A former Glynn Academy track standout who went on to compete at the college level for the University of Georgia.

 

At Glynn, Bennett served as team captain his last three years while being the team’s most valuable performer four times. He left as the school’s record -holder in the 300 intermediate hurdles (39.04 ), 110 high hurdles (14.01) and 4x400 relay (1 minute, 27.14 seconds) and set the Region 3-AAAA record twice in the 800-meter dash, setting the new mark at 1.55.08.

 

As a senior, he was the high-point winner at the Region 3 meet and won the 300 hurdles and 800-meter a third straight year. He also helped the 4x400 relay team win the region title while also qualifying for state in the 110 high hurdles and triple jump by finishing second in the region. Competing in five events at state, he finished second in the 800 after placing third the two previous years.

 

At Georgia, where he was a team captain, Bennett was a three-time outdoor All-American and finished runner-up in the 2005 SEC outdoor meet in the 400-hurdles. He set a school record in the 400 hurdles at the 2005 NCAA Championships.

 

As an assistant coach at Georgia, he assisted in coaching 18 NCAA All-Americans, coordinated all aspects of campus recruiting visits, monitored team community service projects and helped facilitate annual summer track camps.

 

Professionally, Bennett competed in the 400 meter hurdles in four United States Olympic Trials (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016) with a semifinal appearance in 2012. He was a Silver Medalist in the 4x400 Relay and a Bronze Medalist in the 400 Meter Hurdles at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He finished sixth in the 400 meter hurdles at the USATF Championships in 2010.

 

From 2009-2012, he worked at North Oconee High in Bogart as a Track and Football Coach. He coached the boys and girls track teams to back-to-back region titles, and in 2010 led the girls squad to a State Championship while the boys team earned a third-place finish. 

 

Bennett spent 2012-2017 on the staff at NCAA Division I Drake University as both an Assistant Track Coach and later the interim Co-Head Men's and Women's Track and Field Coach. He was an active committee member of the renowned Drake Relays. During his tenure, Drake student-athletes earned nine Missouri Valley Conference Elite 18 awards given on the basis of the highest GPA combined with the highest event finisher at the conference meet. He coached nine student-athletes in NCAA first- round competition with four MVC champions.

 

Most recently, he worked with Men's and Women's Track and Field at Grand View University. With the Vikings, he coached six student-athletes to NAIA All-American honors in addition to a Men's Outdoor Team Conference Championship. In January 2019, he was hired as the Men’s and Women’s Track Coach at NCAA Divison III Belhaven (Miss.) University.