Girls' Golf
2017 Coach of the Year
Mark Bender
Bellarmine Prep
Tacoma,
Washington Impact Statement
Bender led Bellarmine to nine consecutive state titles before retiring after the 2018 season.
Biography
This past season, Mark Bender led Bellarmine Prep to its eighth straight Washington state championship, which is a state record for consecutive state titles.
In May, Bellarmine won the state title easily with 163.75 points to second place Camas’ 67.75 points. Bellarmine was led by freshman Julia Bordeaux, who finished tied for third at the state tournament. Bender also led the Lions to a 2003 state title before stepping away from the program for four years.
Bender is the first coach from Washington to win the NHSCA National Girls’ Golf Coach of the Year.
Bender led Bellarmine to another state title in 2018 before retiring after the season.
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