Contact:             Doug Aiken
                           (714) 997-6900

Release Date:   June 7, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 

Women’s Soccer Coach, Assistant Athletic Trainer Bennett Resigns

ORANGE – In Division III it is not always about the game. It is not about coaching, playing, success or lack thereof. Last week, Chapman’s head women’s soccer coach and assistant athletic trainer, Craig Bennett stayed with the Division III train of thought, when he retired from a coaching career that, in just four years, made him the most successful coach in Chapman women’s soccer history. Bennett has instead accepted the head athletic trainer position at the University of Redlands, effective July 1.

“Having been a student-athlete here, gotten my degrees here and developed the relationships with students, staff and administration at Chapman, sure, it is going to be tough to leave,” said Bennett upon his resignation. “But becoming a head athletic trainer has been a goal of mine since the beginning and it had to be the right situation at the right time. This feels right.”

It was a career choice for Bennett who, like many of his peers in Division III, wore many hats around Chapman – including serving as assistant athletic trainer, soccer coach and part-time instructor. His resignation ends an 12-year relationship with Chapman, that included a trip to the NCAA Division III Final Four with the men’s soccer team as an Umbro Select All-American goalkeeper in 1995, a stint as graduate assistant athletic trainer from 1996-98 and earning both his bachelors and masters degrees from Chapman.

“Craig contributed to many facets of our university and the athletic department,” said Director of Athletics David Currey. “We will miss him, but are very excited about this new career path for him and wish him and his family well.”

Of course, Bennett’s coaching record speaks for its own. In four years at the helm of the women’s program, Bennett led the Panthers to four consecutive NCAA postseason appearances, a berth in the “Sweet 16” in 2000, and annual rankings in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) top-25 poll. His career record of 56-19-7 (.726) ranks first in Chapman history.

I’ll miss coaching at Chapman because of the teams and the women I’ve coached here,” said Bennett. “Coaching just kind of happened and I think I was more lucky than anything with the situation I came into. It was a good fit and I think that’s why it was successful. I don’t see myself coaching anywhere else – maybe Cade (his son) as he gets older – but it’s going to be hard to match this experience anywhere else.

Chapman will immediately begin accepting applications for two positions vacated by Bennett: assistant athletic trainer and head women’s soccer coach. Both positions are expected to be filled by August 1.
 

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