Miami University head men’s basketball coach Travis Steele has announced the hiring of Ben Botts as an assistant coach. Botts joins the RedHawks after spending the last seven seasons on the coaching staff at Ball State University.
“I am thrilled to add Ben Botts as an Assistant Coach. I had the privilege of working with Ben at Xavier University years ago, and we have stayed in close contact since those days,” said Steele. “Ben has a ton of coaching experience and great familiarity with the MAC. He is extremely organized, smart and hard-working. Please welcome Ben and his family!”
A native of Muncie, Ind., Botts became part of Ball State’s men’s basketball program in May 2018. During his tenure with the Cardinals, he was a key part of BSU’s recruiting efforts and played a significant role in developing offensive strategies. He crafted game plans, created the team’s offensive playbook, led film sessions, presented scouting reports and also monitored the academic progress of student-athletes. Botts mentored and developed several standout players, including MAC All-Conference selections Payton Sparks, Basheer Jihad and Jarron Coleman. His contributions helped the Cardinals capture the MAC West Division title in 2020 and achieve a 20-win season in 2023.
Prior to his time at Ball State, Botts served as an assistant coach at Purdue Fort Wayne (formerly IPFW) from 2014 to 2018. There, he helped guide the program to four straight postseason appearances, including its first-ever NIT berth in 2016 and three trips to the CIT. In 2016, the team posted a 24-10 record (the second-best in school history) and recorded two memorable wins over Indiana, including one when the Hoosiers were ranked third nationally. Botts was involved in all facets of the program, from player development and recruiting to film sessions, academic monitoring, social media, facility operations and scheduling. Notably, he played a key role in the development of Max Landis (2016 Summit League Player of the Year), Jared Godfrey (program’s all-time leading scorer), John Konchar (All-Conference, current NBA player) and Bryson Scott (All-Newcomer).
Botts also gained valuable experience as director of basketball operations at Princeton during the 2013-14 season, helping the team to a 21-9 record. From 2011 to 2013, he worked as a graduate assistant at Xavier University and contributed to the Musketeers’ Sweet 16 run in 2012, when the team won 23 games.
As a player, Botts was a standout guard at Purdue Fort Wayne (then IPFW), graduating from the program in 2011. He finished his career fourth on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,400 points. He played a key role in the Mastodons’ first two winning seasons as a Division I member and earned All-Summit League Second Team honors in 2011. He was also recognized for his academic achievements as a CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree and a two-time recipient of the NCAA Division I-AAA ADA Scholar-Athlete Award.
Botts is a 2007 graduate of Muncie Central High School, where he led his team to back-to-back appearances in the Class 4A state championship game.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to join Coach Steele’s staff at Miami University,” said Botts. “I look forward to working with such an experienced, accomplished and high character staff and group of players! My family can’t wait to get to Oxford to help this program win a MAC Championship.”
https://miamiredhawks.com/news/2025/6/13/mens-basketball-botts-named-assistant-coach.aspx
