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May 30, 2007

New Orleans - Tulane University head basketball coach Dave Dickerson announced today the hiring Dick Bender as an assistant coach for the Green Wave. Bender replaces Benjy Taylor, who left the program last month to become the head coach at Chicago State.

Bender comes to Tulane from Indiana State University where he recently completed his 10th overall season on the Sycamores' staff, and his fifth campaign as an associated head coach after being elevated to the position following the 2001 campaign. Bender, who also served as former ISU head coach Royce Waltman's top assistant at DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind., was responsible for the Sycamores' daily basketball operations and he assisted in individual player development, scouting, game preparation, and academic support. Bender will assist in every aspect of the men's program at Tulane.

Although he will begin his first season at Tulane in 2007-08, Bender is no stranger to Dickerson, as both coaches served on the men's basketball staff at Radford University for four seasons (1992-96).

"I am ecstatic to be reunited with Dick Bender," Dickerson said. "We worked together on the same staff at Radford and I think he is one of the best assistant basketball coaches in the country, and will be a head coach very, very soon. He has seen success as a player and coach and I believe he will help us duplicate that success here at Tulane. Dick is a great person, great coach and an outstanding role model for our student-athletes."

"I am extremely excited to be joining the Tulane University basketball family and reconnecting with Dave Dickerson whom I have worked with in the past," Bender said. "Dave is the consummate professional and one of the top young coaches in the country. I am anxious to help him keep Tulane basketball on the rise. The academic and athletic reputation of Tulane speaks for itself and I am extremely fortunate to continue to work with a head coach that I respect and trust."

Bender was hired at Indiana State from Radford, where he spent six seasons as an assistant for Highlander head coach Ron Bradley. In those six seasons, Radford compiled not only the best non-conference record of any member of the Big South Conference, but also the top conference mark. Bender witnessed one of the biggest wins in school history, when Radford traveled to Baton Rouge, La., and upset LSU, 73-72, during the 1993-94 season. The Highlanders also posted excellent marks in the classroom, as the graduation rates of Highlander student-athletes ranked ninth in the nation at one point of Bender's tenure.

Prior to Radford, Bender spent those aforementioned seasons with Waltman at DePauw from 1987-92. Bender helped lead the Tigers to a four-year record of 80-30. They were twice ranked number-one in the country in Division III during that span and were national runners-up in the NCAA tournament in 1989-90.

A native of Grantsville, Md., Bender graduated from Western Maryland in 1986 and received his master's degree from DePauw in 1989. Bender played two seasons of basketball at Western Maryland and was the team MVP as a senior. His 91 percent free throw shooting ranked third nationally among Division III players in 1985-86.

Before arriving at DePauw, Bender spent one year teaching in Maryland while also serving as an assistant basketball coach at Charles County Community College. During his tenure, the team posted a 26-7 record and won the Maryland Junior College National Division Championship.

Dick and his wife, Beth, have two sons, Dalton and Dillon.