Joining in 2019, Pat Sarver enters his 7th year as a Golden Grizzly and his 10th year coaching at the NCAA Division 1 level and primarily assists with the middle distance and distance athletes, as well as being heavily involved with recruiting and home meet management.
Sarver has assisted with many big moments in the Oakland program, including two Women’s Horizon League Cross Country Championship teams (2019, 2023), four Women’s Horizon League Cross Country Runner-Up teams (2020, 2021, 2022, 2024), Women’s Horizon League Outdoor Track and Field Runner-Up (2022), Men’s Horizon League Cross Country Runner-Up (2019), Men’s Horizon League Indoor Track and Field Runner-Up (2023), and NCAA Cross Country Individual Qualifier in Maggie Schneider (2019), and 15 school records between both programs
Sarver has coached over 20 Horizon League Track and Field Champions including Grace Nolan (Women's 10,000m Championship Record Holder, 2025), Ashley Quinn (Women's 800m Championship Record Holder, 2025), Yami Albrecht (Men's 1500m Championship Record Holder, 2025), Jennifer Ohlsson (Women's 3000m Steeplechase, 2024), Wesley Hollowell (Men's 3000m Steeplechase, 2024), and Connor Goetz (Two-time Men's 5000m and 10,000m Champion, 2021 and 2022). He has also coached three individual League Cross Country Champions in Maggie Schneider (2019), Connor Goetz (2019), and Yami Albrecht (2022).
From 2016-2019, Sarver served as a volunteer assistant at San Jose State where he assisted with many program firsts, including the return of the historic SJSU "Speed City" Men’s Track and Field program in 2019, competing in their first conference meet since 1988. On a national scale he coached four NCAA Track and Field West Preliminary round qualifying performances in Jose Pina (Men's 10,000m, 2018 and 2019), Craig Huff (Men's 3000m Steeplechase, 2018 and 2019), Jennifer Sandoval (Women's 5,000m and 10,000m, 2017, 2018 and 2019) and Jeanette Zambrano (Women's 5,000m and 3000m Steeplechase, 2018 and 2019), aided two NCAA Cross Country Championship qualifiers in Pina (2016) - the first men's qualifier since 1988 and Sandoval (2019) - the first women's national qualifier, and helped guide the Spartans Women's Cross Country program to an eighth place finish at the NCAA West Regional in 2018.
In Mountain West Conference action, Sarver coached conference champion Craig Huff (Men's 3000m Steeplechase, 2019), and assisted in four All-Mountain West performances in Sandoval (2nd team, 2017 and 2018), Pina (2nd team, 2016), and Huff (2nd team, 2018).
The Chesterfield, Michigan native got his start at the high school level in Michigan, with stints at L’Anse Creuse High School - North (2010-2016) and Notre Dame Preparatory Academy (2008).
Sarver is a 2010 alumnus of Oakland University, graduating with a BA in English. He served as a team captain for the cross country and track and field teams and was a member of the 2005 Mid-Continent cross country championship team. He also was a member of the university's inaugural track and field team in 2006.
