Kansas State University Athletics
Men's Basketball
O'Donnell, Ben
Ben O'Donnell
- Title:
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Email:
- bodonnell@kstatesports.com
- Phone:
- (785) 532-6531
Ben O’Donnell is in his second season as the strength and conditioning coach for the K-State men’s basketball team in 2017-18.
In his first year back at K-State, O'Donnell helped the Wildcats make a return to the NCAA Tournament, where they knocked off Wake Forest in the NCAA First Four before losing to No. 18 Cincinnati in the NCAA South Region First Round. The team posted 21 wins in 2016-17, which included eight over teams that advanced to the postseason. It was the Wildcats' highest win total since the 2012-13 season.
A former point guard at Florida State and UCF, O’Donnell came to K-State in June 2016 after spending five seasons at his alma mater in Orlando, where he coordinated the strength and conditioning program for men’s and women’s basketball, women’s volleyball, men’s and women soccer, women’s tennis and men’s golf. Overall, he spent six years at UCF, starting as an intern (2010-11) then as a graduate assistant (2011-13) before becoming a full-time staff member in 2013.
O’Donnell played one season at Florida State (2007-08) for head coach Leonard Hamilton before transferring to UCF in 2008, where he played alongside current K-State director of basketball operations Drew Speraw for one season (2009-10), under Drew’s father, Kirk.
A native of Largo, Fla., O’Donnell earned his bachelor’s degree in communications from UCF in 2011 before receiving a Master’s degree in physical education from South Florida in 2013. He also holds USA Weightlifting, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCS) and Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA) accreditation.
In his first year back at K-State, O'Donnell helped the Wildcats make a return to the NCAA Tournament, where they knocked off Wake Forest in the NCAA First Four before losing to No. 18 Cincinnati in the NCAA South Region First Round. The team posted 21 wins in 2016-17, which included eight over teams that advanced to the postseason. It was the Wildcats' highest win total since the 2012-13 season.
A former point guard at Florida State and UCF, O’Donnell came to K-State in June 2016 after spending five seasons at his alma mater in Orlando, where he coordinated the strength and conditioning program for men’s and women’s basketball, women’s volleyball, men’s and women soccer, women’s tennis and men’s golf. Overall, he spent six years at UCF, starting as an intern (2010-11) then as a graduate assistant (2011-13) before becoming a full-time staff member in 2013.
O’Donnell played one season at Florida State (2007-08) for head coach Leonard Hamilton before transferring to UCF in 2008, where he played alongside current K-State director of basketball operations Drew Speraw for one season (2009-10), under Drew’s father, Kirk.
A native of Largo, Fla., O’Donnell earned his bachelor’s degree in communications from UCF in 2011 before receiving a Master’s degree in physical education from South Florida in 2013. He also holds USA Weightlifting, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCS) and Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA) accreditation.
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