Benjamin named AD at Judson

A familiar face to Judson University athletics, current head baseball coach Rich Benjamin, will assume the position of Director of Athletics at Judson effective June 1. Current Athletic Director Joel Cotton announced that he is stepping down from the position, effective May 31. He will continue in his role as head men's basketball coach. Benjamin will also continue in his current role of head baseball coach.

Benjamin is currently in his eighth season at Judson, where he has made a significant impact on Judson athletics and the baseball program. He currently is the all-time wins leader in Judson baseball program history and is on pace to earn 300 career victories this season. He has led the Eagles to three straight Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference championships. He was named CCAC Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2013. During Benjamin's coaching era at Judson, the program has had 37 CCAC All-Conference selections, two CCAC Player of the Year selections, and three NAIA All-Americans.

Benjamin is looking forward to taking on a new role within the Judson family that he has been a part of for so long.

"I'm looking forward to serving the athletic department and continuing our department's mission at Judson University," he said.

Prior to coming to Judson, he was an assistant coach at Olivet Nazarene University for three seasons. In those three seasons, ONU went 93-49-1 and had a 44-16 record in the CCAC. At ONU, he was a part of the 2005 CCAC regular season championship team that went 17-3 and had an overall record of 40-12. The team also finished as the NAIA Region VII runners-up. In his three seasons at ONU, the Tigers won more than 25 games each year and had 10 or more wins in the CCAC.

Prior to Olivet, Benjamin was a student assistant coach at Martin Methodist University in Pulaski, Tenn. During the 2003 season, he helped guide the Hawks to a 37-12 record and to the Trans South and NAIA Region XI championship games.

Benjamin started his collegiate career as a player at Milligan College in Milligan College, Tenn., for two years and then finished his final two years at Martin Methodist, where he graduated in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in English. In 2008, he earned his Master of Organizational Leadership degree at Olivet Nazarene University. He and his wife, Casey, have one son, Ty.