Ben Swank Named University of Tampa Assistant Men's Basketball Coach

TAMPA, Fla. - University of Tampa head men's basketball coach Linc Darner has announced Ben Swank as the program's new assistant men's basketball. Swank brings an impressive resume, which includes a national championship at the NCAA Division II level as an assistant for Darner.

"We are excited to welcome Ben and his wife Aimee, and children Connor and Rylee, to the Spartan basketball family," says Darner. "I've known Ben for several years, as he worked for me for seven years, including the national championship and NCAA Division I tournament."

He previously served as an assistant coach at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, N.Y. Swank spent a total of four seasons with the Dolphins, dating from 2021-25. Prior to LeMoyne, he spent one year at Tiffin University. With the Dragons, Swank was responsible for game and practice preparation and execution, recruiting, fundraising, player development and all other duties assigned by the head coach.

"Ben brings a ton of experience, coaching at different levels, and several programs," states Darner. "He had the opportunity to play football and basketball in college, and his dad was a college basketball coach. His knowledge of the game is outstanding, and we can't wait to to get together on the floor and work together again. He already understands how we're going to play, what we want to do both offensively and defensively."

Prior to his time at Tiffin, he was an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay for five years. The Phoenix earned postseason berths in four of the five years, including a Horizon League Championship and NCAA Tournament berth in 2015-16, the school's first in 20 years. Green Bay also reached the CBI in 2016-17 and the championship game of the CIT in 2018-19. The Phoenix also qualified for postseason contention again in 2019-20 before the season was ended due to COVID-19. Green Bay finished in the top four of the Horizon League in four of the five years of Swank's time as the program compiled a 51-39 conference record. During Swank's five seasons, he helped coach 10 All-Horizon League student-athletes and six individuals that went on to play at a professional level.

Prior to his tenure in Green Bay, Swank served as an assistant coach for two years at Florida Southern College. The Mocs went 62-6 in the stretch, won two Sunshine State Conference regular-season and tournament titles and the 2015 Division II National Championship. After going 26-5 and earning a berth in the NCAA DII South Regional in his first year in Lakeland, the Mocs went 36-1 en route to winning the national title. Kevin Capers was named an All-American both seasons of Swank's tenure and three Mocs, including Capers, went on to play professionally after the conclusion of their collegiate careers.

Swank began his collegiate coaching career during the 2012-13 season as an assistant coach at DIII Allegheny College.

Swank attended Edinboro University, where he was a 2011 graduate and received Cum Laude honors in health and physical education. He was a four-year letterman in football as a free safety and then played basketball for the Fighting Scots as a graduate student in 2011-12. As a football student-athlete, he was named a Second-Team Academic All-American in 2008 and was a member of the team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA DII Playoffs in 2009.

A coaching legacy, he is the son of Stan Swank, who served for 31 years as the head women's basketball coach at Edinboro University. In his successful 31 years with the Fighting Scots, Swank retired with a 581-305, making him the all-time winningest women's basketball coach in PSAC history while ranking nationally in several categories.

Swank spent the fall of 2006 as a football scholarship student-athlete at the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, R.I. At the Naval Academy Prep School, Swank played football for six months, before transferring to Edinboro for the spring 2007 semester.

In September of 2016, Swank was inducted into the General McLane High School Hall of Fame for his athletic success and accomplishments during his high school career. 

Swank, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in health and physical education, also earned a minor in coaching at Edinboro and completed three credits as a graduate student in the Educational Leadership program at Edinboro.