Goldey-Beacom College Director of Athletics Jeremy Benoit, who has helped transform the department during his nine years on campus, has been named chairperson of the NCAA Division II Men's Golf Committee.
The chairperson oversees everything for that particular sport in that particular division, ultimately leading to the overall governance of play and which teams plus individuals compete both at the NCAA Regionals and the NCAA Championship. The 2024-25 academic year marks his third on the committee.
"Taking on the leadership role for the NCAA DII Men's Golf Committee is a tremendous honor for Mr. Benoit and for Goldey-Beacom," GBC President Dr. Colleen Perry Keith said. "This recognition is well-earned and he'll be a wonderful leader at the national level. His work at GBC is hyper focused on the student-athlete experience, and he will now bring this important focus nationally to the men's golf committee. I'm looking forward to seeing how he shapes their work going forward!"
"I am very excited to take on this role for Division II Men's Golf," Benoit said. "Being the Chair of this committee is an honor, as committee work for the NCAA has been a valuable resource in my development as a leader and the growth of my professional network. I look forward to assisting coaches and administrators alike to improve D2 Men's Golf for the most important people in collegiate athletics… the student-athletes."
As he mentions, Benoit has been no stranger to NCAA committee involvement. His years at GBC have included the following:
- Division II National Golf Committee
- East Region Men's Soccer Regional Advisory Committee
- Site Supervisor for Men's Soccer and Baseball Regional Championships
- Strategic Alliance Matching Grant Selection Committee
- Mentor for the D2ADA Mentoring Program
At GBC, Benoit's achievements have been many and his likability with the student-athletes and staff is contagious. He already has left a giant footprint in helping both the department and the College move forward, which likely will continue with his ascension into this new role that he seemingly has been made for rather than groomed.
Entering his fourth year as Director of Athletics, Benoit started as the department's Compliance Specialist in 2015 and has taken on an increased role each year, producing a greater awareness of Athletics within the College. He was elevated in December 2016 to Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance and Operations and again in 2019 to Associate Director of Athletics before reaching the distinction of Director of Athletics in 2021.
A look around campus explains a lot of this. Benoit had a huge hand in helping resurface and rebrand Nancy Churchman Sawin Field (home of our soccer teams), implementing new branding in the Jones Center both inside and outside the gym (home to our basketball and volleyball teams), extensive renovations to the Jackson Complex (home to our softball team) and playing a role in the College's multi-million-dollar renovation project which included four brand new locker rooms, 15 offices and a conference room for the Athletic Department. This conference room also serves as a meeting room for several non-Athletics events, providing yet another avenue for the College to stay in touch with the department.
He also has taken the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, which he ran prior to his promotion, and rebranded it as the Leadership Academy. This has provided an even greater avenue for student-athletes to broaden their horizons in the continued process of preparing them for the next steps in their professional lives. It also has granted the College's faculty and staff with another way of getting involved with the Department of Athletics, one that is greatly appreciated by the student-athletes and the Athletics staff.
Benoit also has played a massive role in helping build a bridge between Athletics and other departments around campus, strengthening an already existing bond to show how Athletics and producing quality student-athletes can be a beneficiary in helping the College move forward. In doing so, his role at the College is not limited to Athletics – he has served on multiple committees that include the College's Title IX Deputy Coordinator, served as an adjunct professor of Sport Management, and been involved in the Department's and the College's strategic planning process.
His aforementioned work with the Leadership Academy included time with GBC Cares, the department's community service arm. Part of that community service has featured extensive work at The Summit, interviewing veterans at the nearby retirement home discuss their life in the military and the fight they endured for our freedom. The project, Veterans of The Summit: Stories of Service, closed third for the 2019 NCAA Division II Award of Excellence.
