Dave Benoit was hired to the Wesleyan coaching staff as the Cardinals' passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach in May 2022. No stranger to the region, Benoit spent 2019-21 seasons as the offensive coordinator at Western New England.
A member of the 2024 NESCAC Coaching Staff of the Year, which marked the team's first-ever NESCAC Coaching Staff recognition, Benoit helped lift the Cardinals to the team's best season in the modern era in 2024, as Wesleyan went 8-1, captured a third straight Little Three title, and culminated in the team's first-ever outright NESCAC Championship. Opening the year with a 43-7 drubbing of Middlebury on the road, that win marked the Panthers' biggest home loss in over 40 years. Wesleyan then held Tufts without a touchdown in a 20-9 triumph under the lights at home. After suffering their first defeat of the season to Bates in Week 3, the Cardinals rebounded with six straight wins to end the year. That six-game win streak started with 19 unanswered fourth quarter points to defeat Hamilton on the road 19-7. Jake Edwards returned a fumble 88 yards for a game-winning, walk-off overtime touchdown in a 23-17 win over Colby in Week 5. The Cardinals held off Bowdoin for a 17-14 road win before scoring 31 unanswered to defeat Amherst 31-14 in a game that Wesleyan trailed 14-0 in the first quarter. With a third straight Little 3 title on the line, the Cardinals drove over 90 yards down the field with less than two minutes to play in regulation, as WR Luke LaSaracina '25 hauled in a game-deciding touchdown with six seconds left as Wesleyan defeated Williams 25-24 in an epic clash to claim three straight Little Three Championships for the first time since 1946-48. Then in the season finale, Wesleyan's defense held Trinity scoreless in the second half, converting two lengthy fourth downs in pivotal moments in the fourth quarter, to defeat Trinity 27-17 in what was the de-facto NESCAC Championship game in Hartford.
Under his guidance, QB Niko Candido '25 earned All-NESCAC Second Team honors in the 2024 season while his main target WR Chase Wilson '25 was named 2024 NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year.
At Western New England, Benoit engineered an offensive scheme that was one of the top units at the NCAA Division III ranks. WNE averaged 31.1 points per game to lead the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) while putting up 354.2 yards of total offense per game in 2021. During the 2019 season, WNE was a juggernaut on offense, ranking 15th in the nation in yards per game (465.5) and 22nd in scoring offense (39.5), helping lead the Golden Bears to an undefeated 7-0 conference campaign, CCC Championship and berth into the NCAA Tournament.
With the Golden Bears, Benoit was tasked with weekly practice and game plan development for the offense. He also directly supervised and mentored offensive coaching staff, consisting of four assistants.
Before his tenure at WNE, Benoit served as the Offensive Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator at SUNY Maritime in New York. He spent the 2018 season with the Privateers and made an immediate impact, being recognized as the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) Assistant Coach of the Year. SUNY Maritime led the ECFC in passing offense (246.2) and red zone offense (.830) that season.
Other stops include the Pass Game Coordinator at the College of Wooster (OH) for two seasons (2016-17) and Offensive Coordinator at Rockford University in Illinois. Benoit also spent the 2012-14 seasons at WNE, first as the Junior Varsity Offensive Coordinator, Director of Football Operations and Adjunct Professor in Physical Education.
Benoit played wide receiver for four seasons at his alma mater, Westfield State in Massachusetts. In 33 career games, Benoit totaled 159 receptions for 2,514 yard and 28 touchdowns. He was a two-time All-MASCAC First Team selection, garnering d3football.com All-East Region Second Team honors as a junior. During that 2008 junior season, Benoit set a program record with 16 TD catches, while compiling 65 catches for 1,046 yards. He also holds the school record for single-game TD catches, having caught three in a game twice in his career.
Benoit, who earned his Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Westfield State in 2010, went on to receive his Master's Degree in Sport Administration from the University of Louisville in 2012.
