Lexington One Names Athletic Director, Football Coach for New River Bluff High

Former Coastal Carolina Football Coach David Bennett will serve as the head football coach at Lexington County School District One's newest school, River Bluff High, which opens in August.

Bennett currently serves as athletic director and guidance counselor at Socastee High School in Myrtle Beach. Before coming to Socastee High, he started the football program at Coastal Carolina University in Conway.

He then served as head football coach for 10 years and was named the 2004 and 2010 Big South Coach of the Year, 2004 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Regional Coach of the Year and 2006 Sport-Tex National Coach of the Year. He led the Coastal team to 2006 and 2010 FCS National Playoffs and to 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2010 Big South Champions.

Bennett has 25 years of educational experience and an overall coaching record of 126-56.

He began his career at Goose Creek High School in 1987 as guidance counselor and assistant football coach, moved to Newberry College in 1988 as dean of men, assistant football coach and women’s softball coach.

He joined Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C. in 1990 as teacher, assistant football coach, and later assistant athletic director and head golf coach and head football coach. While at Catawba College, he went to the 1999, 2000 and 2001 Division II National Playoffs and the 2001 Division II National Semifinals. His teams were 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2001 South Atlantic Conference (SAC) champions, and he was named the 1995, 1996, 2000 and 2001 SAC Coach of the Year and the 1995, 1996 and 2000 Regional Coach of the Year. His golf team was the 1995 and 1996 SAC Golf Champion, and he was SAC Golf Coach of the Year.

He moved to Coastal Carolina University in 2002 and has had nine of his former players (four currently active) play in the National Football League (NFL).

Bennett received his bachelor’s degree in history and social studies from Presbyterian College and his master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Clemson University, while also serving as a graduate assistant football coach under Danny Ford.

He has been honored as a 2011 Fellowship of Christian Athletes Ring of Honor Inductee, FCS Board President and Phil Clark Lifetime Achievement Award winner, a 2010 Catawba College Hall of Fame Inductee, 2008–2011 FCS Board Member and 2011 FCS President.

Bennett formed a foundation called the Collin’s Kids David Bennett Foundation in honor of his son’s best friend, who was killed in a four-wheeler accident.

Submitted by Lexington One.