The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Intercollegiate Athletics Department has named Kent Dernbach as its men’s basketball head coach.  He served as the Eagles’ interim head coach for the 2017-18 season.

“It is an honor to be named the head coach at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse,” said Dernbach.  “I would like to thank Kim Blum, the athletic department, and the entire La Crosse community for the welcome my family and I have felt over the past five months.  Having the unique ability to feel and see first-hand the make-up and vision of UW-La Crosse athletics, only fueled my desire for this position.”

UW-La Crosse started the 2017-18 season with a record of 8-2, including a 65-63 win over then 20th-ranked Saint John’s University (Minn.).  It was one of four losses by the Johnnies (23-4) this season, who were ranked seventh on the final regular-season D3hoops.com Top-25 Poll.  UW-La Crosse finished 13-13 overall this year, losing six games by three points or less.  The Eagles lead the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in steals (9.08 per game), turnover margin (+3.08), turnovers forced per game (16.3) while ranking second in offensive rebounds (10.5) in 2017-18.

UW-La Crosse’s 236 steals this year ranks second in single-season school history.  The Eagles recorded double digit steals in 11 games in 2017-18, including a season-high 17 at UW-Whitewater on February 17 that clinched a bid to the WIAC Championship.

“I am so happy to announce Kent as our permanent coach,” said UW-La Crosse Director of Athletics Kim Blum.  “It was very clear throughout the season and during the interview process how much being the head men’s basketball coach at UW-La Crosse means to him.

“He worked incredibly hard to demonstrate his willingness to do whatever it takes to create a dynamic culture that allows student-athletes to succeed on and off the court,” added Blum.  “Kent knows what it takes to win and the players bought in to the vision of what he hopes to accomplish with the program.”

Dernbach is the 24th head men’s basketball coach in UW-La Crosse history.

The Eagles’ Ben Meinholz was voted to the 2017-18 All-WIAC First Team by the league coaches, one of 10 players named to the team.  He leads the league in steals (2.6) while ranking fifth in blocks (0.6), eighth in scoring (14.3) and ninth in assists (2.4).  UW-La Crosse’s Brendon Manning and Taulvish McCray were selected to the 2017-18 All-WIAC Honorable Mention Team.  Manning is fourth in the conference in rebounding (7.0), fifth in steals (1.4) and sixth in field goal shooting (52.9%) while McCray is second in steals (1.5) and seventh in three-point shooting (43.9%).  McCray was one of five players named to the 2017-18 All-WIAC Defensive Team, the second student-athlete in school history to earn the honor.

“UW-La Crosse has a standard of excellence, both in sport and academic reputation,” said Dernbach.  “I am determined to build a championship culture in our basketball program.  Our standard must include continuing to move forward as we consistently compete for WIAC championships and NCAA Tournament appearances.

“I have been fortunate to lead a quality group of young men this past season who have welcomed me into their lives.  I am grateful to those players and our staff for having blind trust in laying a foundation for years to come,” added Dernbach.

Dernbach served as associate head coach at UW-Stevens Point from 2011-17.  He was the Pointers’ interim head coach for the last 13 games of the 2016-17 season, leading the team to an 8-5 record.  UW-Stevens Point made four straight National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Tournament appearances from 2012-15.

His fourth season with the Pointers culminated in winning the national championship in 2014-15.  UW-Stevens Point won three consecutive WIAC titles from 2013-15.

Dernbach recruited 13 All-WIAC selections and five all-conference defensive players at UW-Stevens Point.  He created the Junior Pointers program for area youth and was the assistant camp director for all resident and commuter camps.

Prior to arriving at UW-Stevens Point, Dernbach was the director of basketball operations and an assistant coach at Northern Illinois University from 2009-11.  He served as director of basketball operations at George Mason University (Va.) from 2007-09 as the Colonials posted back-to-back 20-wins seasons.  George Mason (Va.) captured the 2007-08 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament Championship advanced to the NCAA Division I Tournament. Dernbach was an assistant coach at Marymount University (Va.) from 2005-07.

A native of Almond, Wisconsin, Dernbach earned his bachelor’s degree in sport management and psychology from Carthage College (Wis.) in 2004 and completed his master’s degree in physical activity and educational services from The Ohio State University in 2006.  He was a two-year letter winner at Carthage (Wis.) as the Red Men went 46-8 overall and won a pair of College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Championships. Carthage (Wis.) finished third in the 2002 NCAA Division III Tournament.

After his playing career, Dernbach was an assistant boys’ basketball coach at North Central High School (Salem, Wis.) in 2003-04 and at Whetstone High School (Columbus, Ohio) in 2004-05.

https://www.uwlathletics.com/news/2018/3/12/dernbach-named-uw-la-crosse-mens-basketball-coach.aspx