Kansas State University Athletics
Soccer
Kat Benton-LaEzza
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- kbenton@kstatesports.com
- Phone:
- (785) 532-6910
Benton's Career Head Coaching Record
• 27-11-4 (.690)
Benton’s Coaching Experience
• Assistant Coach, Kansas State (2019-present)
• Head Coach, Kansas Olympic Development Program (2013-present)
• Head Coach, Kansas Wesleyan (2017-18)
• Assistant Coach, Kansas Wesleyan (2009-13)
• Technical Director, Youth Clubs in Salina & Manhattan (2009-19)
Benton’s Trophy Case
• 2018 KCAC Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year
• 2018 KCAC Regular Season and Tournament Champions
• 2018 NAIA National Tournament
• 2016 KSYSA Girls Competitive Coach of the Year
• 2014-15 NSCAA 30 Under 30 Class
Benton’s Certification
• USSF F, E & D Coaching Licenses
• NSCAA Premier Diploma
• NSCAA Goalkeeping I, II, III Diplomas
Benton’s Education
• Master of Business Administration, Sport Management Kansas Wesleyan, 2011
• Bachelor of Arts, Kansas Wesleyan, 2009
• Associate of Liberal Arts, Santiago Canyon College, 2007
Benton’s Playing Career
• 2007 & 2008 KCAC Regular Season & Tournament Champions
• 2008 NAIA National Tournament
• 2007 NAIA Region IV Champion
• 2007 NAIA National Tournament, Final 16, #23 National Ranking
• 2007 NAIA All-American Honorable Mention
• Two-time NSCAA All-Region
• Two-time All-KCAC First Team
• 2007 KCAC Newcomer of the Year
Kat Benton enters her second season as an assistant coach at Kansas State. Benton joins K-State following two seasons as head coach at Kansas Wesleyan.
Benton steered Kansas Wesleyan to a 27-11-4 (.690) record and the 2018 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) regular season and tournament titles.
In 2018, the Coyotes finished with a 17-3-2 overall record and an 11-0-1 record in the conference to capture the conference titles.
The Coyotes placed nine on the All-KCAC teams, including the KCAC Newcomer of the Year (Michelle Pena), the KCAC Defensive Player of the Year (Krysta Catone) and Benton was named the 2018 KCAC Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year. Four student-athletes were named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Plains Region Team and Pena was named as a NAIA Honorable Mention All-American.
In 2017, Benton’s first season leading the Coyotes, she led the program to the 13th consecutive appearance in the KCAC Tournament Championship match. KWU went 10-8-2 overall on the season and posted an 8-2 record in the final ten matches of the season.
Benton mentored seven players to All-KCAC including first-team selections Valerie Ochoa, Antonia Burrell and Jane Potter. Four were named Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes and seven were named Academic All-KCAC.
Benton was a two-year letter winner and two-time team captain at Kansas Wesleyan, as she played for Dibbini in 2007 and 2008. She helped lead the Coyotes back-to-back KCAC regular season and tournament crowns. The 2007 squad won the NAIA Region IV title, a first-ever accomplishment for a team from the KCAC, and advanced to the second round of the NAIA National Championships. The Coyotes reached the 2008 NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship Opening Round.
Benton collected a number of honors during her playing career with Kansas Wesleyan including: 2007 NAIA All-America honorable mention, two-time NSCAA All-Regiona, two-time All-KCAC First Team and 2007 KCAC Newcomer of the Year.
Following her playing career, Benton served as an assistant coach on Dibbini’s staff at Kansas Wesleyan from 2009 until 2013, where she oversaw recruiting and served as the head coach of the junior varsity squad. She also was active within the Salina Soccer Club, serving as Director of Academies, Assistant Director of Coaching, and as a coach.
She has also served as a head coach in the Kansas Olympic Development Program since 2013 and has been the head coach of the Sporting Kaw Valley Premier team and is a Technical Director for SKV in Salina. She was named the KSYSA Girls Competitive Coach of the Year in 2016.
Benton holds several top coaching certifications including a USSF F, E, & D licenses, NSCAA Youth II Diploma, NSCAA Goalkeeping I, II, & III Diplomas, NSCAA Advanced Regional Diploma, NSCAA National Diploma, NSCAA Advanced National Diploma and NSCAA Premier Diploma. She was named part of the prestigious NSCAA 30 under 30 class in 2014-15 which pegs the top 15 women and 15 men in the country as the best up and coming coaches under 30 years of age
Benton holds an Associate of Liberal Arts degree from Santiago Canyon College in Orange, Calif. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Kansas Wesleyan and received her Master of Business Administration with emphasis in Sports Management from KWU in 2011.
