David Bennett, born in Greer and raised in Cheraw, S.C., is head coach of Coastal’s new NCAA I-AA football program, which will begin competition in fall 2003. He comes to Coastal after serving for the past seven years as the head coach at Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C.

David and Melanie Bennett with Hayes and Jeb.

At Catawba, Bennett posted an overall record of 63-17, leading the Indians to three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Bennett, 40, left the football coaching staff at Newberry College in 1990 to become an assistant coach at Catawba where he was promoted to head coach in November 1994. In his first season, he led the Indians to a 7-3 record, earning both South Atlantic Conference (SAC) and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Coach of the Year honors. The 1996 Indians’ squad posted a 9-2 record and captured the SAC Championship.

The 1997 and 1998 teams posted records of 8-3 and 6-4, respectively, before Bennett’s program made its assault on the NCAA Division II national football scene. The 1999 season saw Catawba post an 11-2 record and earn the first of three NCAA Division II playoff berths. An 11-1 record and another SAC Championship came in 2000.

In 2001, Catawba went 11-2 to give Bennett a 33-5 record over the past three seasons. The Indians won the SAC Championship and the South Region Championship before falling to Grand Valley State University in the national semifinals.

Bennett garnered four SAC Coach of the Year honors and three AFCA South Region Coach of the Year honors during his career.

A 1984 graduate of Presbyterian College, Bennett lettered in football and golf while earning a bachelor of arts degree in history and social studies with a minor in coaching. He also began his coaching career at Presbyterian, working with the wide receivers as a student assistant coach.

In 1987, he served as the offensive coordinator at Goose Creek (S.C.) High School.

Bennett earned his master’s degree in guidance and counseling in 1986 from Clemson University, where he worked as a graduate assistant on the Tigers’ 1986 ACC Championship squad.

Bennett earned 10 varsity letters at Cheraw High School, where he was named All-Conference in football, basketball, tennis and track. A three-year-starter in football, he led the Braves to a 20-4 record as the starting quarterback, including the 1979 AAA State Championship.
 

David Bennett and his staff signed 17 players to National Letters of Intent, including four that were ranked among the Top 50 prospects in the state.

“Our coaching staff did an unbelievable job to get a recruiting class like this in such a short time,” said Bennett, whose staff began its duties at Coastal on Jan. 2. “There is no stadium yet and there are no facilities in place. Football at Coastal Carolina is a vision and a dream and these young men are to be admired for wanting to be a part of what is going to happen here at Coastal Carolina. It is hard to put words to their belief in our vision and dreams. Anybody can go play at a program that is already established, but it takes a special young man to want to be a part of this new Chanticleer program. It takes a very special young man to do that and that is exactly what this class is – a bunch of very special young men.”

The players will redshirt during the 2002 season.

The following is a list of Coastal's football signees.

Pos.
LB
DB
DE
WR
LB
FB
DE
LB
DB
RB
DB
OL
DB
QB
OL
OL
WR/KR