After an accomplished career with numerous athletic organizations, Norm Berney became the first-ever head coach of the cross country programs at Corban University in 2003. Following success with both the men’s and women’s cross country teams, Berney started the track & field programs at Corban in 2004.
With the Warriors, Berney has experienced loads of success, highlighted by his Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) Cross Country Coach of the Year accolade in 2006. Prior to that award, Berney collected the National Christian Colleges Association of America (NCCAA) Coach of the Year honor in 2003.
“I believe that everyone can benefit from exercise and athletic participation,” Berney stated. “No one should be discriminated against because of size, speed or race, and everyone can improve and be an important part of a team. Corban is a place where athletes and students are encouraged to grow spiritually and find God’s plan for their lives.”
In just his fourth year as the head coach at Corban, Berney led the women’s cross country program to it’s first-ever CCC title as well as a third-place showing at the NAIA Regional Championship in 2006. At NAIA Nationals that year, the squad finished in 27th overall, while finishing ranked No. 16 in the nation at the end of the campaign. Furthermore, his track programs at Corban have produced numerous All-Conference and All-American athletes. Most recently, in 2019, the Corban track & field programs two All-Americans (Michael Schmidt and Reagan Shira) in the Decathlon, and one All-American in the Heptathlon (Valerie Schmidt). In the fall of 2019, Berney oversaw Robert Swoboda becoming the first men's cross country All-American in school history.
Starting new cross country programs is nothing new for Berney. He has been involved in the development of two new cross country programs at the high school level as well, producing a team district championship and two-time individual state champion. Prior to Corban, Berney was an assistant track & field and cross country coach at Clackamas Community College for eight years. As the head coach in 1984, Clackamas finished second in the state and fourth in the NWACC Championships.
He’s also served as the head wrestling coach at Clackamas Community College, garnering the Oregon Wrestling Coach of the Year award on five different occasions. He was named the Regional Coach of the Year for Wrestling and the State of Oregon Wrestling Man of the Year plaudit in 1989. Additionally, Berney was tabbed the National Coach of the Year in 1987, while in 1992 he was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
While working as a Leadership Training Instructor for Phi Theta Kappa and as a member of the CCC International Relations Committee over the years, Berney has amassed a wealth of knowledge that eventually landed him on the prestigious Who’s Who Among American Teachers list in 2002.
Berney’s first ever job after college was as the Athletic Director at Ukiah High School, where he coached the cross country, volleyball, basketball, and track & field teams while teaching speech and social sciences.
A graduate of Eastern Oregon State University in 1968 with a degree in Social Science, Berney pursued his Master’s degree in Guidance Counseling from Portland State University and earned the degree in 1974.
Berney and his wife, Nancy, reside in Oregon City, and have two children – Marlies who is 30 years old, and Thomas who is 29 years old and a 2007 Corban graduate.
