Bryan Bender recently completed his fourth season as head men’s basketball coach at Ellsworth Community College after being hired in April 2022. From the start, Bender established a clear vision and a value-driven culture built around his core principles of Passion, Humility, and Discipline (PhD), laying the foundation for sustained excellence on the court, in the classroom, and within the Iowa Falls community.

Through four seasons at Ellsworth, Bender has compiled a 99–38 overall record, a 72% winning percentage, and led the program to four consecutive 20-win seasons. During that span, the Panthers reached No. 1 in the NJCAA national poll for multiple weeks and emerged as one of the premier programs in NJCAA Division II basketball. More than 30 student-athletes have signed scholarships to four-year programs, including 10 NCAA Division I signees—the most among NJCAA Division II programs nationally during that stretch.

The 2025–26 season became one of the most historic in program history. Ellsworth defeated No. 1 overall seed DMACC in the NJCAA National Tournament to advance to the Final Four and ultimately reached the NJCAA Division II National Championship Game for the first time in 55 years, finishing as national runner-up. During the season, the Panthers also knocked off the No. 1 ranked team in the country twice. Bender was named National Coach of the Week by HoopDirt for the program’s signature victories. The Panthers have now reached two Final Fours in the past three seasons. The team’s success was also reflected in individual recognition, as five players earned postseason honors across the ICCAC and NJCAA National Tournament levels during the 2025–26 season.

The 2023–24 season was also historic for the program. The Panthers won 29 games—the second-most in school history—captured the Region XI Tournament Championship for the first time in 38 years, and finished fourth nationally at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament, the program’s best finish in 47 years at the time. Ellsworth remained ranked in the NJCAA Top 20 all season, with six players earning postseason honors, including Second Team NJCAA All-American Mobi Ikegwuruka (Kansas State). Bender was named North Central District Coach of the Year.

Success came immediately in Bender’s first season (2022–23). The Panthers spent 15 weeks ranked in the NJCAA Top 20 and finished 22–10—the program’s best record in more than a decade. The team produced four ICCAC All-Region selections, six Academic All-Americans, and Ellsworth’s first NJCAA All-American in more than ten years while posting a 3.27 team GPA. Twelve players signed scholarships to four-year programs, including five NCAA Division I signees.

Bender arrived at Southwest Mississippi Community College after a successful four-year tenure as head coach, where he built one of the most academically successful programs in junior college basketball. The 2018–19 team earned NJCAA Academic Team of the Year honors with the highest team GPA in the nation. Over four seasons, Southwest posted a 3.45 cumulative GPA, won four consecutive MACCC Academic Team of the Year awards, and achieved a 100% graduation rate for all student-athletes and managers who completed their degrees under Bender.

On the court, Southwest compiled a 66–51 record with five postseason appearances. The program recorded notable victories, including an upset over No. 2-ranked Pearl River CC that ended their 33-game winning streak, and completed the largest comeback in college basketball history by overcoming a 34-point second-half deficit. Bender also helped produce 22 NCAA Division I players and 19 additional NAIA, NCAA Division II, and Division III signees, including 10 freshmen who earned Division I scholarships after one season.

Across his career as a junior college coach, Bender has helped more than 100 student-athletes earn four-year scholarships, including 56 at the NCAA Division I level and 12 Top 100 nationally ranked recruits, while maintaining a 100% graduation rate.

Prior to becoming a head coach, Bender served three seasons as Director of Basketball Operations at Appalachian State University, assisting with fundraising, budgeting, travel, scouting, and video coordination. Eleven players from that program went on to play professionally overseas. He also served as an assistant coach at Missouri State University–West Plains and helped produce 12 NCAA Division I signees during his time with the program.

Bender began his career at University of Minnesota, spending eight years in the program working his way from student manager to graduate assistant coach and eventually video coordinator. During his time with the Golden Gophers, he worked under three head coaches—Dan Monson, Jim Molinari, and Hall of Fame coach Tubby Smith. Over that span, Minnesota made six postseason appearances, including three NCAA Tournament bids, three NIT appearances, earned a Top 25 ranking for multiple weeks, and recorded a 2013 NCAA Tournament victory over UCLA.

Bender has also worked with USA Basketball alongside legendary coach Bob McKillop as part of national coaching development and international basketball initiatives. He has conducted camps and clinics in multiple countries, including Japan, Italy, and Switzerland, and will help run an international showcase in the Netherlands during the summer of 2026.

Beyond coaching, Bender has built a national presence within the coaching profession. He has appeared as a guest lecturer and podcast contributor on leadership platforms and participated in the inaugural JUCO TopConnect Symposium, a national event featuring many of the top junior college basketball coaches in the country. He also served as Executive Director of Basketball and Sponsorships for Rising Coaches, hosting the organization’s podcast. In his first year at Ellsworth, he received the Iowa Valley Community College District Outstanding Service Award for Leadership and Communication.

Bender has also been deeply committed to player and community development. He has helped mentor and grow the local youth basketball community through initiatives such as Scenic City HoopFest, Bryan Bender Basketball Camps, the IFA Blazers youth program, Cadet Basketball Club and curriculum development, and his involvement with Full Court Hoops AAU—helping provide opportunities for young athletes in the region to learn the game and develop both on and off the court.

In recognition of his impact beyond athletics, Bender will receive the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in spring 2026, honoring his humanitarian work and dedication to helping international student-athletes achieve academic, athletic, and personal success.

A native of Cambridge, Wisconsin, Bender is married to Kristi, and they have two daughters, Livi (Sept. 2020) and Lainey (Jan. 2024).