Westminster football coach Scott Benzel accepted a position on the coaching staff at Duke, director of athletics Jason Lener said Monday.
Benzel led the Titans for the past 12 seasons since becoming head coach in January 2014. He guided the team to two Presidents’ Athletic Conference titles, and his 85 wins rank No. 3 on the college’s all-time victories list, trailing only College Football Hall of Famers Joe Fusco (154) and Harold Burry (127).
Westminster finished 8-3 last fall.
“I want to thank the Westminster community for all the support given to me and my family over our 12 seasons,” Benzel, a Plum grad and member of the school’s Hall of Fame, said in a statement. “Being part of the Titan football tradition has been truly special. Westminster will forever be a part of us, and I’m excited to watch the continued success of the program and the standard that Titan football demands.”
Benzel joins Manny Diaz’s staff after previous stints as associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator at Saint Francis and recruiting coordinator, assistant coach and co-defensive coordinator at Robert Morris.
“When Coach Benzel was hired, our football program was facing significant challenges. Throughout his tenure, he restored its respectability and consistently positioned us among the top programs in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference,” Lener said. “Titan football is in a strong place today and we are deeply grateful to Coach Benzel for the leadership, stability and success he brought to our program.”
Offensive coordinator EJ White will serve as Westminster’s interim head coach while a nationwide search is conducted.
