Tara Bendt Position: Assistant Coach Experience: 1st Season

Bendt is entering her first season as assistant coach at Utah Valley.

Originally from South Dakota, Bendt resides currently in South Jordan, Utah. She was a standout softball player at Kearns High School in Kearns, Utah, and then went on to play two years at Salt Lake Community College. Bendt was an All-American player in 2008 and was named the Scenic West Athletic Conference (SWAC) Player of the Year that year. She then transferred to UNLV where she had a stellar career, which included being named a First Team All-Mountain West Conference Player and a two-time all-conference scholar athlete.

Bendt went on to coach at the University of Utah as the director of softball operations for the Utes in 2011. She also coached last season as a volunteer assistant at her alma mater, UNLV. Bendt has coaching experience at the club and high school level as well.