Cross Country
Benoit, Max
Max Benoit
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- benoitm3@msu.edu
After two seasons as a graduate assistant, Benoit was named an assistant distance coach for the Spartans in August 2021. He enters his fifth season overall with the program for the 2023-24 season.
In his first season as an assistant coach, Benoit helped women's cross country to its 14th consecutive appearance at the NCAA Championships after winning the Big Ten Championship and finishing fourth at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional. The former Spartan standout helped graduate student Katie Osika and junior Makenna Veen to all-conference finishes at the Big Ten Championships while Osika finished the season as an All-American.
On the track, Benoit has helped coach five All-American distance runners on the women's side and nine on the men's side across two years in distance-related events since becoming a full time assistant.
Michigan State had great success during Benoit’s guidance as a graduate assistant. In 2021, the women’s cross country team finished fourth at the NCAA Championships, while the men were 17th. This was the best combined finish for the men and women in MSU history. Jenna Magness, Lynsie Gram, India Johnson and Morgan Beadlescomb all earned All-American honors in cross country during the 2020-21 campaign.
The Spartans also had tremendous success under Benoit during the indoor and outdoor track seasons. In 2021, Beadlescomb and Magness again captured All-American honors in the 5000m, this time in both the indoor and outdoor track seasons.
Benoit had a successful running career for the Spartans as well. During his senior season, he captured second-team outdoor All-American honors in the steeplechase. At the NCAA Championships in 2018, he finished 11th with a time of 8:47.15.
He is the Spartan record holder in the steeplechase with a time of 8:44.46 in 2015 at the NCAA East Regionals. He also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors during his time as a Spartan.
A native of Royal Oak, Michigan, Benoit graduated in 2018 with an undergraduate degree in communication. He also earned his master’s degree from Michigan State in 2021 in public relations.
In his first season as an assistant coach, Benoit helped women's cross country to its 14th consecutive appearance at the NCAA Championships after winning the Big Ten Championship and finishing fourth at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional. The former Spartan standout helped graduate student Katie Osika and junior Makenna Veen to all-conference finishes at the Big Ten Championships while Osika finished the season as an All-American.
On the track, Benoit has helped coach five All-American distance runners on the women's side and nine on the men's side across two years in distance-related events since becoming a full time assistant.
Michigan State had great success during Benoit’s guidance as a graduate assistant. In 2021, the women’s cross country team finished fourth at the NCAA Championships, while the men were 17th. This was the best combined finish for the men and women in MSU history. Jenna Magness, Lynsie Gram, India Johnson and Morgan Beadlescomb all earned All-American honors in cross country during the 2020-21 campaign.
The Spartans also had tremendous success under Benoit during the indoor and outdoor track seasons. In 2021, Beadlescomb and Magness again captured All-American honors in the 5000m, this time in both the indoor and outdoor track seasons.
Benoit had a successful running career for the Spartans as well. During his senior season, he captured second-team outdoor All-American honors in the steeplechase. At the NCAA Championships in 2018, he finished 11th with a time of 8:47.15.
He is the Spartan record holder in the steeplechase with a time of 8:44.46 in 2015 at the NCAA East Regionals. He also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors during his time as a Spartan.
A native of Royal Oak, Michigan, Benoit graduated in 2018 with an undergraduate degree in communication. He also earned his master’s degree from Michigan State in 2021 in public relations.
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