UNCP Athletics

Having displayed positive increases for the UNCP softball program since her arrival in Pembroke in July 2013 as UNCP’s 10^th softball head coach, Brittany Bennett enters her ninth year at the helm of the program in 2021-22.
 
Bennett culminated an impressive turnaround for the program in just her third year on staff in 2016, leading the Braves to their first winning season in six years, as well as their first-ever appearance in the semifinal round of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament. The progression of the club was further evidenced in 2016 when the Black & Gold turned in consecutive winning seasons for the first time since the 1990 and 1991 campaigns. Bennett moved to the top of the the all-time wins list in program history on Feb. 4, 2020, logging her 154^th victory against Chowan. 
 
In the seven seasons Bennett has been on board, the Braves boast a three all-America selections, as well as a 18 all-conference accolades. The program has been recognized with PBC weekly honors (PBC Freshman/Player/Pitcher of the Week) 21 times, as well as one national player of the week recognition by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. The classroom laurels have been just as numerous as well as evidenced by the program touting 32 PBC All-Academic Team selections as well. Bennett was honored as the PBC coach of the year following the 2020-21 campaign, and is just the second. coach in program history to be named with this award. During the 2020-21 season, Bennett also helped tab a player of the year recipient, which is also the second in program history. 
 
Bennett notched a handful of successful stops as an assistant, including one at a fellow PBC institution, Georgia College. Bennett trekked to Pembroke from Milledgeville, Ga., where she was the top assistant on a coaching staff that led the Bobcats on a 20-1/2 game turnaround in just two seasons.  A 15-35 club prior to her arrival in Milledgeville, the Bobcats turned in a 36-15 record in 2013 and logged a runner-up finish in the Peach Belt Conference regular season standings, while also securing an NCAA postseason bid. Along the way, she mentored three all-region standouts, as well as a first team all-American, and was key in helping GC finish among the nation's top 25 teams in the final national poll.
 
Bennett made the move to Milledgeville following a three-year stint as assistant coach at Lynn. While with the Knights, Bennett's pitching staff allowed the second-fewest hits in program history in 2009 and held opponents to their lowest batting average in four seasons. Bennett also mentored one all-American and a pair of all-region standouts.
 
Bennett spent one season as an assistant coach at UNC Wilmington and also served on the staff at Mount Olive for one season as well. Under her guidance, the Trojan pitching staff lowered its earned run average from 5.13 to 1.70 - 18^th-best among all NCAA Division II institutions. She also helped the squad post a school-record 39 victories. In addition, sophomore Jenny Jackson was selected the Carolina-Virginia Athletic Conference Player-of-the-Year after ranking seventh nationally in ERA (0.87).
 
She was a graduate assistant for two seasons (2005-06) at Southern Arkansas where she worked with both the hitters and pitchers. The Lady Muleriders produced the Gulf South Conference's Pitcher of the Year in 2006 after Kayla King notched 20 victories and a sub-2.60 ERA.
 
No stranger to the Division II game, Bennett was a two-year letterwinner at Southern Arkansas. A member of the Gulf South Conference Academic Honor Roll in 2004, she holds the school record for fewest errors in a career with six.
 
A Longview, Texas, native, Bennett earned her bachelor's degree in business administration from Southern Arkansas in 2004. She received her master's degree in kinesiology from SAU in 2006.