University of Tennessee Athletics
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October 22, 1999 | Women's Track
SCOTT BENNETT
Assistant Track and Field Coach
Now in his third season as the field events coach for the Lady Volunteers, Scott Bennett continues to enhance his sterling reputation by doing what he has done at every other stop in his career produce national-caliber athletes. An expert in field event technique and motivation, Bennett has achieved his results by building champions from those who are natural talents and those who just have to work a little harder than everyone else.
In his first two years at UT, he has rekindled the program's ability to send field event competitors to national meets and compete on the highest level. Just last season, four of his pupils qualified for the NCAA Championships, with pole vaulter Tracy Carrington earning indoor All-America honors, winning the SEC title outdoors and laying claim to UT's indoor and outdoor vault records. Freshmen Frenke Bolt (heptathlon) and Diane Slinden (discus) and junior transfer Andrea Pappas (shot) all qualified for outdoor nationals, and Pappas finished second at the league outdoor meet with a personal best performance. Additionally, Pappas became UT's new record holder in the hammer and weight throws.
In 1998, his first campaign at Tennessee, Bennett had an immediate impact on Lady Vol field events personnel. Most notable was pole vaulter Leslie Henley, who claimed the SEC title indoors and won top honors at three meets outdoors, including the prestigious Penn Relays. Each week of the season Henley continued her improvement, capping it off with yet another school record-setting performance in taking third and earning All-America honors at NCAAs.
Bennett's wealth of knowledge offers great versatility to coach Ferguson's staff. His ability to coach jumps, throws, multi-events and pole vault is a combination not easily found in modern-day track and field. Coaches with the success he has demonstrated in working with development to Olympic-caliber athletes in those events are even harder to find.
Examples of his winning formula can be found at every step in his career journey. Along the way, he has coached athletes to NCAA Championships in the shot put, discus, long jump, triple jump and high jump. Additionally, his pupils have also brought home All-America honors in the javelin and pole vault. With such a record of excellence in so many events, Bennett is a commodity that few schools can boast.
His preparation for the position he currently holds came from 11 years spent as a full-time field events coach at four different collegiate institutions. Prior to his arrival in Knoxville, Bennett worked with athletes at Wake Forest University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Kansas State University and the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. Including stints as a graduate and volunteer assistant at UW-M and a high school aide at Madison (Wis.) Memorial High School, he has accumulated 21 years of knowledge in the field.
At WFU, Bennett produced six All-Americans and 10 Atlantic Coast Conference champions from 1993 to 1997 while serving as an assistant for the men and women. He had two athletes, Andy Bloom (shot put, discus) and Trina Bindel (heptathlon), qualify for the 1996 Olympic Trials. Bloom, the 1996 NCAA champion in the shot put and discus, is one of only five athletes ever to achieve that double at the same NCAA meet. Bennett continues to coach Bloom, and his pupil recently rewarded him by winning the shot put crown at the World University Games.
As men's field events coach from 1989 to 1993 at Wisconsin, Bennett had athletes earn All-America status in the shot, discus, javelin and high jump. His pupils also brought home eight individual Big Ten championships and broke four school records. A shot putter he mentored was the only collegiate entrant to make it to the finals at the Olympic Trials.
One of Bennett's most well-known products came from his days at Kansas State. Kenny Harrison, a former Wildcat who was ranked number one in the world from 1989 to 1991, benefited greatly from his time spent with the field events specialist. The KSU standout brought home the gold medal in the triple jump at the 1996 Olympic Games and at the 1991 World Championships. From 1985 to 1989, K-State field-eventers captured four NCAA titles and had 10 runner-up finishes.
While working on his master's at UW-LaCrosse during the 1984-85 campaign, Bennett helped the women's team total an NCAA Division III record 185 points en route to the team championship. His field events personnel placed first in men's shot put and discus and also picked up All-America honors for men's and women's long jump and triple jump.
A 1976 graduate of the UW-Madison, Bennett earned a bachelor's degree in physical education while competing in track and field and football for the Badgers. In 1984, he completed work on a master's in human performance at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. He brings with him numerous experiences as a USATF clinician, speaker, coach and technical consultant for governing body manuals and videos. Additionally, his counsel has also been requested at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, where he was invited to be a field events clinician for both junior and senior elite athletes.
BENNETT'S FILE
- Sent four Lady Vol field events competitors to NCAA Championships in 1999
- Guided vaulter Tracy Carrington to All-America honors indoors and SEC title outdoors
- UT pupil Leslie Henley claimed SEC indoor title and NCAA outdoor All-America honors in 1998
- Coaches Andy Bloom, 1999 World University Games shot put champion and 1996 NCAA shot put/discus champ
- Produced six All-Americans and 10 ACC champions at Wake Forest
- Had All-Americans in shot, javelin and high jump and eight Big Ten champions at Wisconsin
- His pupils at Kansas State brought home 28 All-America certificates and four NCAA titles
- One of his former Wildcats, Kenny Harrison, won gold in the triple jump at the 1996 Olympic Games
