Sophomore softball player Bella Benjamin has signed her national letter of intent to accept a softball and academic scholarship to attend the University of Bridgeport.  This opportunity comes on the heels of a very successful team and individual 2022 season.  Benjamin helped lead the Red Barons to a 42-8 overall record, a MSAC Conference Championship, an NJCAA Region III Championship and a National Runner-Up finish at the NJCAA National Tournament.  

Benjamin led the nation in homeruns last season with 21 and was 5th in RBI's with 74.  She scored 62 runs, hit 11 doubles and had 3 triples with a .882 slugging percentage.  Bella was named to the All-MSAC team, First team All-Region III, 2nd team NJCAA All-American, Region III All-Academic Team and an NJCAA Academic All-American.  

Corning Head Coach Stacy Johnson had this to say about Bella's signing:  "I am so excited for and proud of Bella. By looking at the stats, folks would think it was obvious
why Bella contributed to our team's success last season; but stats can be misleading. More important than homeruns or RBI's was her impact on our culture; the things that don't show up
in the box score. In the locker room, in practice, in the dugout, Bella ensured our unselfish, sisterhood culture was protected. She is the first to practice, the last to leave. She always
wants extra reps so she can get it just right. She is the first to race to the plate to congratulate a teammate that hits a HR, the first to talk to the defense and encourage them when things aren't going our way. Those things led to our success more than any homerun she hit. Bella has spent countless hours outside of practice working on her craft and becoming a student of the game,
not just a player of the game. I am also extremely proud of the volunteer work she has done by attending numerous youth travel team practices and giving back to the game and the young
women in our community. Those are the things that make Bella Benjamin stand out, not the fact that she can hit a nuke 240 feet into the trees…..although those are fun to witness! Bella
will leave this program better than she found it. We, I, will miss her, but I look forward to seeing what she accomplishes in the next two years. She is a competitor, she is a winner and she will
be successful in whatever her future holds; on and off the field."

The University of Bridgeport Purple Knights, an NCAA D2 institution, finished 36-16 overall last season with a 17-7 conference record in the CACC (Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference.
According to UB Head Coach Dawn Stearns, "Bella will be a great addition to our squad. We feel she will be impactful right away."

Benjamin will return to the Red Barons lineup this spring as the team opens up their 50-game schedule on February 24, 2023 at the JUCO Jamboree in Danville, Virginia.