• 27-11-4 (.690)
Benton’s Coaching Experience
• Assistant Coach, Kansas State (2019-present)
• Head Coach, Kansas Olympic Development Program (2013-present)
• Head Coach, Kansas Wesleyan (2017-18)
• Assistant Coach, Kansas Wesleyan (2009-13)
• Technical Director, Youth Clubs in Salina & Manhattan (2009-19)
Benton’s Trophy Case
• 2018 KCAC Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year
• 2018 KCAC Regular Season and Tournament Champions
• 2018 NAIA National Tournament
• 2016 KSYSA Girls Competitive Coach of the Year
• 2014-15 NSCAA 30 Under 30 Class
Benton’s Certification
• USSF F, E & D Coaching Licenses
• NSCAA Premier Diploma
• NSCAA Goalkeeping I, II, III Diplomas
Benton’s Education
• Master of Business Administration, Sport Management Kansas Wesleyan, 2011
• Bachelor of Arts, Kansas Wesleyan, 2009
• Associate of Liberal Arts, Santiago Canyon College, 2007
Benton’s Playing Career
• 2007 & 2008 KCAC Regular Season & Tournament Champions
• 2008 NAIA National Tournament
• 2007 NAIA Region IV Champion
• 2007 NAIA National Tournament, Final 16, #23 National Ranking
• 2007 NAIA All-American Honorable Mention
• Two-time NSCAA All-Region
• Two-time All-KCAC First Team
• 2007 KCAC Newcomer of the Year
Kat Benton enters her second season as an assistant coach at Kansas State. Benton joins K-State following two seasons as head coach at Kansas Wesleyan.
Benton steered Kansas Wesleyan to a 27-11-4 (.690) record and the 2018 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) regular season and tournament titles.
In 2018, the Coyotes finished with a 17-3-2 overall record and an 11-0-1 record in the conference to capture the conference titles.
The Coyotes placed nine on the All-KCAC teams, including the KCAC Newcomer of the Year (Michelle Pena), the KCAC Defensive Player of the Year (Krysta Catone) and Benton was named the 2018 KCAC Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year. Four student-athletes were named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Plains Region Team and Pena was named as a NAIA Honorable Mention All-American.
In 2017, Benton’s first season leading the Coyotes, she led the program to the 13th consecutive appearance in the KCAC Tournament Championship match. KWU went 10-8-2 overall on the season and posted an 8-2 record in the final ten matches of the season.
Benton mentored seven players to All-KCAC including first-team selections Valerie Ochoa, Antonia Burrell and Jane Potter. Four were named Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes and seven were named Academic All-KCAC.
Benton was a two-year letter winner and two-time team captain at Kansas Wesleyan, as she played for Dibbini in 2007 and 2008. She helped lead the Coyotes back-to-back KCAC regular season and tournament crowns. The 2007 squad won the NAIA Region IV title, a first-ever accomplishment for a team from the KCAC, and advanced to the second round of the NAIA National Championships. The Coyotes reached the 2008 NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship Opening Round.
Benton collected a number of honors during her playing career with Kansas Wesleyan including: 2007 NAIA All-America honorable mention, two-time NSCAA All-Regiona, two-time All-KCAC First Team and 2007 KCAC Newcomer of the Year.
Following her playing career, Benton served as an assistant coach on Dibbini’s staff at Kansas Wesleyan from 2009 until 2013, where she oversaw recruiting and served as the head coach of the junior varsity squad. She also was active within the Salina Soccer Club, serving as Director of Academies, Assistant Director of Coaching, and as a coach.
She has also served as a head coach in the Kansas Olympic Development Program since 2013 and has been the head coach of the Sporting Kaw Valley Premier team and is a Technical Director for SKV in Salina. She was named the KSYSA Girls Competitive Coach of the Year in 2016.
Benton holds several top coaching certifications including a USSF F, E, & D licenses, NSCAA Youth II Diploma, NSCAA Goalkeeping I, II, & III Diplomas, NSCAA Advanced Regional Diploma, NSCAA National Diploma, NSCAA Advanced National Diploma and NSCAA Premier Diploma. She was named part of the prestigious NSCAA 30 under 30 class in 2014-15 which pegs the top 15 women and 15 men in the country as the best up and coming coaches under 30 years of age
Benton holds an Associate of Liberal Arts degree from Santiago Canyon College in Orange, Calif. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Kansas Wesleyan and received her Master of Business Administration with emphasis in Sports Management from KWU in 2011.
MATCH REPLAY | SOC vs Baylor
Monday, September 29
K-State SOC | Match Highlights vs Baylor
Sunday, September 28
K-State SOC | Match Highlights vs TCU
Thursday, September 25
MATCH REPLAY | SOC vs TCU
Thursday, September 25
