University of California, Santa Barbara

Hope Bender returns to UCSB as an assistant coach after an illustrious career where she won 6 Big West Conference titles en route to a pair of All-American honors in the pentathlon (indoors) and heptathlon (outdoors) during her senior year as a Gaucho. 

Aside from her stellar career as a heptathlete, Bender went on to win three straight Big West 400m hurdle titles while setting the conference meet standard of 56.64. 

Her heptathlon best of 5955 came at the 2018 NCAA Championships in Austin, Tx where she placed fourth.