Ben Finkbeiner is in his second year as Utah State’s associate head coach after being promoted in May 2018. Finkbeiner is in his sixth year overall with the program after joining the staff prior to the 2014-15 season.
Finkbeiner (pronounced Fink-by-ner) served as the USU recruiting coordinator and defensive coordinator during his first five years with the program before moving on to head the offensive side of the game, while also overseeing the guard position.
During the 2018-19 season, the Aggies finished in the top five in the Mountain West in scoring defense, field goal percentage defense, 3-point field goal percentage defense, rebounding defense and blocked shots. The Aggies averaged 37.0 rebounds per game, had 256 steals and 132 blocked shots. Finkbeiner helped multiple Aggie players earn spots in the USU record books. Utah State finished the season with a 17-16 overall record, including 10-8 in the Mountain West, for its largest win turnaround in program history.
During the 2017-18 season, the Aggies averaged 34.1 rebounds per game, had 213 steals and 128 blocks. While coaching the defense and the guards, Finkbeiner helped center Deja Mason, forward Shannon Dufficy, and guards Eliza West and Rachel Brewster to spots on the USU record lists.
Through the 2016-17 season, the Aggies finished in the top half of the Mountain West in every major defensive category. He coached three players to all-conference honors, as Brewster, Dufficy and West were all recognized by the Mountain West.
Dufficy and West each earned a spot in the USU career record books, ranking on the single-season rebound and assist lists, respectively. Dufficy ranked fifth with 261 rebounds, while West tallied 146 assists to rank fourth. The Aggies finished the season with a 17-15 record, including a 9-9 Mountain West ledger.
Finkbeiner spent the 2015-16 season overseeing the USU post players. The Aggie defense ranked among the best in the Mountain West in multiple categories, averaging 41.2 rebounds, 4.4 blocks and 6.6 steals per game. Utah State finished the year with a 14-17 overall record, going 8-10 in league action.
In Finkbeiner’s first season at Utah State, the Aggie defense averaged 40.3 rebounds per game, while tallying 142 blocks, the most since the 2009-10 season, and 232 steals.
Prior to accepting the USU position, Finkbeiner spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Boise State. While there, he coached several Boise State players to Mountain West postseason honors. In addition, seven players earned Mountain West all-academic team recognition.
Finkbeiner’s first full-time coaching position was at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, N.M., where he spent three seasons as an assistant coach. He served in several capacities, including the recruiting coordinator, guard coach, defensive coach, strength and conditioning coach and assisted with scouting. In his last season (2010-11) at NMJC the team recorded a 20-win season, going 20-10 and 6-6 in league play. In 2009-10, Finkbeiner helped guide the team to the program’s first postseason appearance in eight years, finishing third in the conference with a 16-14 overall mark.
During Finkbeiner’s first season in 2008-09, the Lady T-Birds had a 17-win campaign, an improvement of 14 wins over the previous year. In his final two seasons at NMJC, he coached five Lady T-Birds to all-conference honors, two to all-conference honorable mention and one player to NJCAA All-Region 5 honors.
Finkbeiner started his coaching career as a graduate assistant for the University of Central Oklahoma’s men’s basketball team in Edmond, Okla. The Broncos ended the 2007-08 season with a 28-6 record, reaching the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
Before UCO, Finkbeiner served as the director of basketball operations for the Oral Roberts University women’s basketball team in Tulsa, Okla., where Jerry Finkbeiner was the head coach. He assisted the program in winning the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament, as well as earning a berth into the NCAA Tournament.
Finkbeiner earned his bachelor’s degree at Oral Roberts in 2006, followed by a master’s degree from Central Oklahoma in 2008.
Finkbeiner and his wife, Alycia, have three sons, Zane, Jude and Lyle, and a daughter, Rose, and are expecting their fifth child in February. The family lives in Wellsville.