Head Coach Toby Bares

When head coach R. Toby Bares arrived at UW-Oshkosh in 1984 to begin a varsity men's soccer program, he hoped to create a winning program and a quality soccer experience for his players. Those dreams have long since become a reality as UW-Oshkosh has firmly established itself as one of the most successful and highly-respected NCAA Division III men's soccer programs in the country.

During his previous 23 seasons at UW-Oshkosh, Bares has coached the Titans to an impressive 303-87-33 record, including marks of 15-1-2 in 1988, 18-0-3 in 1994, 17-2-1 in 1999, 20-2 in 2000 and 21-1 in 2003. Bares enters the 2007 season with a .755 winning percentage, a mark that ranks him ninth among all head men's soccer coaches in NCAA Division III history.

Since 1999, UW-Oshkosh teams have been on a tear, sporting a lofty 113-29-11 record. Last year, Bares guided the Titans to an 8-6-4 record and the school's 22nd consecutive winning season.

In addition to coaching over 300 victories, Bares' has directed UW-Oshkosh to 10 NCAA Division III postseason appearances, including five in the past eight years. The Titans advanced to the NCAA Division III Final Four in 1994, 2000 and 2003 as well as visiting the quarterfinal round of the national postseason tournament in 1993.

In all, UW-Oshkosh owns a 13-8-3 record in NCAA Division postseason play. In 1994, Bares led UW-Oshkosh to a spot in the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Championship, where it lost on a penalty kick tiebreaker to eventual national champion Bethany College (W. Va.). In 2000, Bares guided UW-Oshkosh to the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Championship, where it lost a 2-0 contest to Rowan University (N.J.). In 2003, Bares piloted to the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Championship, where it lost a dramatic 3-2 double overtime decision to eventual national champion Trinity University (Texas).

As a result of UW-Oshkosh's perennially outstanding accomplishments, the personal accolades have piled up for Bares. The veteran mentor has been named NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year once and NCAA Division III Central Region Coach of the Year three times. He also has received 10 Wisconsin Coach of the Year awards.

For over two decades, Bares has been extremely active on the state soccer scene. His involvement includes serving as a coaching course instructor for the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association (WYSA). He has earned the USSF "A" license and the NSCAA Advanced National certification, the two highest soccer coaching credentials awarded in the United States.

Besides coaching collegiate soccer, Bares also serves as the Assistant Director of UW-Oshkosh’s new Student Recreation & Wellness Center. The Wisconsin native earned his bachelor's degree from UW-Stevens Point in 1976 and his master’s degree from Bowling Green State University (Ohio) in 1977. Bares and his wife, JoAnn, live in Oshkosh with their children, Ellie, Katie and Ricky.

(Written August 30, 2007)

Assistant Coaches