David Benedict

Last updated
David Benedict
Current position
Title Athletic director
Team UConn
Conference Big East
Biographical details
Born Tempe, Arizona, U.S.
Alma mater Southern Utah University
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1996–2006 Arizona State University (associate director of development and executive director of the Sun Angels Foundation )
2007–2010 Long Beach State (assistant AD)
2010–2012 Virginia Commonwealth University (executive assistant AD, interim AD)
2012–2014 University of Minnesota (deputy AD)
2014-2016 Auburn University (COO of athletic department)
2016-present UConn

David Benedict is the athletic director at the University of Connecticut. Under his aegis, UConn won consecutive men's NCAA basketball championships in 2023 and 2024.

Contents

Early life and education

Benedict is a native of Tempe, Arizona. [1] He had his start in sports as a ball boy for Mesa Community College football team, where his father coached. After high school he played center and linebacker at MCC, after his father had left the program. [2] A 1995 graduate of Southern Utah University, [3] he played linebacker on the football team. [4] He graduated with a degree in physical education, [5] and obtained a master's degree in sports management from New Mexico Highlands in 1996, where was a graduate assistant football coach. [2]

Sports management career

Benedict got his start in sports management in 1996 at Arizona State University. He was initially hired for only a single task, organizing the event dedicating and naming the football field for former coach Frank Kush. He impressed a top administrator and was offered a position. [6] He describes his first role there as a "gofer...at the very bottom of the ranks." [1] He was there until 2006, having advanced to being associate director of development and executive director of the fundraising Sun Angels Foundation. He left ASU to become assistant AD at Long Beach State; this was followed by a short detour into healthcare at Scottsdale Health Foundation. He returned to sports management in 2010 as associate AD at VCU, overseeing fundraising and "development operations." In 2012 he became interim AD, [5] leading the school's transition from the Colonial League to the Atlantic 10. [7] This was followed by stints of two years each at Auburn University, where he was COO of the athletics department, and University of Minnesota. [8] At Auburn, he was closely involved in interviewing and then hiring Bruce Pearl as basketball coach. [9] [10]

AD at UConn

In 2016 he was appointed AD at UConn; his time there has been "highly successful." [11]

Personal

His wife, Lisa, was a two-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American gymnast at ASU; they have twin sons. His father, Allen, played football under Frank Kush at ASU and was a longtime football coach at Tempe High School and Mesa Community College before he got into athletic administration. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Stanley, Logan. "UConn AD returns to Phoenix area, where he once worked for Arizona State". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Living His Sports Dream - Hartford Courant". digitaledition.courant.com. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Benedict at Hartford Rotary".
  4. ↑ Cluff, Jeremy. "Arizona State fans push Michael Crow to hire UConn's David Benedict as athletic director". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  5. 1 2 "David Benedict named interim AD at VCU". CBS 6 News Richmond WTVR. May 1, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Living His Sports Dream - Hartford Courant". digitaledition.courant.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
  7. 1 2 "David Benedict". Lead1 Association. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  8. ↑ "David Benedict Named Director Of Athletics". University of Connecticuy Athletics. February 29, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Auburn's Bruce Pearl spent 3-year exile from college hoops working at a grocery distributor – 'I wasn't sure I'd ever coach again'". Yahoo Sports. 2022-03-15. Retrieved 2025-01-16.
  10. ↑ Kuttler, Hillel. "Bruce Pearl sees God's hand in coaching Auburn basketball". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2025-01-16.
  11. 1 2 Pricco, Brendon (September 4, 2024). "Potential ASU AD candidate is currently in The Valley". Sun Devil Daily. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  12. ↑ "UConn athletics relishing rebound amid basketball success, facility upgrades". www.sportsbusinessjournal.com. April 5, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  13. ↑ "UConn's Return To The Big East Already Having A Major Impact On The Program". TMG Sports. May 15, 2020. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  14. ↑ Cilley, Hayden (April 6, 2024). "UConn AD David Benedict embraces hectic schedules for Final Fours". Cronkite News. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  15. ↑ Weekly, UConn WBB. "Geno Auriemma signs five-year contract extension". UConn WBB Weekly. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  16. ↑ "UConn signs Geno Auriemma to 5-year, $18.7M contract extension". Yahoo Sports. June 5, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  17. ↑ CollegeNetWorth (August 16, 2024). "Jim L. Mora - UConn Huskies Contract, Net Worth, Coaching Information - CollegeNetWorth.com". www.collegenetworth.com. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  18. 1 2 "UConn athletics relishing rebound amid basketball success, facility upgrades". www.sportsbusinessjournal.com. April 5, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  19. ↑ Carp, Sam (October 18, 2018). "UConn inks US$96m IMG renewal". SportsPro. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  20. ↑ Carp, Sam (July 27, 2017). "UConn ticks off mega Nike renewal". SportsPro. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  21. ↑ "David Benedict - Director of Athletics - Staff Directory". University of Connecticut Athletics. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  22. ↑ "New Student-Athlete Center Funded by Historic Gift to UConn Athletics : CEG". www.constructionequipmentguide.com. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  23. ↑ "UConn Alum Pledges Record Donation For Field House Transformation". Mansfield-Storrs, CT Patch. 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2025-01-17.
  24. ↑ "Championship Labs | Uconn NIL Initiative | Connecticut". Championship Labs. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
  25. ↑ CollegeNetWorth (2024-06-15). "NIL and Transfer Portal Impact on UConn Men's Basketball: Shaping the Roster and Future Success - CollegeNetWorth.com". www.collegenetworth.com. Retrieved 2025-01-18.
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