Her athletic career was part of an important chapter in Gulf Coast history. In 1975, she played on the college’s first women’s basketball team sanctioned by the Mississippi Association of Junior Colleges since 1955. The following year, her team became the first to carry the “Lady Bulldogs” name.
Bennett also played on the 1975 and 1976 Mississippi Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women state championship volleyball teams and competed in softball.
Her journey began in 1974 when basketball coach Barbara “Sue” Ross recruited her as a team manager. Before the season ended, Bennett was playing basketball, eventually balancing three sports.
Beyond athletics, Ross and Doris “Blackie” Smith, who coached volleyball and softball and assisted with basketball, became important mentors.
“When a player was sick or had a problem with just about anything, they both were available and very approachable,” Bennett recalled.
Already interested in becoming a physical education teacher, Bennett found encouragement through Smith’s classes, which included working with elementary students and volunteering at a Special Olympics sports day.
Campus life brought its own memorable experiences, from pep rallies and sock hops to dormitory curfews and trips into nearby towns.
“I enjoyed every minute at Perk and wish that it would have been a four-year college,” she said.
After graduating in 1976, Bennett earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from The University of Southern Mississippi in 1978 and a master’s degree in health and physical education from William Carey College in 1987.
Following several jobs outside education, including four years in finance, she found her calling teaching physical education at Westminster Academy in Gulfport.
In 2000, she returned to MGCCC as a part-time instructor at the Jefferson Davis Campus, now the Harrison County Campus. She became a full-time employee in 2008, working in the Fitness Center, managing the summer swimming program and becoming a lifeguard instructor before moving into a full-time health and physical education faculty position.
When she retired in June 2023, Bennett had completed 23 years of service, including 16 full time.
Her greatest satisfaction comes from former students who still recognize her and share their successes.
“You do not realize how many students you reach until you leave,” she said. “It is great to reconnect and hear how well they are doing in life. To me, that is the biggest plus of all.”
Retirement hasn’t diminished Bennett’s enthusiasm for teaching or athletics. She helps teach children Brazilian jiu-jitsu in Biloxi and annually participates in MGCCC’s Clem Dellenger Memorial Golf Tournament, which raises funds to support student-athletes.
Looking back on her combined 25 years as a Gulf Coast student and employee, Bennett sees a lifetime of growth.
“MGCCC was my life for so many years,” she said. “You grow from being a kid as a student to being an adult as a teacher, and there is a whole lot of learning in between.”
