Benzinger approved as Lakota East's new girls hoops coach
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Two years ago, Todd Benzinger was picked to turn around a struggling girls basketball program at Loveland High.
Now, he's been asked to do the same at Lakota East.
Extras
Benzinger, 45, was approved at the school board meeting Monday night, May 12, to take over the reins, replacing Dave Honhart, who resigned in March after five years at the helm (17-89).
"I'm excited," Benzinger said. "I'm looking forward to it. It will be a challenge. I know Dave worked really hard for five years, and never could get things off the ground. I'm hoping to work just as hard and have success on the floor eventually."
Benzinger — whose contract was not renewed at Loveland after two seasons — was 30-12 at the Fort Ancient Valley Conference Buckeye Division school, including 17-4 this past season. The season before he arrived at Loveland, the Tigers were 5-16.
"Experience, proven winner, program builder," East athletic director Jim Rouff said of Benzinger. "He turned around Loveland, and he had a tremendous track record at Seven Hills.
"We're very comfortable, very happy," he added. "We're happy for our girls basketball program. It took some time, but we as a committee weren't going to put just anybody in place. We needed to get the very best fit we could."
Benzinger also spent seven years as the head coach at Seven Hills, where he was 122-47 with five sectional championships and two district titles at the Division IV level.
"It is a big challenge," Benzinger said. "I think the fact that Lakota West does so well and Andy (Fishman) does so well adds to the challenge. I would love to see this program — and the girls in this program — really start to take off and have a winning mentality. I've seen it happen a couple times as a coach, and it's a great thing to see."
Benzinger played nine seasons (1987-95) in Major League Baseball, including three with the Cincinnati Reds ('89-'91).
Benzinger, who works in the Reds public relations department, lives in Loveland with his three children.
Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5113 or smatthews@coxohio.com.
