In his first season with the Bearcats after transferring from Rider University, senior forward Nehemiah Benson is looking to accomplish big things. Benson played his high school ball at Streetsboro High School and Lutheran East High School in his home state of Ohio, competing in a state championship game during his time there. After high school, Benson went on to play three years for Rider in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), appearing in a total of 79 games for the Broncs. However, Benson desired to play a more major role and decided to transfer to Binghamton.

“I really wanted the opportunity to show everything I could do and all the things I believe I can do,” Benson said.

Benson credited the Binghamton coaching staff with making him choose Binghamton as the place he wanted to spend his senior season, praising their approach and ability to create a strong locker room culture.

“I really felt like Binghamton was the right place for me,” Benson said. “On my visit with the coaching staff, I really loved them. They let you figure out stuff. They let you do stuff. They let you try to be the best player you can be. I really got that vibe from them and I feel like through it all they’re going to have your back.”

Benson believes his time in the MAAC will give him a significant advantage against America East (AE) competition.

“It’s a very tough-nosed type of conference,” Benson said. “Throughout my years at Rider, I feel like I learned how to deal with the adversity you will face throughout a season and how to be able to push through anything. I learned how to be a great teammate, to let them know that in tough moments everything is okay and we can still accomplish our goals.”

Benson was a significant piece for Rider, especially in his sophomore season in 2021-22, where he played over 439 total minutes, grabbed 81 rebounds and shot 45.3 percent from the field. Throughout his entire three-year term for the Broncs, Benson played over 800 minutes, accrued 147 rebounds and shot 42.6 percent from the field.

With the season right around the corner, Benson has high expectations for both himself and the team. He feels that keeping true to himself and staying level will be the key to his success this year.

“I want to be the best version of myself,” Benson said. “I want to be a person that the team can look to at any moment that will bring the positivity they need. As a whole, I feel like our team offensively and defensively has a lot of pieces and putting it all together is the main thing we really have to do. As a team, I really want us to finish number one in the [AE]. I want to be able to bring a championship to Binghamton and have us be able to go dancing.

His personal goals include winning AE newcomer of the year and feels that he has the ability to do so with his skillset on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.

“Personally, I really want to try and win newcomer of the year in the [AE],” Benson said. “I really feel like I can do that by keeping true to myself and being the biggest impact on my team and in the [AE] — scoring consistently, being a great defender and getting on the offensive glass and the glass as a whole.”

Benson expressed how the fans will be a key contributor to the team’s success this season as well. Winning a conference championship and going to March Madness isn’t easy, but Benson believes that with the fans’ help, he and the team can make that a reality.

“I really want the fans to bring the most energy to our games,” Benson said. “We’re going to feed off their energy, and I know they’re going to feed off of ours. We don’t plan to disappoint.”