Cerro Coso names Bennett as new head softball coach

RIDGECREST - Cerro Coso Community College announced the hiring of Devin Bennett as head coach for the Coyote softball program entering the 2018-2019 school year. Coach Bennett comes to Cerro Coso by way of Southwestern College in the San Diego area. During her time at Southwestern she served as an assistant coach to Yasmin Mossadeghi since the summer of 2015. As a member of the Jaguar coaching staff, she helped to lead the team to records of 24-17 (2016), 27-12 (2017), 24-15 (2018). During each of these seasons, her team made the postseason including a first-ever hosting bid in 2017.

Her involvement with the team's success didn't end there as she also played a role in supporting three first-team All-PCAC players, four second-team All-PCAC players, two first-team All-SoCal players, and transferred 11 student athletes on to four-year universities.

Other notable stops along Coach Bennett's journey include coaching stints at William Penn University, Cal State San Bernardino, Victor Valley College, and College of the Desert.

Athletic Director John McHenry believes that he has found a strong coach to continue moving the softball program forward.

"Cerro Coso Community College is very pleased to have Coach Bennett take the reins of Coyote Softball as she brings a vast scope of experience to the athletic department," he said. "She is no doubt a great addition to the program, the college, and the community of Ridgecrest".

Although Coach Bennett spent the majority of her childhood in Overland Park, Kan., her roots aren't far from Ridgecrest as she was born in Visalia where her family still resides. Softball has always been a part of her life as she first began her love of the sport from the age of four years old, leading her down a path that would take her on to play at Iowa Lakes Community College and eventually William Penn University as a member of the 2009 conference championship team.

It has been a relevant journey that has lead Devin Bennett to land at the helm of Coyote Softball, and she feels that it is her past experience that will pay dividends for her future.

"I am extremely honored to be named Cerro Coso Colleges new head softball coach," she said. "I would like to thank the Athletic Director John McHenry for entrusting the Coyote softball program to me.   

"This opportunity to become part of the Cerro Coso College family has been exciting with the amount of support that has already been displayed from the school and to be part of a school that truly wants to make a program become successful," she added. "I would like to express my appreciation for the many mentors, family, and close friends for all their support and knowledge they bestowed on me during this journey to become a head coach once again."