Stelzer returns to Tech as assistant men’s basketball coach
COURTESY OF MTU HUSKIES
HOUGHTON, Mich. – Michigan Tech men’s basketball head coach Josh Buettner announced the hiring of Ben Stelzer as assistant coach for the 2021-22 season. Stelzer returns to Houghton after playing professional basketball overseas and coaching at several levels since his graduation from Michigan Tech in 2015.
“I’m extremely excited to work with Ben,” Buettner said. “His work ethic, intensity, knowledge, and passion will be awesome for Michigan Tech basketball. Ben embodies all of the qualities that Michigan Tech represents both as a coach and as a person.”
Stelzer’s collegiate playing career began in 2011. He was a four-year starter and three-year captain for the Huskies. Stelzer finished as the program’s all-time leader in 3-pointers (363) and shot 44-percent as a senior. He was also named NCAA Division II All-American, Academic All-American, and Midwest Region Player of the Year. Stelzer led the Huskies to three NCAA Tournament appearances and a trip to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16. After college, Stelzer played in Spain for Layma Basquet Coruna and led the league in total 3-pointers made and helped his team advance to the playoff semifinals.
Stelzer worked as assistant coach of the Huskies in 2016-17 under then Head Coach Kevin Luke and Coach Buettner. He led and assisted workouts, broke down game film and scouting reports and helped with recruiting.
Stelzer ran clinics with small groups for youth, high school, and college level players from 2017-19 as a skill development coach. He gained experience as Director of Player Development for Wisconsin Playground Warriors AAU Club. He was on the men’s basketball staff at University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh as Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach during their 2019 NCAA Division III National Championship run. The team finished 29-3 overall and defeated Swarthmore College in the final.
Since 2019, Stelzer has held the position of Player Development Intern with the Dallas Mavericks as well as Solid Base Skills and Drills website developer and owner, which provides remote player development training for players and team from youth ages to college.
Stelzer earned a bachelor of science degree in Finance from Michigan Tech and minored in Economics.
Tech men’s basketball finished 15-8 last season and collected its ninth GLIAC North Division regular season title. The Huskies were runners up in the GLIAC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Division II Midwest Region Championship in March, where they fell 65-62 to Truman State in Evansville, Indiana.