JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville University softball team has announced a new hire, bringing on former Dartmouth assistant coach Sydney Benz for the same role.
Benz, a 2018 graduate of Arkansas, had been an assistant for the Big Green since 2022 helping lead the Ivy League squad in both hitting and defensive coaching.
"I'm incredibly humbled and excited to join the 'Phins program," Benz said. "In my first phone call with coach
Erica Ayers, I knew that there was something special at JU. I can't wait to build relationships with the athletes and continue the positive trajectory that's already been established. I want to thank Erica for entrusting me to take on this role. Let's get to work. Go 'Phins!"
In her most recent season with Dartmouth, Benz helped coach two student-athletes to All-Ivy League honors. During the 2025 campaign, Benz played a part in landing four Dartmouth student-athletes on the All-Ivy League honoree list with one student-athlete being named to the NFCA Third-Team All-Region.
Defensively, Benz helped shape Dartmouth into the stoutest defense in the league during the 2024 season. The Big Green posted the least errors in the entire conference and ended the season as the Ivy's number one defensive unit by also leading the league in fielding percentage. Benz also helped coach the Ivy League Player of the Year as well as one more All-Ivy selection.
Benz joined Dartmouth in 2021 after serving as a volunteer for two seasons at East Carolina after her playing days at Arkansas.
During her time on the field in Fayetteville, Benz was a three-time NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete and the Razorbacks' representative for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. In all three years at Arkansas, Benz helped her team reach the postseason, culminated by a regional win in 2018.
Across three seasons with the Razorbacks after transferring from Louisville, Benz appeared in 37 games, recording just one error in her SEC career.
Now with Jacksonville, Benz hopes to improve a side that saw the most single-season wins under Ayers last season, seven total All-ASUN postseason honors and two NFCA All-Region honors while making it just one game shy of the ASUN Tournament Championship.
"We are thrilled to add Sydney to the staff," Ayers said. "She brings a wealth of experience running an offense and recruiting high level student-athletes. She will have no problem building strong relationships and guiding our young women. The similarity in philosophies and values will make this a seamless transition."
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