HOUGHTON, Mich. – Ben Stelzer, a former men’s basketball player and assistant coach at Michigan Tech, has been appointed as an assistant coach for the Santa Cruz Warriors, as announced on Tuesday.
This will be Stelzer’s second season with the Santa Cruz Warriors, marking his inaugural year as an assistant coach. In the previous season, he held the position of coaching associate and basketball operations coordinator with the team. Before his time with the Warriors, Stelzer served as an assistant men’s basketball coach at his alma mater, Michigan Technological University, for two years. Additionally, he gained experience as a player development intern with the Dallas Mavericks from 2019 to 2021.
Stelzer’s collegiate playing career started in 2011 when he joined the Black & Gold. He became a four-year starter and three-year captain for the Huskies, finishing as the program’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made with 363, while achieving a 44-percent shooting rate in his senior year. His impressive performance earned him accolades such as NCAA Division II All-American, Academic All-American, and Midwest Region Player of the Year. Stelzer played a key role in leading the Huskies to three NCAA Tournament appearances and a spot in the NCAA Division II Sweet 16. Following his college career, he played professionally in Spain with Layma Basquet Coruna, where he topped the league in total 3-pointers and helped his team reach the playoff semifinals.