Ferguson: “My goals are to win the conference tournament and get my team to the NCAA tournament. Every year, I’m trying to get them to overachieve and make the whole team greater than the sum of its parts. I try to get them to do more than what people expect them to do.”
Grove: “What message do you have to students in general at WSU?”
Ferguson: “I just hope they come out and watch a good team play. Someone once asked me how I was going to generate support at Wright State, and I said ‘Win.’ Every year I’ve been here we’ve been either first or second in fan attendance in the Horizon League. I encourage fans to come out and watch a winning team.”
