Staff Reports
Georgia Tech has hired Buford High School grad Kelsey Bennett as an assistant coach for the Yellowjackets softball program. Bennett graduated from BHS in 2018 and was a three-year starter for the Wolves varsity softball team.
Once Bennett completes her stint with the Smash It Sports Vipers in the inaugural season of the WPF (Women’s Professional Fastpitch), which ends in August, she will return to her home state of Georgia. She will start her first year as an assistant coach under Georgia Tech head softball coach Aileen Morales.
“I am thrilled to welcome Kelsey to our staff,” said Morales in a statement released by Georgia Tech. “I am fortunate to have known her since she was a youth softball player coming to our Junior Jacket softball camps here on The Flats! She has amassed an impressive career at VT, and I am proud to see the successes she has had in our sport and our conference. Kelsey will bring high energy and enthusiasm to our staff, and I can’t wait to get working alongside her.”
While at Buford, Bennett played a major part in the softball team winning the 2015 and 2016 GHSA Class AAAAA State Championships. She was named the 2018 Gwinnett County Player of the Year and the 2018 GHSA Class AAAAA Player of the Year.
After graduating from Buford, Bennett attended Virginia Tech and was a five-year starter for the Hokies softball team from 2019-23. She had an outstanding career at Virginia Tech where she won numerous awards and records.
The Georgia Tech press release lists her extensive accomplishments as follows:
“She was named ACC Freshman of the Year, ACC all-freshman and all-ACC three times – landing on the first team as a freshman in 2019, second team in 2021 and third team in 2022. Leading into the spring, Bennett was also recognized on three preseason all-ACC teams before earning ACC Co-Player of the Week honors twice in season. On a national scale, Tech’s new addition was a Schutt Sports/NFCA National Freshman of the Year top 10 finalist and appeared on the JWOS All-Freshman Team following her first season in Blacksburg, Va. In 2021, Bennett was also named among Softball America’s top 100 players before earning NFCA All Mid-Atlantic Second Team recognition and a JWOS third team all-American nod. Amongst Virginia, the incoming assistant received VaSID Rookie of the Year (2019) and was a three-time honoree on VaSID’s all-state teams, twice landing on the first team and also earning a second team selection.
Starting every game of her collegiate career, Bennett made her mark on the Hokie program with a plethora of records. She remains the all-time leader with 170 career RBI while ranking second in Virginia Tech’s record books with 47 home runs and 411 total bases. Bennett is also among the best in her alma mater’s history for a career ranking fifth in slugging percentage (.599), tying the fourth most in triples (nine) and sac flies (seven), finishing fifth in games played (244) and sitting in seventh in hits (214). In a single season, the longtime Hokie finished among the Virginia Tech record books slotting second in slugging percentage (.725), tied for the fourth most home runs (14) and tied for the third most sac flies (three). Of those marks, Bennett owns freshman records in home runs and slugging percentage while also pacing first-years in total bases (116). In an explosion against NC State in 2021, the Buford, Ga., native set single-game records of three home runs and 12 total bases that currently stand.”
