Benavia Jenkins is entering her first season as an assistant coach of the Chanticleer volleyball program.
Prior to coming to Coastal, Jenkins spent the 2014 season as an assistant coach at Sante Fe College in Gainesville, Fla., where the Saints went 31-7 overall in their inaugural season of competition, and finished 8-2 against Mid-Florida Conference (MFC) opponents to be named co-champions of the league. Under Jenkins' guidance, three student-athletes were named All-MFC, while one was selected FCSAA First Team All-State.
Prior to Santa Fe College, Jenkins served as the head coach at Lincoln Park Academy High School from 2010-12, and founded A-Vaneb Volleyball Academy in Fort Pierce, Fla., where she organized practices, coached tournaments and provided individual lessons and assistance to players who wished to compete in college.
Jenkins is a 2004 graduate of the University of Florida, where she played under Mary Wise was an integral part of a Gator volleyball program that won four Southeastern Conference championships from 2000-03. Jenkins, who served as a co-captain and was named All-American in 2002 and 2003, led Florida to four NCAA tournaments, two Final Fours and one National Championship appearance. During her senior season in 2003, Jenkins set the school's record for career blocks with 601, and became the first Gator to record 1,000 kills and 600 blocks for her career.
Jenkins continued her volleyball career after graduation at Florida, amassing over eight years of professional playing experience. Her international experience included stops in Switzerland, Spain, Turkey and Austria, and she also spent two seasons playing for the Florida Wave of the Premier Volleyball League, leading the team to second-place finishes both years.
