SALISBURY, Md. – This is "Nest to Nest," a regular series spotlighting the big miles and bigger stories of the Sea Gull student-athletes on each team who traveled the farthest to be at Salisbury University. This week,
Ben Bennett of SU baseball takes us about as far as you can go and still be in the Continental U.S. – all the way up to the Pacific Northwest.
Ben Bennett | Jr. Pitcher, Baseball
Hometown:
Seattle, Washington
Population:
780,995
Distance from Salisbury:
2,872 miles
Driving Time:
42 hours
What would you say your hometown is known for?
I think we're known for our nature, just our natural beauty. There's a lot of really awesome mountains right by Seattle, and glacial lakes, and it's green 12 months out of the year. The music that's come from Seattle is great too; I even went to the same high school (James A. Garfield) that Jimi Hendrix did.
What's your favorite hometown hangout spot?
I would have to say
the Union Market. It's a place that my friends and I got lunch a good amount of time in high school. It's a little corner store with a kitchen in the back, very Mom-and-Pop, and they make the best food in Seattle.
Which local sports teams do you root for?
I love the Seattle Mariners – they had such a great year last year, and I love the Seahawks. Hopefully by the time you guys are reading this, they will have won the Super Bowl.
[Author's note: they did!]
How did you hear about Salisbury University?
I had some old connections on the East Coast, and when I was looking for colleges my dad told me about a D3 school that was really good at baseball. So I emailed the coaches, and I got lucky that they were interested in me too.
What's the biggest difference between life in your hometown and life here in Salisbury?
Well, in Seattle it does rain all the time; that part is true. It doesn't rain that much in Salisbury, but it is super windy, so that was a bit of an adjustment for me.
What's something you can turn to that reminds you of your hometown on the days when you miss it?
I do like listening to Seattle music. And my favorite dish at Union Market is their beef and broccoli, so I got some of their stir fry sauce and carried it all the way out here; I make that whenever I'm feeling a little homesick.
How would you sell someone on visiting your hometown?
Come in the summer. Don't come in the winter; it's going to be cold and gray and rainy. If you come in the summer it's 85 degrees, no humidity, sun every day, lakes you can swim in. It's awesome.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with affiliate membership in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (football, men's & women's swimming), Coastal Lacrosse Conference (men's lacrosse), State University of New York Athletic Conference (field hockey), and Colonial Women's Golf Conference (women's golf). With over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the nation's most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have won a combined 23 team national championships, 24 individual national championships, and 207 conference championships, and have produced 54 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
