As the Bison women's volleyball team prepare for another Canada West conference regular season on Friday, October 16 at home versus Saskatchewan, Bison head coach Ken Bentley embarks on his 30th season at the helm with Manitoba.
Bentley, 52, started his coaching career with the Bisons in the 1986-87 season and guided the program to a National Championship final match against Winnipeg in his first year. Over the years, Bentley has become the winningest women's volleyball head coach in Bison program history and in the CIS (Canadian Interuniversity Sport).
His recent milestone occurred in the 2014-15 season when he captured his 1,000 overall match win (conference regular season/non-conference/playoffs matches) in a 3-0 (25-23, 31-29, 25-19) victory at home against the Thompson Rivers WolfPack on Saturday, November 22, 2014.
The Winnipeg native now currently holds a career university coaching record of 1,011-376 (winning percentage of 72.89%) and has an extensive resume with the BIsons as he has led the program to six CIS national championship (1989-90, '90-91, '91-92, 2000-01, '01-02, '13-14), with the latest occurring two seasons ago (2013-14). At the CIS Women's Volleyball Championship over the last 29 seasons, Bentley has been head coach while Manitoba has captured six titles plus four silver medals (1987, 1998, 2000, 2010), four bronze medals (1993. 1994, 1995, 1999), one fourth place finish (1997), three fifth place finishes (1998, 1989, 1996) and one seventh place finish (2007).
In addition, Bentley was head coach as the Bison women's volleyball program became the only program to qualify for 16 consecutive CIS women's volleyball national championship appearances (1986-87 to 2001-02). And at the 2014 CIS WVB championship, the Bisons also made history as the first ever team to go a perfect 9-0 in sets at a CIS Championship in the rally point era, which begun in the 1999-00 season.
Bentley commented about another milestone, "It is amazing to think that I am entering my 30th year of coaching at the University of Manitoba. As a coach you are always looking forward to the next season, the next challenge, and then all of a sudden someone tells you that you have been at it for 30 years! I am just so grateful to have worked along side and for so many dedicated and passionate people over the years, and of course so many incredible athletes that have been the main factor in our success over the years. It truly is a privilege to be a part of this university and this program."
