MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — The 2023 Central Michigan Hall of Fame class will have some several worthy additions, including one from West Michigan.
Legendary Chippewa wrestler Ben Bennett is one of five former student athletes to be inducted into the Hall in Mount Pleasant.
Bennett hails from Rockford High School, and wrestled for Central Michigan from 2009 to 2013. However, Bennett did not just wrestle. He dominated.
The former Ram ended up being the only four-time All-American in Central Michigan history. He finished in fourth at the NCAA Championships in 2013, he placed sixth in 2010 and 2012 and was in eighth in 2011.
Bennett is one of just three former Central Michigan wrestlers to win four straight MAC individual titles during his time in Mount Pleasant. He also was just the fourth freshman Chippewa to bring home All-America honors.
The Chippewa wrestling legend won 83.4 percent of the matches on the mat in his Central Michigan career. He won 121 times, which ranks as the sixth most in program history. Bennett won 30 matches in a row, which is a CMU record.
Bennett will head to the Central Michigan Hall of Fame with former CMU women's soccer stars Bailey Brandon and Liesel Toth, softball stud Leslie Grimes Phelan, football standout Frank Zombo and the 1983-84 women's basketball team.
"We are extremely proud and honored to introduce these great Chippewa athletes into our hall of fame," Central Michigan Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Amy Folan said. "Each inductee had a fantastic collegiate career at Central Michigan; not only as athletes, but as students as well. This group represents the best of all Chippewa athletes."
The 2023 class will be inducted on September 29 at 6 p.m. in McGuirk arena. The public is welcome to attend free of charge.
