Lancaster Bible College and the Lancaster Bible College Athletic Department are pleased to announce Ryan Carpenter has been chosen to lead the Lancaster Bible Women’s Basketball program. Carpenter becomes the 27th head coach in program history and replaces Joy Tharrington who stepped down in April to pursue other coaching opportunities.
Carpenter is a 2009 graduate of Lancaster Bible and played for the men’s basketball program from 2005-08. During the 2022-23 season Carpenter served as an assistant coach at NCAA Division II University of Minnesota-Duluth, as the Bulldogs went 32-4 and advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championship game before falling to Ashland University, 78-67. Prior to his stop in Duluth, Carpenter also served as an assistant coach in 2021-22 for the University of Jamestown (N.D.) which is an NAIA school.
After graduating from Lancaster Bible, Carpenter returned to the Midwest, where he and his wife grew up, and immediately began his coaching career at the high school level, including a successful run as a head coach in Rochester, Minn. Following his success on the high school level, Carpenter made the aforementioned jump to the collegiate level and said the past two years have prepared him for this chance at Lancaster Bible.
“The past two years have really allowed me to get my feet wet with recruiting,” Carpenter explained. “I’ve always felt confident with strategy on the floor, and the past two years have really helped me learn the recruiting process, as well as the pace of the collegiate game. I’ve learned from two great head coaches and can’t wait to get started at Lancaster Bible.”
The idea of coming back to coach at his alma mater isn’t lost on Carpenter and his family and he is excited to be coming back to the area.
“If you would’ve asked me in 2009 if I would be back to coach here, I’m not sure I would have said yes,” Carpenter said. “However, I love the full-circle nature of this and there are still some faces I will recognize, including my former coach Pete Beers (who serves as Vice President of Traditional Undergraduate Education), as well as men’s basketball head coach Jon Mack who I played against when he coached at Valley Forge. It’s an exciting time in the program and the athletic department and my family and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
Carpenter has already begun building relationships with the returning members of the Lancaster Bible Women’s Basketball program and is excited to finalize the roster for the 2023-24 campaign.
“Relationship-building is an extremely important part, not only with the players in the program, but with the coaches and other staff in the department,” Carpenter said. “I’ve greatly enjoyed my interactions with Director of Athletics Rod Baughman, and can’t wait to learn about Lancaster Bible-specific recruiting from Coach Mack and the other coaches.”
Baughman said he very excited to have Carpenter join the Lancaster Bible family and looks forward to his care and leadership of the women’s basketball program.
“Ryan was just what we were looking for,” Baughman said. “As an alumnus, he both understands and loves Lancaster Bible College. We believe he has the tools to deliver on our promises for student care and discipleship, as well as build and prepare a team for excellence on the court. Recruitment of mission-fit and athletically capable student-athletes will be an extension of who he is, and we love that he values his family and are excited to welcome them into our Charger family.”
As he is welcomed to Lancaster, Carpenter hopes to bring stability to the program, as well as build a foundation that is competing for conference championships. After talking to the current student-athletes of the program, Carpenter believes the foundation is strong and the team can compete during the 2023-24 season and beyond.
“I’ve greatly enjoyed the conversations I’ve had with the current players,” Carpenter said. “They are driven to be better on and off the floor, and I am excited to work with driven players.”
Carpenter and his family will be moving to Lancaster in the coming weeks.
https://lbcchargers.com/news/2023/5/8/ryan-carpenter-named-womens-basketball-head-coach.aspx
Tagged with: D3
