The Richland Athletics department appointed head soccer coach Raul Herrera as the interim athletic director on Aug. 12. This came after Lynn Nabi, the former Athletic Director, was promoted to Executive Athletic Director for all Dallas college athletics. Nabi was the athletic director for Richland from 2022 to 2025. Nabi led the department to many playoff wins and national titles. He also worked to prioritize exposure and engagement with the school, with annual events like “Pack the Park” and “Pack the Gym.”
This leadership transition is one of many happening this year at Dallas College, as the institution undergoes a wave of naming new roles and appointing positions.
Herrera will oversee the operations of Richland’s athletic department while continuing in his role as head coach of the nationally ranked Thunderducks men’s soccer program.
Herrera came to Richland in 2011 as an assistant coach for Sean Worley, a Richland legend and member of the NJCAA Hall of Fame. He then took over in 2019 and has taken the men’s soccer team to the NJCAA national championship six times as head coach. In 2024, Herrera had a coaching record of 88-6-4, and the team was 28-0-0 in Dallas Athletic Conference play. Before his coaching career, Herrera also played for Richland himself, leading the team to the 2006 NJCAA National Championship.
When asked about his experience transitioning to the role, he said, “Honestly, I’ve been here for a while; it’s my 15th year overall. It’s definitely a whole other element. I used to just worry about my team, and I had support from other people helping me, but now I’m the one supporting, so it’s definitely a learning curve.” Herrera mentions that this transition would not be as smooth without the other athletic staff at Richland.
“I’m lucky to be around good staff. I think our staff is well-rounded.”
The question of why Herrera was appointed does cross people’s minds, Herrera says. “Honestly, many of our staff members could have taken this role. I’m just blessed they trusted me. I’m not perfect, but I’m willing to learn and work. I take pride in what I do, and when my team wins, I’m happy, and when my colleagues’ teams win, I’m also happy. I take it very personally. “
The future after this transition period is still in the air.
However, when Herrera was asked if he would be pursuing it further, he said, “It is something I would maybe consider as a full-time.”
