Todd Shellenberger returns for his second year as an assistant coach on the Rider University men's basketball staff. Prior to coming to Rider, Shellenberger was the head boy's basketball coach at Notre Dame High School from 2000-2008. Shellenberger, 35, already has fifteen years of coaching experience, including seven years as an assistant at the collegiate level and eight as a head coach.
"I feel very fortunate that Todd has decided to become part of our staff," said Dempsey upon hiring Shellenberger in 2008. "He has successful head coaching experience that will benefit our staff and our players. It is nice to have another coach on your bench who has been a head coach."
At Rider, Shellenberger's duties include off-campus recruiting, individual development of the Bronc guards, game scouting, directing summer camps, film exchange and monitoring the team's academic progress. Last fall, the men's basketball team received national recognition for its Academic Progress Rate (APR).
While at Notre Dame, Shellenberger's teams had a program best 139 wins over an eight year period. In 2008, he became the program's all-time leader in career victories. His squads won 71 percent of their conference games and advanced to the NJSIAA South Jersey Semifinals four times. Three of his teams had 20-win seasons (2002, 2004 and 2008), the first three in school history, including a school-record 22 wins in 2002. At Notre Dame Shellenberger also served as the school's Director of Institutional Advancement, overseeing all development initiatives, annual giving, fundraising events and alumni relations.
Shellenberger served two stints as both a graduate assistant and assistant coach at The College of New Jersey, 1996-98 and 1999-2000, where he helped guide the Lions to a three year record of 50-25. In 1998, the Lions captured the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship and advanced to the second round of the Division III NCAA Tournament. That year's squad finished 22-5 and had a national ranking as high as fourth before finishing eleventh in the year's final national poll. While at TCNJ, Shellenberger helped develop four all-conference players and was responsible for recruiting, guard development, game scheduling, practice/game planning and advanced scouting.
Shellenberger served as a volunteer administrative assistant coach at Rider under former head coach and current athletic director Don Harnum during the 1998-99 season. He was also a student assistant coach at his alma mater, King's College, from 1994 to 1996. His recruiting efforts at King's helped land a Pennsylvania third team all-state player, the first high school player to attend King's after receiving all-state recognition.
Shellenberger is a 1996 graduate of King's College and he earned his master's degree from The College of New Jersey in 1998. He and his wife, Nicole, reside in Hamilton, NJ with their children Noah (5), Sophie (3) and Cal (1).
