FRESNO, Calif. - For the fourth year in a row, Fresno State head coach Natalie Benson has been named the Golden Coast Conference Coach of the Year. The GCC announced Benson as the 2024 recipient on Wednesday morning. The Coach of the Year is voted upon by the league's eight coaches following the conclusion of the GCC Championship tournament.
"I am humbled and honored to have been named Coach of the Year for the Golden Coast Conference," said Benson on the recognition. "I have a tremendous group of people who contribute to our collective success, including my assistant coaches Tamara Perea and Ashley Hill, our strength coach Thomas Cornelius, as well as our athletic trainer Rachel Wilhelm. This honor also belongs to them."
The Bulldogs have been led by Benson since the inaugural season in 2018, but the 2024 campaign has been a special one with potential still ahead for the national championship title this weekend. Fresno State has a 21-7 overall record so far this season, the most wins in a season in program history. Along the way, the Bulldogs have defeated the nation's top-ranked team on two different occasions and have risen to as high as No. 3 in the national team rankings.
"We work hard, but our athletes have earned what they have achieved," added Benson. "I want to thank our team for their hard work, commitment to Fresno State, and competitive spirit; they make coming to work rewarding."
Fresno State is fresh off of its GCC tournament title, defeating LMU 13-12 in overtime of the championship game. That win was a special one as Benson tallied her 100th win as Fresno State head coach. She boasts a 100-70 overall record as the Bulldogs' head coach.
Benson adds this honor to her list of growing acknowledgments as she continues to advance the Bulldog water polo program further into the national spotlight year after year.
The next task for Benson and the Bulldogs lies ahead this weekend as they travel to Berkeley, Calif. for the NCAA Women's Water Polo championship. Fresno State will face the host school Cal in the quarterfinal matchup on Friday.