The Barclay College Women’s Basketball Team will have a new face to lead them onto the court in 2014-2015 and his name is Ryan Kendall. It will be the first time in four years that Kendall will be back in the saddle on the bench as a head coach, however, he is no stranger to the Barclay College Athletics Department. This will actually be his fifth season as the Bears Head Women’s Basketball Coach as he also led the Lady Bears from 2002-2006.  Most recently he served as the Barclay College Athletic Director and Head Men’s Basketball Coach from 2002-2010.

“I love coaching and I’m very excited to be back on the bench. It will also be great to be able to coach with one of my former players, Marcus Mitchell,” said Kendall. “Brad (Lingafelter) always recruited good athletes with character and now I get to benefit from a great core of those returning players.” The Lady Bears only graduate two players and look to benefit from returning most of the roster.

His vision for the Lady Bears moving forward is to carry on the mission of Barclay College on the basketball court. He aims to not only help these women develop as basketball players but more importantly  in their Christian walk. Using basketball as a tool he wants his players to use their talent to both glorify God and to develop into who God has called them to be.

Most recently Kendall has been instrumental in the development and launching of the new Sports and Recreation Ministry Degree where he has served as chair over the past three years from 2011-2014.

His coaching career started back in 1995 at Wallace County High School in Sharon Springs, KS. While there he coached jr. high football, high school boy’s basketball, and high school track and field until 2000. After one year teaching and coaching junior high in Sherwood, OR, and one year at Greensburg High School, Kendall found his way back to Haviland and Barclay College. In addition to coaching men’s and women’s basketball, he has also played a vital role in starting the men’s and women’s cross country program at Barclay College.

Educationally Kendall has a Bachelor of Arts in History from George Fox University (Newberg, OR), a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Newman University (Wichita, KS), and a Master of Arts in Christian Leadership from Liberty Theological Seminary (Lynchburg, VA).

He recently celebrated his 20th anniversary with his wife, Hannah. Together they have three daughters: Kaelie (18), Marissa (15), and Lauren (13).