By Kevin Mills,Staff Writer

Hamilton College hockey coach Phil Grady made it clear that he wanted to see more of Josh Benson.

As a freshman, the former Edward Little defenseman was told it wasn’t his game that needed expanding, it was his body.

“When I talked to my coach as a freshman, he said, It’s not that you’re not good enough,'” recalls Benson. “It’s not that you don’t have the skills. It’s your size.'”

Benson not only had to take his game to a new level but also his body. The goal to be bigger and stronger was set from the start. Since then, Benson’s game has improved by leaps and pounds. As a 5-foot-10 Red Eddie, he played around 150-155 pounds. He’s gained 25 pounds over the last two seasons and the difference is significant.

“The off-the-ice work I did was it,” said Benson. “That’s pretty much the sole reason I’m playing so well now.”

As a junior, Benson is one of the veterans on the Continental’s blue line. He spent much of the last two seasons working on his frame. He ate right and dove headlong into Hamilton’s year-round strength and conditioning program.

“I was 17-18 when I was leaving high school,” said Benson. “I was still maturing. My body was still growing. Now I’m average size, and it makes a world of difference against guys that are strong like you and as big as you or bigger.”

As his body has evolved, so have his game and his role at Hamilton. Benson and fellow junior Ricky Reichenbach are the only upperclassmen on the Hamilton blue line. That has forced Benson to go from a JV player as a freshman to a team leader and defensive stalwart as a junior. Through 20 games this year, Benson has a goal and four assists.

“It’s a good situation,” said Benson. “The kids we have on the team, they’re going to be good. When I was a freshman and a sophomore, the guys that were older, they told me what to expect and helped give me tips on things. I try to pass down those things to them.”

There are more expectations and pressures on him. Grady will hold him accountable now that he’s a veteran, but Benson relishes his role. He’s seeing plenty of time on special teams and is counted on to anchor the Continentals’ defense. He helped save a win over Middlebury last weekend, blocking a shot at an open net, helping bolster Hamilton’s playoff chances.

“When I first started, I was really nervous out there,” he said. “Now I have more composure, and I try to pass that on to them.”

He has to prepare differently and has altered his perspective. It used to be a question mark as to whether he would play or not. Now he knows he’s playing and the expectations that come with it.

“Before, I was more worried about myself and trying to get into the lineup,” said Benson. “Now it’s more about the performance of the team. I don’t have to worry about myself as much.”

Benson graduated from EL with the Travis Roy Award in hand. Though many of his peers went to prep schools before making the jump to college, he dove headfirst into the college game.

“My grades were fine, and I didn’t think I had to go spend a semester or full year just to get into school,” said Benson. “I just wanted to get on with things and give it a try.”

He played on the JV squad and practiced with the varsity. Even that was an adjustment.

“It was more than I expected,” he said. “I knew it was going to be hard. I didn’t know what to expect. They kind of had an edge on me. You have to get used to it. I guess I was a little slow to adapt.”

His freshman year, however, gave him a proper introduction to Division III hockey and the NESCAC. He learned the ropes and the expectations. It prepared him for the varsity level the following year. Meanwhile, players that have taken the prep school route are coming in and starting anew. Many of them are older than Benson but behind him on the depth chart.

“Some of the kids that coming in now, they’re healthy scratches or they’re playing on the JV team,” he said.

Benson felt prepared as a sophomore but still faced some transition. He missed some games to illness and injury, but by season’s end, he was making significant progress. He played in 16 games overall and earned seven assists.

“I was struggling out there,” he said. “I wasn’t used to the pace of the game. After three or four games, you start feeling comfortable out there. By the end of the year, I was on one of the top three pairs of defense, and it wasn’t that much different.”