Coach David Bender

David Bender begins his third season as head coach of the men's and women's cross country programs at Salve Regina University.

A member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Hall of Fame Class of 2005-06, Bender was a member of the national championship cross country team at Malone College (Ohio) in 1972. He earned All-America honors as a junior and senior.

Bender graduated from Malone with a degree in psychology in 1975 and obtained his master's degree in information science at Salve Regina in 1991. During that time, he competed in cross country skiing, road racing, swimming, and cross country and was inducted into the Malone Athletic 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 was unable to 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 1990's. He has been involved with local middle school and high school cross country programs as a volunteer assistant.

"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," said Bender. "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."