MCC names men's new basketball coach

Brandon Lenhart

McCook Community College has named a new men's basketball coach.

Brandon Lenhart from William Penn University will fill the coaching vacancy left with the resignation of Ty Orton.

Lenhart, a former William Penn basketball player, concluded his sixth season as assistant men's basketball coach this winter at Oskaloosa, Iowa, after being hired in the fall of 2001.

He is a December 2001 physical education graduate of William Penn and earned his master's degree in physical education, recreational and health from Emporia State University in 2005.

As an assistant, Lenhart helped guide the Statesmen to an unprecedented season in 2006-2007.

For the first time in school history, the men's basketball team claimed the league throne for back-to-back years.

The team also advanced to the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Tournament, the first postseason appearance for the program since 1983.

The team finished with a 25-9 mark.

The Statesmen, Midwest Classic Conference regular season and tournament champions, broke numerous records, including points, scoring average, and field goals to name just a few.

As the head men's and women's cross country coach in 2002, Lenhart was named the Midwest Classic Conference Coach of the Year that season.

A former Penn basketball player, Lenhart was an academic all-conference selection his senior season.

Lenhart takes over for a program Orton guided for five years.

During his tenure, he graduated 98 percent of his players. In addition, 30 MCC basketball players earned Academic All-NCCAC honors, 12 were named Academic All-American and four received Distinguished Academic All-American.

In four of those five years MCC earned top-10 National Academic Honors and the 2004-05 team placed second nationally.

The Indians were 71-83 over the past five years and placed second in the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference this past season with a 14-17 record.

Orton accepted the head coaching post at Dickinson State University in Dickinson, N.D.

In addition to his coaching duties at MCC, Lenhart will work as a career specialist with Career Services.

Originally from Tama, Lenhart resides in Oskaloosa with his wife, Gail.