Eastern Kentucky University President Michael Benson has been tabbed to serve on an NCAA Committee representing Football Championship Subdivision institutions. The EKU President is the first from the Ohio Valley Conference to serve on the honors committee. Benson says this offers a time to recognize student athletes off the field. "These really remarkable student athletes, tens of thousands that every day go to class, do what they are supposed to do, that represent their institutions. And this is a way to recognize, what I believe athletics is all about, and that is access to education," said Benson.
This holiday weekend is also a homecoming of sorts for Benson and his family. They are in Utah with the EKU basketball team. On Wednesday night, the Colonels took on Southern Utah University and came away with a nine point win. That’s the school where Benson served as president before coming to Richmond. Benson says he suggested to coach Neubauer that EKU get what he calls a “home and home” with Southern Utah, saying his remark was just kind of a throwaway, “I'd been on the job for a few weeks and next thing I know he called me back and said hey, we worked out some games in Utah, so he took me seriously,” Benson says he’s delighted by the opportunity, “Because these kids are having a great experience to see a part of the country that I'm sure they've never seen before.”
Despite fond memories of his time at the Utah school, Benson said Wednesday afternoon he’d be backing the maroons in the game..?
