Dave Bezold is entering his fourth season as the men's basketball head coach at Northern Kentucky University. Bezold owns a 55-35 record in his three years as Norse head coach.

Bezold, who spent 14 years as an assistant coach at NKU, led the Norse to a 24-9 record last season and the Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division championship. His Norse later advanced to the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region Tournament championship game. NKU also featured GLVC Player of the Year and first team All-American Steven Wright.

Two years ago, Bezold guided his team to a 17-11 record. NKU knocked off No. 6 Findlay in the season opener, marking the second straight year Bezold guided his team to a victory over a nationally ranked opponent in the John L. Griffin/Lions Club Classic. The Norse also posted a road upset at nationally ranked Lynn (Fla.) in late December. Bezold led his team to wins against NCAA Tournament participants Grand Valley State and Drury.

In his first year as head coach, Bezold led NKU to the championship game of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. NKU finished with a 14-15 overall mark and as GLVC Tournament runner-up.

Bezold replaced Ken Shields as the Norse's head coach after the 2003-04 season.

Bezold, 41, is the fourth head coach in the history of the NKU men's basketball program. He was selected as the head coach on April 22, 2004.

"It is an honor to be selected as Northern Kentucky University's head coach, and I'm looking forward to the challenge," Bezold said. "I am proud to represent Northern Kentucky University and its high standards, and I will do my best to uphold the values for which NKU is known both locally and nationally."

With Bezold serving as the team's defensive coordinator, NKU won NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region championships in 1996 and '97. The Norse also finished as NCAA Division II national runner-up in those two seasons.

For five games during the 2001-02 season, Bezold temporarily took over as head coach when Shields was sidelined with back problems. NKU posted a 3-2 record with Bezold guiding the team that season.

"We had a strong candidate pool for this position, all of whom have proven themselves capable of coaching at the highest level," NKU President Dr. James Votruba said, "but I believe we have chosen the best candidate to lead us to the next level."

Bezold also served as NKU's women's tennis head coach from 1996-2000, and he led the Norse to Great Lakes Valley Conference championships in both 1998 and 1999.

Bezold was twice named GLVC Coach of the Year in women's tennis, and he guided NKU to a pair of NCAA Division II Tournament appearances in 1999 and 2000.

Bezold is a 1990 graduate of Viterbo (Wis.) College. He played four years at Viterbo and helped the V-Hawks advance to the NAIA national tournament twice. Bezold was Viterbo's team captain his senior season.

A 1984 graduate of Covington Holy Cross High School, Bezold earned three letters in basketball for the Indians. He also lettered three years in baseball at Holy Cross.

Bezold and his wife, Lisa, have two children, Tyler (10) and Abigail (7). They reside in Taylor Mill, Ky.