NEW COACHES NAMED

Pat Garvin named new Men's Basketball Coach

Pat Garvin

Pat Garvin, a 2014 Bethany Lutheran College (BLC) graduate, has been named the next head men’s basketball coach at Bethany. Garvin comes to BLC after serving the last three seasons as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Minnesota State University (MSU) in Mankato.

“I would like to thank President Gene Pfeifer and Director of Athletics Don Westphal as well as all involved with the search process for selecting me as the next head coach of the men’s basketball program at Bethany,” said Garvin. “I could not be more excited about this opportunity to be ‘coming home’ and leading a program that means so much to me. Words cannot express my feelings towards the basketball program and Bethany itself, I am pumped to be back! My wife and I look forward to building relationships with the players and their families along with the very proud administration, faculty, and alums of Bethany."

Prior to MSU, Garvin was the assistant men’s basketball coach at Benedictine University in Mesa, Arizona, for two seasons, was a graduate assistant at MSU for the previous two seasons, and was an assistant coach at Bethany in 2013-14.

“As a former Viking student-athlete, Pat Garvin exemplifies Bethany in so many ways,” said Westphal. “First and foremost is his understanding and articulation of our Christian mission and how that is integrated into all aspects of our campus. “Strictly in terms of basketball, Pat was a key member on championship-caliber teams wearing a Viking uniform,” he continued. “He’s carried that winning approach into coaching stops here at Bethany, in Arizona, and during his stints at Minnesota State. With a tremendous work ethic and a passion for mentoring and recruiting, Pat is committed to continuing the success Bethany men’s basketball represents on the court and in the classroom. We look forward to having a Bethany Viking back on the sidelines coaching our team for many seasons to come.”

During his time as a student-athlete, the Vikings won the 2011-12 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season championship, and qualified for the conference tournament all four years. Garvin continues to rank in the top-10 of five career categories and in two season categories.

The Jackson, Minnesota, native earned his bachelor’s degree from Bethany in broad field social studies in 2014, and earned his master’s degree in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia University Irvine in 2016.

Tony Boehler named new Tennis Coach

Tony Boehler

Tony Boehler has been named the new head coach of the Bethany Lutheran men’s and women’s tennis programs.

Boehler was the head women’s tennis coach at Minnesota State University in Mankato for the 2017-18 year, and served as an assistant coach at Bethany for the 2016-17 and 2018-19 seasons.

“I am excited to be selected to lead Bethany’s tennis programs,” said Boehler. “Bethany’s dedication to supporting their students and coaches is one of the key factors in wanting to join their staff as a head coach. I look forward to working with these student athletes as we work towards building a solid foundation for them and the program.”

The Minneapolis native began his coaching career as an assistant supervisor with the Tennis and Life Camps at Gustavus Adolphus for six years. He also served as tennis coordinator at Swanson Tennis Center for two years where he taught lessons and directed USTA tournaments. Boehler also worked as the boy’s varsity head coach at Le Sueur-Henderson and Mankato West High Schools.

“With years of experience here at Bethany, with the Mavericks, and18 his time at the club and high school levels, Tony brings a ton of coaching, instructional, and recruiting knowhow to our Viking tennis teams,” said Director of Athletics Don Westphal. “Having been around our program and campus, Tony understands what we strive for in terms of the student-athlete experience with a focus on our Christian mission, academics and athletics. He has a passion and enthusiasm for tennis and Tony’s familiarity with our UMAC conference and competitors should prove to be very beneficial.”

Bethany’s women’s team has qualified for the UMAC tournament three times in the past five years, while the men have qualified in five of the last six years.

Boehler earned his bachelor’s degree in speech communication from Gustavus and later earned his master’s degree in communication studies from MSU. He was a four-year member of the men’s tennis team for the Gusties.