Dylan Bennett enters his fourth season as head coach of the Delaware Valley University cross country and track and field programs in 2026-27.
During his tenure at Delaware Valley, Bennett has overseen significant growth across all three programs. His athletes have combined to set 64 school records, earn 10 USTFCCCA All-Region honors and produce 12 All-Middle Atlantic Conference performers. Under Bennett, the Aggies have captured an ECAC men’s outdoor track and field team championship and an ECAC women’s cross country team championship, while also producing a MAC Track Athlete of the Year, MAC Assistant Coach of the Year, ECAC Athlete of the Year and USTFCCCA Academic All-American.
Bennett guided the Aggies through a record-setting 2025-26 campaign beginning with the cross country season. He spearheaded the redesign of Delaware Valley’s campus course ahead of the University hosting the 2025 Middle Atlantic Conference Cross Country Championships. The women went on to capture the ECAC Championship, led by Emma East, before placing 17th at the NCAA Metro Regional to tie the highest regional finish in program history. The women’s program also earned USTFCCCA All-Academic Team recognition.
The success continued during the indoor track and field season as the Aggies established five school records at the MAC Championships. Victor Cruz led the way, winning the MAC title in the 200 meters while earning silver and setting a school record in the 400 meters. Cruz was also part of a record-setting men’s 4x200 relay and was named the MAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Year. Assistant coach Anthony Stango earned MAC Assistant Coach of the Year honors.
During the outdoor season, Cruz added program records in the 200 and 400 meters, earning silver in the 400 at the MAC Championships, while Javius Dent captured bronze in the discus. At the ECAC Championships, the women placed second among 12 teams behind individual titles from Lindsay Taylor in the 5,000 meters and Gregory Sommer in the pole vault. Cruz and Dent earned USTFCCCA All-Region honors, while Cruz added Academic All-MAC and USTFCCCA Academic All-America recognition. The women’s track and field program was also named a USTFCCCA All-Academic Team.
Bennett’s Aggies continued their upward trajectory in 2024-25. During the cross country season, both the men’s and women’s teams earned third-place finishes at the ECAC Championships, with the women also receiving USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors.
At the MAC Indoor Championships, Brandon Perot earned silver in the shot put with a school-record performance, while James Mahana placed third and established a program record in the weight throw. Both went on to earn USTFCCCA All-Region honors.
The outdoor season was highlighted by the men capturing the 2025 ECAC Outdoor Track and Field Championship. Perot won the hammer and was named ECAC Athlete of the Year, while Billy Mayer captured the javelin title and Caleb Messenger won the steeplechase. On the women’s side, Zariah Prescott won the 400-meter hurdles to help the Aggies secure a third-place team finish.
At the MAC Outdoor Championships, Perot earned silver in the shot put, Jaidyn White took bronze in the 400-meter hurdles and Grace Kane placed third in both the 100 and 200 meters. Perot capped the season with USTFCCCA All-Region recognition in the shot put.
During Bennett’s first season at Delaware Valley, Justin Kaufman earned bronze in the 800 meters at the MAC Outdoor Championships and later received USTFCCCA All-Region honors in the event. Brandon Perot joined him as an All-Region selection in the discus.
Indoors, Olivia Smiarowska set a school record while placing third in the 60-meter hurdles at the MAC Championships, while John Mahana established another program record with a third-place finish in the weight throw. Kaufman also earned USTFCCCA All-Region recognition in the indoor 800 meters.
Before arriving at Delaware Valley, Bennett spent one season as head coach at Gwynedd Mercy University, where he coached one Atlantic East Conference champion, four conference runners-up and two third-place finishers.
Bennett previously served as an assistant coach at Lehigh University, specializing in the pole vault. During his time with the Mountain Hawks, he coached the 2023 Patriot League women’s indoor pole vault champion, who established a conference record of 4.05 meters.
From 2021-22, Bennett served as an assistant coach at West Chester University, working primarily with the pole vault and jumps. His athletes produced multiple top finishes at the PSAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships, including third- and fourth-place women’s pole vault performances and a school-record mark of 3.65 meters indoors. On the men’s side, Bennett coached three top-10 pole vault finishes and helped guide a third-place high jump performance at the 2022 PSAC Outdoor Championships.
