It appears Brad Brownell has found his new assistant coach, though he isn’t too new to the Clemson staff.

The Clemson Insider has confirmed from two sources that Dick Bender, who was Brad Brownell’s director operations from 2010-‘2014, will replace Richie Riley as assistant coach. Bender has spent the last two seasons on Earl Grant’s College of Charleston staff. Grant and Bender were on Brownell’s staff together at Clemson before heading to Charleston.

One source told us Brownell is going back to Bender, who coached Brownell back when he was a player, because he wants to keep continuity on his staff. Brownell and Clemson could announce Bender back to his staff sometime next week.

The Tigers compiled a 74-58 overall record during his first tenure at Clemson. The Tigers improved by 10 wins from 2012-13 to 2013-14, posting a 23-13 overall record last season with a trip to the NIT semifinals.

Clemson’s 10-win improvement that year tied the school record for the best single-season turnaround. In Bender’s first season at Clemson, Bender was an important part of the staff that led the Tigers to a 22-12 final record in 2010-11. Clemson was 9-7 in the ACC, the No. 4 seed for the conference tournament in Greensboro, N.C.

Bender brings more than 25 years of collegiate coaching experience including 18 at the NCAA Division I level. He began his collegiate coaching career as the top assistant coach at DePauw University under the late Royce Waltman in 1987, where he coached Brownell.

Bender helped the NCAA Division III Tigers to an outstanding four-year overall record of 80-30 (.727). DePauw was ranked No. 1 twice during his tenure. Bender helped the Tigers to a national runner-up finish in the 1990 NCAA Tournament.