Born:
Akron, Ohio

Raised:
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Resides:
Newark

Education:
B.S., sports management and business administration, Robert Morris University

Family:
Wife, Prudence; daughter, Chartara, 17; sons Gerald III, 10; and Brandon, 6.

Favorite sporting events
to watch:
College football and basketball

Gerald "Bennie" Benson's role with his student-athletes goes beyond head coach. He's like a father figure who takes pride when his athletes do well athletically and academically, and is there to lend a shoulder when times are tough.

It's his caring nature that makes Bennie so well-liked among his team members and colleagues. But it took more than just being a nice guy to earn the title of NCAA Track and Field Coach of the Year.

In his eight seasons at Montclair State, Bennie has produced 25 All-Americans, including 16 in the indoor season, and has been instrumental in guiding MSU into one of the premiere Division III programs in the nation. In 2001, the men's track and field team finished third at the NCAA Indoor Championships, the highest they've placed since the meet was first held in 1985. The women's team placed eighth, its best placing at the NCAAs since 1992 when the Red Hawks finished fifth. On the academic side, last semester the men's track team had the highest combined grade point average among all MSU's sports teams and the women's track team had the second highest grade point average.

Among the many highlights in his career, Bennie considers the Coach of the Year Award particularly meaningful."Winning that was the biggest because it's your peers across the country who vote," he explained. "I don't know the coaches in Wisconsin and California, but it shows they looked at the accomplishments of our program."

But more important than any award, he says, are the students. "The athletes, past and present, are special because they come to Montclair State knowing that our facilities are limited, but they still put their best foot forward and take care of business," he said. Montclair State has no indoor track for practice and most training is done outdoors regardless of weather. "Last year we practiced in Lot 40 because the track was snow-covered. Maintenance did a great job cleaning up the lot for us," he said, laughing.

Bennie strives to keep his athletes motivated. "It's not me out there competing," he said. "My job is to get them in shape so that they have something to prove to themselves and to the rest of the country. The pressure I put on myself is not just to win the awards but for the team to do well. As long as the kids do well, I'm happy."

And when they don't, Bennie is there to offer support."I think that's when a coach has to come in and keep his athletes' mental psyche up," he said. "As a coach, I try to give them fatherly advice. I listen to them vent, then I listen to them cry, then I cry, then we go back to the drawing board. Normally I say that if losing this race is the worst thing that's going to happen to you in your life, then you're going to have a good life."

But he's not always so easy on his teams. " 'Run fast or you're going to do six times 600 (meters).' That's all I have to tell them," he said with a smile. "They don't want to do that. That's a little over three miles of running as fast as you can with only a minute rest."

A standout athlete himself, Bennie knows the impact a coach can make. His successful high school career included his selection as an All-American and a two-time Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state medal winner in the 800 meters, 4-by-800-meter relay and 4-by-400-meter relay. At Robert Morris College in Pittsburgh, Bennie was a 10-time All-Northeast Conference (NEC) selection and set eight school records in seven events, including the 800 meters, the distance medley and the 4-by-800-meter relay. He also was a member of two NEC Championship cross-country teams.

Despite his successful athletic career, Bennie didn't see himself pursuing a career in sports. He earned a business degree from Robert Morris College and had a future planned that didn't include track and field. "I wanted to work for UPS (United Parcel Service)," he said. "I worked there during the summer so I figured I'd climb my way up the company ladder."

But instead, he traded his dress shoes for running shoes and decided to accept an offer to coach the track team at Robert Morris. "Thirteen years later and I'm still coaching," he said. "Now, I can't see myself ever doing anything else. I'm in it for life."

Is there a colleague you'd like to nominate for "On the Job?" If so, e-mail his/her name along with a brief description of how he/she contributes to the campus community, to Jennifer Fusco at fuscoj@mail.montclair.edu.

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