Heidi Benton

Biography

Entering the 2022-23 season, Heidi Benton (formerly Heidi Yost) was in her 17th year as an assistant coach with the Wichita State track and field staff after completing a brilliant career as a Shocker. She was a five-time Missouri Valley Conference champion, garnering three championships in the long jump and two in the triple jump, and earned multiple all-conference honors in her time as a student-athlete. She was also an NCAA Regional qualifier in the long jump. Her personal bests were 6.00m in the long jump and 12.79m in the triple jump. Heidi has mentored her student-athletes to 25 individual Conference titles and nine All-Americans in her career as a Shocker assistant coach. In addition, her athletes have earned 70 All-conference honors. A Wichita State graduate, she earned a B.S. in criminal justice in 2003. In 2004, she added a B.S. in liberal arts with an emphasis in sociology. She also completed her master's degree in sport administration from Wichita State in May 2007. Benton hails from Lecompton, Kan., where she graduated from Perry-Lecompton High School. She was also a six-time 4A State Champion with three long jump titles and three triple jump titles. She also holds the Kansas State Record in the Triple Jump at 39'1. Heidi resides in El Dorado, Kan., with her husband Andy Benton.