Hall of Fame
Utica College football quarterback Andrew Benkwitt announced his intention to be successful from the moment he stepped foot on campus for the first time. He showed up to his campus visit wearing a three piece suit, and appeared ready for the job he wanted, rather than the job he had.
Did he ever go get the job. Benkwitt went on to grab the starting quarterback job immediately and never missed a start in his four years while becoming the most successful signal-caller in the history of the football program. He jump started the process of turning a program that had won three games in each of the two seasons prior to his arrival. And he did it with the same can-do attitude for all four years while pursuing his degree in Criminal Justice.
Benkwitt played 40 games in his career, and holds every major passing record in the history of the football program while guiding them to twenty wins in four years. He is the only Pioneer quarterback to throw for over 10,000 yards in his career, and totaled 10,590 yards while throwing for a school-record 88 touchdowns. He is also the school career record holder in attempts, completions, passing efficiency, completion percentage, and yards per completion.
His best season came in 2012 when he completed 254 passes for 3,143 yards and 31 touchdowns. All of those figures are school single-season records. The team was 4-3 in Empire 8 play that year and in Empire 8 title contention for most of the season.
He was front and center for many defining moments in the program's history, including the program's first-ever wins over Ithaca College and Alfred University, and an epic 2012 comeback against Buffalo State.
Benkwitt was the 2009 Empire 8 and ECAC Rookie of the Year in what was then a record-setting season for a Pioneer quarterback. He continually broke his own records over four years, and wrapped up his career as the Empire 8 Conference Player of the Year and a D3Football.com All-Region Selection.
The former team captain also stepped in to help his teammates to realize their own dreams. As a student, he was always quick to lend a helping hand, and organized a dance fundraiser one season that was instrumental in raising funds for many of his teammates to go on the team's Canada trip.
Andrew graduated in 2013 and resides in his hometown of Mamaroneck, NY with his wife, Adriana Surprenant-Benkwitt '15, who played field hockey and basketball at UC. He works as a police officer with the Mamaroneck Police Department.
