Indiana University Athletics
All-American Ashley Benson Returns as Volunteer Assistant Coach
4/19/2016 3:47:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – First Team All-American and Indiana volleyball alumna Ashley Benson is coming back to Bloomington as a volunteer assistant coach.
Benson, a native of Bloomington, helped lead the Hoosiers to their first Sweet 16 appearance, in 2010 and after a successful professional career is excited to give back to a program that means a great deal to her and has helped her develop into the person she is today.
"I'm really excited to be a part of this program again," Benson said. "I love seeing the passion, as I watch the videos posted on Facebook throughout the season. I hope to do all I can to show how much this program means to me. I'm excited for this program and the future it has."
Benson, a middle blocker who played from 2007-10, holds six Indiana single season and career records, including total blocks with 629 and career hitting efficiency at a .339 clip. Benson became the first Hoosier play to reach 600 blocks and first to hit over .300 for a career. Benson finished her career sixth on the Hoosiers all-time list for career kills with 1,492.
Benson, the Hoosiers first All-American in program history hit a blistering .408 with 437 kills in her senior season in 2010. She also set an IU single season record that year with 172 total blocks.
"For many reasons, I am excited to have Ashley back at Indiana," IU head coach Sherry Dunbar-Kruzan said. "She's had such a wonderful opportunity to play professionally and that knowledge she's gained can help our team to see things in a different way. There are few players that love this program and this university more than Ashley Benson."
"She has a passion that is infectious and I am so happy that our players will have her around on a daily basis," Dunbar-Kruzan added. "She understands how our program works, the level of competition we're up against on a weekly basis and how to be successful. She reached the pinnacle of success as a student-athlete, First Team All-American and will be a role model for those around her."
After her playing career at Indiana, Benson played professionally in Puerto Rico for Pinkin De Corizal in 2012 then from 2012-present for USC Münster in Germany. From 2013-14 Benson earned seven MVPs, four gold and three silver and made it to the playoffs with her team. She ranked 12th in attacks and sixth in blocks in the league in the regular season and was the 12th top scorer in the playoffs. In her most recent season, Benson and her team finished third overall and Benson was the sixth top scorer, first in serving points and sixth in block points.
"I am happy to be giving back to the program that helped me become the player and person I am today," Benson said. "I am excited to help these girls and this program to become one step closer to their dream. I have a perspective as a player and hope to be able to show the program what I have learned over the years abroad."
"I can only hope to make a small impact on each player, on and off the court," Benson added. "I hope that my knowledge of the game and my experience as a player will help them on the court, and that my personality with impact them off the court. I can only hope to impact them the way all of the staff members in the Athletic department have impacted my life."
Benson, a native of Bloomington, helped lead the Hoosiers to their first Sweet 16 appearance, in 2010 and after a successful professional career is excited to give back to a program that means a great deal to her and has helped her develop into the person she is today.
"I'm really excited to be a part of this program again," Benson said. "I love seeing the passion, as I watch the videos posted on Facebook throughout the season. I hope to do all I can to show how much this program means to me. I'm excited for this program and the future it has."
Benson, a middle blocker who played from 2007-10, holds six Indiana single season and career records, including total blocks with 629 and career hitting efficiency at a .339 clip. Benson became the first Hoosier play to reach 600 blocks and first to hit over .300 for a career. Benson finished her career sixth on the Hoosiers all-time list for career kills with 1,492.
Benson, the Hoosiers first All-American in program history hit a blistering .408 with 437 kills in her senior season in 2010. She also set an IU single season record that year with 172 total blocks.
"For many reasons, I am excited to have Ashley back at Indiana," IU head coach Sherry Dunbar-Kruzan said. "She's had such a wonderful opportunity to play professionally and that knowledge she's gained can help our team to see things in a different way. There are few players that love this program and this university more than Ashley Benson."
"She has a passion that is infectious and I am so happy that our players will have her around on a daily basis," Dunbar-Kruzan added. "She understands how our program works, the level of competition we're up against on a weekly basis and how to be successful. She reached the pinnacle of success as a student-athlete, First Team All-American and will be a role model for those around her."
After her playing career at Indiana, Benson played professionally in Puerto Rico for Pinkin De Corizal in 2012 then from 2012-present for USC Münster in Germany. From 2013-14 Benson earned seven MVPs, four gold and three silver and made it to the playoffs with her team. She ranked 12th in attacks and sixth in blocks in the league in the regular season and was the 12th top scorer in the playoffs. In her most recent season, Benson and her team finished third overall and Benson was the sixth top scorer, first in serving points and sixth in block points.
"I am happy to be giving back to the program that helped me become the player and person I am today," Benson said. "I am excited to help these girls and this program to become one step closer to their dream. I have a perspective as a player and hope to be able to show the program what I have learned over the years abroad."
"I can only hope to make a small impact on each player, on and off the court," Benson added. "I hope that my knowledge of the game and my experience as a player will help them on the court, and that my personality with impact them off the court. I can only hope to impact them the way all of the staff members in the Athletic department have impacted my life."
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