Dick Bender '89 Introduced as Clemson's Director of Basketball Operations

April 28, 2010

April 28, 2010, Greencastle, Ind. — "Having coached Brad at DePauw, I'm extremely excited about being a part of his staff," says Dick Bender, who was formally introduced today as director of basketball operations at Clemson University.  He will serve under Clemson's new head men's basketball coach, 1991 DePauw University graduate Brad Brownell. Bender, who was an assistant under Royce Waltman at DePauw, coached Brownell as a college player.

"We've had a good relationship for many years," Bender says. "We've remained extremely close. Throughout his career, we've called each other for advice. I'm just elated he's kept me in mind enough to think that I could help his staff at Clemson."

According to Brownell (pictured at right), who was named Clemson's new hoops coach on April 13, "Dick is tremendous, he's just unbelievably loyal. He coached me in college and worked for Royce Waltman for the better part of 14 years in two stints at DePauw and Indiana State. Coach Waltman was a mentor to the both of us. Dick has tremendous basketball knowledge, especially with motion offense. Dick is unbelievably organized. He will serve as my chief of staff in terms of running this program. He will keep me pointed in the right direction. He'll make sure our players are taken care of in a lot of ways. He's got so much experience in dealing with people. He'll be a good confidant for me in a lot of different situations."

After DePauw, where he earned a master's degree in 1989, Bender served as an assistant at Radford, Indiana State and, most recently, Tulane.

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