Lydia Strong---Santa Monica College Sports Information Director

June 19, 2015 

Santa Monica, CA—The Santa Monica College Women's Soccer team will have a new coach this season as Aaron Benditson has been chosen to lead the Corsairs. 

This is actually Coach Benditson's second stint as Head Women's Soccer coach at Santa Monica College as he held the same position from 2005 – 2013, before being hired as the lead assistant coach for the Cal Poly Pomona Men's Soccer team.

As head coach at Santa Monica, he posted an overall record of 89-46-35 to record the most coaching wins in program history. Benditson guided the team to six Southern Regional playoff appearances and in 2005, he was named the Western State Conference and Southern Region Coach of the Year.

In a recent interview after accepting the position, Coach Benditson spoke about his return and his plans for success at SMC:

"I feel very blessed to be given an opportunity to come back, stated Coach Benditison, "Sometimes you have to step away from something to see how good you really had it.  Santa Monica College as a two year school and a place to work, I feel there is no JC better.  From the location to the diversity, the education, and of course the athletic community." 

Coach Benditson has hit the ground running as summer training starts soon.  "I've spoken to all of the girls on the phone. They are excited to know that I used to be the Head Coach here, and had some success.  I think it's a really good situation and I'm super excited to get started."

In 2014 SMC Women's Soccer had one of its most successful season in recent memory under previous Coach Joe Pehanich.   The team qualified for the State playoffs, finished second in Western State Conference play and placed a number of players on the All Western State team as well.

I'm going to continue the work Coach Pehanich started here. I want to build upon the success we've had here the past few years.  Of course my goal every year is to be competing for playoffs and conference championships.  Academically the plan is to put more emphasis on academic rigor and maintain as close to a 3.0 GPA as possible for the collective team, and I want to continue to mentor and impact these young adults and move them on in their academic and athletic lives."

Coach Benditson put together an impressive playing career as a soccer student-athlete at Cal State Northridge from 1999 through 2002, a span in which he was a two-time scholar athlete, team captain, Big West Honorable Mention selection and member of the Big West All-Academic Team.

He started his collegiate coaching career after graduating in May 2002 with a bachelor's degree in Sociology. In May 2012, Benditson earned a Master's Degree in Coaching and Sports Administration from Concordia University in Irvine.