Eli Bennett

Photo by: Justin Tafoya, NCAA Photos

Photo by: Ginnie Coleman

Photo by: Josh Kutcher

Class:
Senior
Events:
Distance
Hometown:
Montgomery, Ala.
Height:
5-11
High School:
Home School
Squadron:
01 Mighty Mach One

AIR FORCE HIGHLIGHTS

NCAA Outdoor Finalist, 5000-Meter Run (2023)

Mountain West Champion, 3000-Meter Run (2023)

Mountain West Champion, Distance Medley Relay (2023)

All-Region, Cross Country (2022)

JUNIOR YEAR | 2022-23: NCAA Outdoor finalist in the 5000-meter run…two-time Mountain West Indoor champion…three-time all-conference honoree…recorded Air Force Top 10 marks in four different events…captured the conference title in the 3000-meter run after clocking a 7:58.88 (adjusted for altitude) to win the 39-runner event at the Mountain West Indoor Championships…recorded the fourth-fastest time in program history (career-best 7:53.19) at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational, finishing 17th out of 268 runners…also accounted for the third-fastest 5000-meter time in Air Force Indoor history on the Boston track, clocking a personal-best time of 13:44.32 at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener…debuted at No. 11 on the program’s all-time standings in the mile following a 4:03.93a outing at the Colorado Invitational…led off the distance medley relay that repeated as MW champions in 9:32.50a (No. 4 all-time)…also ran on two winning relays during the outdoor season – anchored the 4x1600-meter relay that clocked an Academy Record time of 16:23.31 to win the Drake Relays and led off the DMR that finished first at that meet in 9:48.39 (No. 10 all-time)…clocked the fourth-fastest 5000-meter time in Air Force history (13:39.50) at the West Prelim to advance to the finals of the NCAA Outdoor Championships…named Honorable Mention All-America after finishing 20th in the finals…first debuted at No. 4 on the all-time standings after posting a time of 13:42.70 to win the Stanford Invitational…finished second at the MW Outdoor Championships to help Air Force to a 1-2-3 podium sweep…also accounted for the eighth-fastest 1500-meter time at the conference meet, clocking a 3:43.78 to finish fourth and help the Falcons claim three of the top-four finishes…academic all-conference selection.

SOPHOMORE YEAR | 2021-22: Recorded the 10th-fastest 3000-meter time in Air Force history at the Iowa State Classic…recorded a career-best time of 8:02.56 to finish 11th out of 52 runners at that meet…also debuted on the Academy’s all-time standings in the 1500-meter run (4:47.82 adjusted for altitude, No. 25 all-time) and 5000-meter run (13:54.21, No. 11 all-time) during the outdoor season…used that 5000-meter time to finish fourth in the Elite section of the Bryan Clay Invitational…won that event at the APU Last Chance meet and earned a top-five finish at the Stanford Invitational…ran on the 4x1600-meter relay that posted the fourth-fastest time in Academy history (16:46.51) at the Drake Relays…academic all-conference selection.

FRESHMAN YEAR | 2020-21: Competed in the 1500-meter run at the Spank Blasing Invitational, posting a debut time of 4:01.83 (adjusted for altitude)…academic all-conference selection.

MAJOR CROSS COUNTRY HIGHLIGHTS: Earned All-Region honors as a junior after finishing 25th at the NCAA Mountain Regional…earned all-conference second-team honors at the 2023 Mountain West Championships…member of the 2022 team that claimed the conference title and finished seventh at the NCAA Championships.

HIGH SCHOOL: Home Schooled...named to the Footlocker South Region All-South Team as a senior...two-time state champion in cross country...won the 2019 title at the Alabama Independent Schools Associations (AISA) Championships...captured the Texas State Home School championship in 2018...two-time AAU Junior Olympic National Champion in track...won the 1500-meter (4:01) and 3200-meter (8:55) titles in 2019...posted prep-best times of 2:00.96 (indoor 800-meter run), 4:00.63 (indoor 1500-meter run) and 8:52 (3000-meter run)...completed dual-enrollment homeschool courses through Blinn College and Auburn University.

PERSONAL: Full name is Elijah Christopher Bennett...goes by Eli...nickname is “Sid”…son of Christopher and Molly Bennett...father is a 1993 Academy graduate...has three siblings (one older, two younger)...majoring in aeronautical engineering...future plans include becoming a pilot, test pilot or combat search and rescue pilot…named to the Dean’s List and Athletic Director’s List every semester…earned Jump Wings in the summer of 2021...hobbies include golfing, hanging with the boyz, cross training, eating, and living rent free in Niko Fraser’s head...grandfather graduated from the U.S. Military Academy...comes from a long line of military service...has family members in every branch of service…traveled to Kirkland AFB, N.M., over the summer for Operation Air Force…flew in a CV-22, HC-130, HH-60, and hot air balloon during Ops…member of Cadet Squadron 01.