The University of Denver men’s basketball program named former Minnesota State University Moorhead associate head coach Spenser Bland to the same role, new DU head coach Tim Bergstraser announced on April 24, 2025.
Bergstraser and Bland coached together on the MSU Moorhead staff in six of the previous seven seasons, including all three years of Bergstraser’s head coaching tenure. Bland recently completed his second season as the associate head coach for the Dragons. Over the last three seasons Bergstraser and Bland helped guide the Dragons to a 75-22 record (.773%), ranking amongst the highest winning percentages over that time-span in the NCAA across all levels.
“I am beyond excited to bring Spenser on staff at DU,” Bergstraser said. “His loyalty is unmatched and he is a guy I’ve been in the trenches with for many years. He will represent this program to the highest standard and bring an exceptional level of coaching for our student athletes. The way he teaches and builds meaningful relationships will have a great impact on our team and university as a whole. He has proven to dominate all aspects of operating a program, I can’t wait to have Spenser and his family come to Denver.”
Bland and the Dragons went 25-9 last season, winning their second conference tournament title in three years and reaching the NCAA Round of 16 before having their 13-game winning streak snapped in the NCAA Central Regional Final. In the 2023-24 season, the Dragons were ranked as high as No. 1 in the country for the first time in program history and qualified for an at-large bid for the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Bland played an important role in the on-court growth of four student-athletes that earned All-NSIC honors in the 2023-24 campaign.
In 2022-23, Bland’s offense led the entire NCAA in turnovers per game, only surrendering possession 8.2 times per contest.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of DU men’s basketball, this prestigious institution and the incredible city of Denver,” Bland said. “I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to continue to work alongside Coach Bergstraser as a part of his inaugural staff as he leads the Pioneer men's basketball program into a new era. Getting the chance to represent Denver men’s basketball and the University as a whole is something I do not take for granted. Nobody is more ready or deserving of this opportunity than Coach Bergstraser, and I cannot wait to eagerly support his vision and plans for the program. We will work tirelessly to push the program to new heights and pursue excellence amongst our group both on and off the court. My family and I are so excited to start this journey together in Denver.”
Bland’s year in-between his two stints at MSU Moorhead saw the Bethel University graduate spend a season as the top assistant at the University of Sioux Falls. In his only year at USF he helped guide the Cougars to a win over the top ranked team in the country and eventual national champions, Northwest Missouri State. Bland helped coach Matt Cartwright to All-NSIC honors, who finished second in the league in scoring with 19.0 points per game.
In Bland’s first stint as the Dragons assistant from 2018-21, MSUM went 49-29 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament in the 2020-21 campaign. Bland’s focus on the Moorhead offense saw the Dragons finish with the top scoring offense in the NSIC in two of his first three seasons with the program.
Prior to arriving for his initial role at MSU Moorhead in 2018, Bland was a part of the adidas AAU program D1 Minnesota where he guided his team to the coveted adidas Gauntlet Finale in New York City in the summer of 2018. In three years with the AAU program, Bland mentored over 20 high school student-athletes that went on to earn a scholarship to play at the NCAA DI level. That group included McDonald’s All-Americans Matthew Hurt (2019) and Dawson Garcia (2020) and four future NBA players in Hurt (Houston Rockets), Jamison Battle (Toronto Raptors), Tyrell Terry (Memphis Grizzlies) and Zeke Nnaji (Denver Nuggets).
Bland will be moving to the Mile High City with his wife Shannon. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in media communications from Bethel University in 2017, and two years later earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from MSUM.
Bland’s Coaching Career:
2023-25 - Associate Head Coach - Minnesota State Moorhead
2022-23 – Assistant Coach – Minnesota State Moorhead
2021-22 - Assistant Coach – University of Sioux Falls
2018-21 – Assistant Coach - Minnesota State Moorhead
Postseason Accolades:
4X NCAA Tournaments (2021, 2023, 2024, 2025)
NCAA DII Sweet Sixteen (2025)
2X NSIC Tournament Championships (2023, 2025)
