ROB BENTLEY EARNS MEDIA RECOGNITION FROM THE AVCA

Ferris State Assistant Athletics Communications Director Earns Regional Honor

Click Here For The 2006-07 AVCA Media Awards Release

Rob Bentley, the assistant athletics communications director at Ferris State University, has been named the 2007 NCAA Division II Women's Sports Information Director Great Lakes Region Honoree as announced by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).

Bentley, who recently completed his seventh year in FSU's athletics communications office, was among eight individuals to receive regional recognition across the country for hard work and numerous contributions in promoting volleyball. The AVCA's mission is to advance the development of the sport of volleyball by providing all coaches with educational programs, a forum for opinion exchange and various recognition opportunities.

A member of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), Bentley plays an integral role in publicizing the 15-sport intercollegiate athletics program at Ferris State. Along with maintaining and developing the athletics department's website, Bentley designs and edits the department's publications while also serving as the radio play-by-play announcer for both the Bulldog men's and women's basketball teams in away contests.

Prior to his arrival at Ferris, Bentley was an assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Nebraska at Kearney for three years. While coaching at Nebraska-Kearney, Bentley helped the Lopers compile a 65-25 overall record and an NCAA Division II Sweet 16 finish in 1999. He also served as the boys basketball camp and clinic director and previously was a student assistant in the men's basketball program for five years. In all, he worked in the UNK Basketball program for eight seasons in which the squad made four consecutive trips to the NCAA-II North Central Regional Tournament from 1995-99 and claimed the 1997-98 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Tournament Championship.

Besides being involved in the Loper basketball program, Bentley was an administrative and game operations assistant at Mr. Basketball, Inc., based in Kearney. While with Mr. Basketball, Bentley was involved with the organization and administration of two national high school tournaments and five youth basketball tournaments a year. He was also the media relations contact for Mr. Basketball.

During his career at Nebraska-Kearney, Bentley served as a sports information assistant in the UNK Media Relations Office. Previously, he worked as a sports writer for the Kearney Hub and Grand Island (Neb.) Independent newspapers along with interning for the McCook (Neb.) Daily Gazette. He served as the managing editor and sports editor of the UNK Antelope newspaper while in college. Bentley also spent time working as a disc jockey and sports announcer for radio station KICK-KBRL in McCook.

A native of McCook, Neb., Bentley graduated from Nebraska-Kearney with a bachelor's degree in journalism/mass communications in 1997. He received a master's degree in education (sports administration) from UNK in 1999.

A 1992 graduate of McCook High School, Bentley also has held membership in the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. His wife, Jenny, is a kintergarden/special education teacher at Eastwood Elementary. They reside in Big Rapids along with their daughter, Addison (born 5/2/05).

Bentley is the second individual associated with the Ferris State women's volleyball program to recently receive AVCA Media Award recognition. Sandy Gholston, who's presently a sports reporter and the assistant sports editor for The Pioneer newspaper in Big Rapids, Mich., was a finalist for the 2004-05 AVCA Grant Burger Media Award.

The AVCA Grant Burger Media Award is an honor intented to recognize members of the media who have been involved in the advancement of the sport of volleyball, whether it be through consistent coverage in all mediums (sports information, print, broadcasting and web content), production of volleyball-specific publications or extensive radio and/or television exposure.