Indiana University East Men's Basketball

Hester led IU East's transition from club sports to National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) membership in 2007. IU East has grown from three varsity sports in 2007 to 11 varsity sports by the 2014-15 school year. Hester quickly put together an exciting team for IU East's first NAIA basketball season in 2007-08. IU East finished second in the nation with 92.6 points per game. IU East also led the nation with 22.1 assists per game. IU East was third in the nation in 3-point field goals per game and fourth in the nation in blocks per game. The foundation for a successful intercollegiate men's basketball program was in place. Hester led IU East to one of the biggest turnarounds in the NAIA during the 2008-09 season. The Red Wolves finished 23-9. IU East's 14-win improvement was the second-best turnaround in the NAIA. The Red Wolves received votes in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches poll, the first IU East team to do so. IU East finished second in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season standings. The Red Wolves also finished second in the KIAC tournament - just one win away from advancing to the NAIA National Championships. Hester's 2008-09 team also earned recognition for its off-court accomplishments. IU East received the Buffalo Funds Five Star Award for Division II men's basketball. The award honors teams committed to the NAIA Champions of Character program's five core values of respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship. The Red Wolves continued to earn respect at the national level during the 2009-10 season. IU East received votes the NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll throughout the first half of the season. The Red Wolves defeated a team ranked the NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll for the first time when they beat then-No. 3 Indiana University Southeast on Feb. 20. Hester guided the Red Wolves to a banner year in 2010-11. IU East went 23-10 and won a share of the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season championship for the first time. The Red Wolves East capped the season with the program's first trip to the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship. IU East also won the Buffalo Funds Five Star Award for Division II men's basketball for the second time in three years. Hester guided the Red Wolves to another trip to the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship in 2011-12. IU East reached the No. 8 spot in the national rankings in December, the best ranking in the program's history. The season included a win against then-No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan University in December, IU East's first win against a top-ranked team. Hester's 2012-13 team produced the program's fourth 20-win season in the past five years. Just 18 schools in the NAIA Division II have achieved four 20-win seasons in the past five years. IU East enjoyed a record-setting season in 2014-15. The Red Wolves went 26-8, setting a program record for wins. IU East finished with the most wins in the KIAC for the first time, and also won the program's first KIAC tournament title. The Red Wolves returned to the national tournament for the third time in five years. It was a "Fab" season for IU East in 2015-16. The Red Wolves broke through to the "Fab Four" at the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship and finished sixth in the national postseason poll. IU East repeated as KIAC Colonial Division champions. The Red Wolves also received the Buffalo Funds Five-Star Champions of Character Team Award for men's basketball for the third time in seven years. Hester also served as the Red Wolves' track and field coach during the 2009-10 school year. IU East's athletes combined to win three events in their first appearance at the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference meet. Hester came to IU East from Bethel College in McKenzie, Tenn. Hester spent six years with the men's basketball team at Bethel, serving as the assistant coach, head junior varsity coach, intramural director and instructor. Bethel made it to the NAIA Division II National Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2002. Bethel had winning seasons from 2001-2006. Hester is originally from Glasgow, Ky. He is a 1992 graduate of Barren County High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from Western Kentucky University. Hester received his Master of Arts in Education from Bethel College in 2003. Hester was part of the Western Kentucky University Hilltopper basketball program for two seasons. WKU won Sun Belt Conference Championships and earned berths to the NCAA Tournament in 1994 and 1995. He served as an assistant boys basketball coach for Warren East High School under legendary Coach Tommy Compton. Hester has also worked as a financial representative for National City Corporation in Lexington, Ky., where he resided until 2000. Hester and his wife, Rebeckah, and their sons, Bryson and Braxton, reside in Richmond. Tyler Rigby was named assistant basketball coach at Indiana University East on June 5, 2012. Rigby also serves as the assistant coach for the cross country and track and field teams, and also oversees the Graf Recreation Center. Rigby played basketball for the Red Wolves from 2008 to 2011 and graduated as the school's leader in NAIA career points. "It's great to have one of our own who made the program what it is continue to be a part of it," said IU East men's basketball coach Mark Hester, Rigby's coach during his Red Wolves playing career. "He set himself up for this opportunity by doing things the right way on and off of the floor. His respect level from the players is so high because of the caliber of person he is. The work ethic he has will lend itself very well to coaching." Rigby served as a volunteer assistant during the 2011-12 school year while completing his Bachelor of Science in Education. "It made sense (to coach at IU East) because I've dedicated so much time here and have an emotional commitment to IU East," Rigby said. "The opportunity to coach here gives me another way to give back to the university because it has given me a lot over my years here." Rigby was IU East's Male Athlete of the Year three times and also won the school's Champions of Character award. He still holds multiple IU East basketball school records. His message to future IU East players: "You are going to get somebody who is dedicated to helping you become the best player you can be and will teach you that a lot of that has to do with the hard work you put in." Rigby is a native of Bryant, Ind. He led Jay County High School to the Indiana Class 3A state finals in 2006, where he won the prestigious Trester Award for mental attitude. , a standout for the Indiana University East men's basketball and track and field teams from 2008 through 2013 join the Red Wolves athletic department as an assistant coach for the cross country, track and field and men's basketball programs in the summer of 2013. Sanders graduated from Indiana University East in May of 2013 with a bachelor's degree in general studies with a concentration in social and behavioral sciences and a minor in sports marketing and management. "I've known ever since middle school that I wanted to coach in some capacity," Sanders said. "I wanted to coach here because I have so much invested in IU East. I've been here for five years in the athletic department and I take a lot of pride in playing here, so I want to be here and give back and help out with the athletes here." Sanders was the IU East men's basketball team's starting point guard from 2008-2012. He completed his career as the program's NAIA career leader in assists and steals. He also is a member of the school's 1,000 point club. "Dave is going to be a great coach," said IU East men's basketball coach . "He came in and was a coach on the floor for us, and he has a coach's mentality, and educator's mentality. "We are fortunate we could keep him around to be the start of his coaching career, which is going to be very bright." Sanders competed in track and field for three years at IU East. He claimed the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's track and field athlete of the year award this past spring after winning five events at the KIAC meet, including individual event wins in the 100 meter dash, long jump and high jump. "Dave is a great addition to the program," said IU East cross country and track and field coach Brett Crowley. "I'm looking forward to working with Dave as a coach. His experience and the fact he is close in age to our current group will make him a terrific asset." Sanders has a role in practices, scouting and recruiting for the basketball program. He works with the sprinters and jumpers on the track and field team and serves in multiple roles for the cross country program. "By being here for four years for basketball I understand what we want to do and how we want to go about doing it," Sanders said. "For track and field, I've been through it, I ran for three years, and I want to translate that to the kids coming up. "It's a great opportunity to get started, and I'm ready to get it all rolling."