Alumni Profile: Andrew Bender
4/24/2020 2:03:09 PM | Men's Lacrosse
As he was growing up in Wooster, Ohio, Andrew Bender was also growing to love the sport of lacrosse. A highly decorated high school player who won a state championship while playing in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, it was clear his talents would allow him to play in college.
When it came time to chose a place to spend the next four years of his life, Bender thought he needed to prove himself by playing at a program on the east coast, perhaps as a way to prove himself at a high level. But then he made a 90-minute ride south to Columbus, Ohio and realized that everything he was looking for was in Ohio.
“After spending a weekend on campus, I came away thinking, ‘Forget going East, I want to spend the next 4 years with these guys,’” said Bender. “Coaches Breschi and Myers, and the rest of the staff, were great. I clicked with a bunch of the recruits and other teammates.”
Bender’s class had four other Ohio natives and marked a clear signal that Ohio State could not only attract players from traditional lacrosse hotbeds but also its home state as well.
“I was really fortunate to recognize early on that life isn’t always about where you are or what you’re doing, but often times the most important part is who you’re with,” said Bender.
Bender’s decision to come to Ohio State was only partially due to lacrosse. The other was academics, as Ohio State’s highly-decorated finance program offered him the opportunity to be positioned to excel professionally in whatever he chose to do after lacrosse was over.
On the field, Bender played in 57 career games and steadily saw an increased role each season. After earning All-GWLL honors as a junior, he had a career-high 32 points during his senior season in 2006, scoring 14 goals and handing out 18 assists while also serving as a team captain. He was a part of back to back teams that earned bids in the NCAA Tournament in 2003 and 2004.
“It wasn’t until I got on campus that I realized how special it was to be at Ohio State and represent the Buckeyes as an Ohio native,” said Bender. “My grandparents were both alumni, so I grew up going to games in the ‘Shoe and wearing Ohio State gear. Putting on a Buckeye jersey for the first time was a really proud moment for me and my whole family. Wooster, Ohio isn’t quite a lacrosse hotbed, so it was also fun to represent my hometown at a school everyone grows up rooting for.”
A finance major, Bender spent his first couple of years after graduation in the business world. Inspired by and encouraged of his wife, Sarah, he set his sights high: he was going to head to Harvard to pursue his Masters of Business Administration.
When he got to Boston, Bender dove head first into the business school curriculum, which focuses exclusively on the case method and requires a large amount of prep work and class participation. Taking a day off wasn’t an option.
“Throughout my two years I learned a ton, but also developed more confidence in myself as a leader and businessman, and built many strong friendships,” said Bender. “The diversity at Harvard means those folks are now spread across the world doing some very interesting and impactful things.”
Bender graduated from Harvard in May of 2013 and currently is the senior director of corporate strategy for Snyder’s-Lance, Inc. in Charlotte, N.C. He and his wife reside in Charlotte and have one newborn son, Charles.
As he reflects on his time at Ohio State and makes a correlation to the business world, Bender said there are two values he learned at Ohio State:
Aim high: “It’s amazing how much we’re capable of if we set our sights high and strive for out-sized goals,” said Bender. “Ohio State was a big part of that for me. First, I wouldn’t have dreamed that I’d play lacrosse for the Buckeyes. Then I had coaches and folks like Kate Riffee [Associate AD for Student Athlete Support Services] that inspired me to be better than I thought I could be both on and off the field.
Surround yourself with the right people: “My teammates, coaches, and friends made my time at Ohio State and reinforced the thought that it’s who you’re with that matters most. With each step I’ve taken in my career and personal life I’ve continued to keep this thought in mind. It has led me to different jobs, cities, schools, and relationships that have all been extremely fruitful.”
Fourteen years after his Ohio State career ended, Bender says the lessons he learned as a student-athlete in the areas of leadership, work ethic, problem solving and composure have stayed with him every day. He says memories of big lacrosse moments will always be there – his goal in the 2003 NCAA Tournament vs. Maryland, for example – but the value of his Ohio State experience was much greater than that.
“The lacrosse team helped shape who I am today,” said Bender. “Many of my best memories are about the ways Ohio State shaped me were off the field. I developed lifelong friends and mentors. I grew in my faith. I learned what it means to be independent and take charge of my own future. I found great value in getting involved both on campus and in the community. The well-rounded experience Ohio State offers will build character and strength, and provide opportunities you won’t get anywhere else.”
