Benvie To Receive ECAC Award Of Valor Sunday Evening, Skyhawk Football Standout One Of Three Individuals To Be Recognized At ECAC Fall Honors Dinner

September 30, 2006

Stonehill College football standout Brian Benvie has been named as one of three recipients of the prestigious ECAC Award of Valor, as he will be honored with the award at the 2006 ECAC Convention Honors Dinner on Sunday, October 1st at the Sheraton Hyannis Resort in Hyannis, Mass.

The ECAC Award of Valor is awarded annually and was established in 1985 to honor Eastern College Athletic Conference student-athletes whose courage, motivation and relentless determination serves as an inspiration to all. The recipients of the Award of Valor exemplify strength of character, perseverance, and most importantly, accomplishment deserving recognition as truly triumphant.

Benvie, a native of Brockton, Mass. and a graduate of Xaverian Brothers High School, has been a three-year starter on both the offensive and defensive lines. After his first two seasons at Stonehill in 2002-2003, he left the College to carry on a family tradition by serving in the United States Army Reserve, joining his grandfather, father and younger brother. He left school after the Fall 2003 semester for an 18-month Army Reserve commitment in Iraq.

Benvie was stationed just west of Baghdad as a United States Army military police prison guard, and for more than a year, he kept close watch over 800 prisoners for at least 12 hours a day, six days a week. After surviving the physical perils of war, including drive-by shootings at the prison from insurgents, he returned to the Stonehill campus last summer after completing his tour of duty to resume his academic and athletic career.

Upon returning to the gridiron, Benvie returned to a starting spot on the offensive line for Head Coach Chris Woods's Skyhawks, as Stonehill posted its second straight 2-0 start with Northeast-10 Conference victories over Assumption and Pace. Unfortunately, during the fourth game of the 2005 campaign against Iona, Brian suffered a pair of injuries to his leg and ankle that required season-ending surgery. He is set to return to school for his senior season this fall to complete his studies as a Criminology major.

Benvie is one of three individuals who will be honored with 2006 ECAC Awards of Valor at the upcoming Fall Honors Dinner, as Lafayette College football standout David Nelson and University of Rhode Island track and field star Destiny Woodbury will also receive the award on October 1st.