After joining the Manchester University men’s basketball coaching staff in July 2025, Cole Carder immediately helped establish a competitive and disciplined culture within the program. Carder is involved in all facets of the team, including recruiting, player development, scouting, practice preparation, game planning, and basketball operations. In his first season, the Spartans had several notable accomplishments, including an overtime victory over eventual conference champion Transylvania University. Under his guidance, Manchester also developed one of the conference’s top offensive players, as Ty Lynas led the league in scoring and earned All-Conference honors. Statistically, Manchester emerged as one of the conference’s most efficient teams, leading the league in fewest turnovers and three-point shooting percentage.
Prior to Manchester, Carder spent two successful seasons on the coaching staff at Bethel University, helping guide the Pilots to back-to-back 20+ win campaigns and consecutive appearances in the NAIA National Tournament. While on staff at Bethel, Carder helped oversee multiple areas of the program, including recruiting, player development, scouting, and day-to-day operations. Bethel posted a 20-11 record during his first season before improving to 24-9 in year two, advancing to the NAIA Round of 16 in Kansas City. The Pilots’ tournament run ended in an overtime battle against No. 1-seeded LSU-Alexandria.
During his second season at Bethel, Carder also served as head coach of the reserve team, gaining valuable head coaching and program management experience while continuing his role with the varsity team.
Before entering the collegiate ranks, Carder coached within the DistinXion AAU program, where he served as both a team coach and player development trainer. His experience working with athletes at multiple levels has helped shape his reputation for building strong relationships with players and maximizing individual growth on and off the court.
A native of Greensburg, Indiana, Carder earned his bachelor’s degree in Sport Marketing and Management with a minor in Business from Indiana University. He later completed his master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Bethel University.
* Last Updated - May 27, 2026
