Athletics at Salve Regina University

Coach David Bender - Women's Cross Country

David Bender has participated and excelled in both cross country and track & field at the national collegiate level. A recent inductee into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) 2005-06 Hall of Fame class, he was a member of the 1972 Malone College (Ohio) national championship team and earned All-American honors his junior and senior seasons.

He graduated from Malone in 1975 with a degree in psychology and went on to obtain a master's degree in information science at Salve Regina in 1991. A true competitor, Bender competed in cross country skiing, road racing, swimming, and cross country after graduation. He was inducted into Malone's Hall of Fame in 1994.

In 1980, Bender placed fifth out of 10,000 runners in the (Canadian) Montreal Marathon with a time that qualified him for the Olympic Trials, but he did not compete in the trials due to a running-related injury. As an adult masters runner, Bender ran cross country and road races for the Central Massachusetts Striders (CMS) running club.

With a professional background in information management, Bender enjoyed a seven-year tenure as a database administrator with Salve Regina in the 1990s. He has been involved with local middle school and high school cross country programs as a volunteer assistant.

Bender will be working with over 30 Seahawk student-athletes in the fall. "Cross country can sometimes be a lonely sport, but strength can be gleaned from the self motivation required to routinely reserve a part of the day for a run, despite the weather conditions that might otherwise discourage us," he said.

"Running cross country may not guarantee success on the trail, but it will provide you with a lifetime template for strength, courage, and discipline to confront life's challenges."