SJRCC PRESS RELEASE May 2008 SJRCC appoints new Head Softball Coach; Willis remains as Athletic Director Vice President for Student Affairs and Assistant General Counsel Gilbert Evans, Ph.D., J.D., has announced the appointment of Rebecca Bennett as the Head Softball Coach for St. Johns River Community College. Evans has also announced that Toni Willis, who has been serving both as Head Softball Coach and Athletic Director, will now concentrate exclusively on her role as Athletic Director. "This is an exciting time for the athletic department. I'm pleased to give Rebecca Bennett the opportunity to further demonstrate her leadership skills while giving Coach Willis the time to devote toward her administrative duties," Evans said. Bennett, 27, has served as SJRCC's assistant softball coach for three years. Bennett said she is excited about her new position and feels she has inherited a softball program with a solid athletic and academic foundation. "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to spread my wings as Head Softball Coach and see what areas I can improve on while still embracing the concept that our athletes are students first," Bennett said. Bennett came to SJRCC from Browning-Pearce Elementary School where she taught exceptional student education for three years. Bennett earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Florida State University where she also played four years of softball. Bennett was voted best offensive player during her senior year and placed third along with her Seminole teammates in the Women's College World Series in 2002. She was also named National Fastpitch Coaches Association Academic All-American. Willis, who has served as Athletic Director for two years and as Head Softball Coach for four years, said she is confident of Bennett's ability to take over all aspects of coaching the Lady Vikings. "In the last three years as the assistant coach she has helped in all avenues of coaching including game and practice preparation, team travel and budgeting, and recruiting," Willis said. "She has a good knowledge of the game and understands the dynamics of coaching at the community college level." As full-time Athletic Director, Willis said she will now focus her attention on the student-athletes' individual academic progress, facility upgrades such as renovating the gym floor and remodeling team shower and locker rooms, fundraising to enhance scholarship packages for room and board for all SJRCC athletes, and attending home games for the other three sports. SJRCC's athletic programs are based on the Palatka Campus and consist of men's basketball, men's baseball, women's fast-pitch softball and women's volleyball. PHOTO CAPTIONS: PHOTO TOP: Bennett PHOTO 2: Willis Return to SJRCC home page.