Marty Bell Steps Down as Quincy University Basketball Coach

Long time Quincy University men's basketball coach Marty Bell is retiring from coaching.

Bell will focus on his duties as athletic director. Assistant coach Ryan Hellenthal is being promoted to head coach. In Bell's 14 seasons as head coach, the Hawks reached the NCAA Division II tournament five times. Bell is entering his 11th season as athletic director. “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as the men’s basketball coach at QU,” says Bell. “The memories and relationships here have transformed my life and I am eternally grateful for the opportunity I’ve had over the past 14 years. As things have changed in my life over time, I recognized that it was time to turn my focus completely to my administrative role and allow another coach the same opportunity I was given. “I want to thank the University, fans, players and coaches, and countless others who have supported my efforts during my tenure as coach. Without them, we would never have been able to achieve the level of consistent success that we have come to enjoy and experience.”

“I wish to congratulate Marty on a successful career as a basketball coach and thank him for the many contributions he has made to the QU program these past 14 years,” says Phil Conover acting University president. “Allowing Marty to focus all of his energy on being the athletic director will enable a wider use of his skill set that will greatly impact the long-range sustainability of the University.”

Bell’s teams compiled a 240-168 record in his 14 seasons. He is the second-winningest coach in program history. Players during Bell's era earned 24 All-Great Lakes Valley Conference honors and 13 players have signed professional contracts to continue their basketball careers, including three players from the 2016-17 squad.

In his final season, the Hawks went 25-7 and advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional semifinal. It matched the second-highest win total in program history. QU also won the GLVC West Division regular season title.

Incoming coach Ryan Hellenthal has 16 years of collegiate coaching experience at the NCAA Division I, Division II and NJCAA Division I levels. Before coming to QU prior to last season, Hellenthal served as an assistant coach at Central Missouri, helping the Mules reach the NCAA Tournament in 2015. “I have known Coach Hellenthal for many years and was fortunate to have him on my coaching staff this past year,” said Bell. “His extensive background and experience, along with his ties to the Quincy community, make him a great fit to lead our men’s basketball program.”

“It is truly an honor to take over the reins of a program that has been led by great coaches from John Ortwerth and Sherrill Hanks to Steve Hawkins and Marty Bell,” said Hellenthal. “This is a fantastic job in one of the best Division II conferences in the country and I am forever grateful to Coach Bell, Phil Conover and the QU administration for their confidence in affording me the opportunity to lead this program in a place that is very special to me. I look forward to putting my stamp on the QU program and helping our student-athletes succeed on the court and in the classroom.”

Prior to his stop at Central Missouri, the Quincy native spent four seasons on the staff at Long Beach State, serving as the director of basketball operations before being promoted to assistant coach. With Hellenthal on staff, the 49ers won three Big West championships and qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2012. He coached nine All-Big West selections at Long Beach State.

Hellenthal served as the director of basketball operations at Boise State from 2008-10, and before that had a stint as an assistant coach at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, which went 90-16 when he was on staff and was third in the NJCAA National Tournament in 2007. He was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Garden City (Kan.) Community College from 2002-05.

Hellenthal graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2002 with a degree in kinesiology.