Official Site of the Midwest Conference

Benning assumed the role of Executive Director of the Midwest Conference in March 2014 after a 19-year stint on the campus of Grinnell College. As commissioner of the MWC, Benning reports to and works alongside the league presidents to advance the mission of the Conference and ensure activity on member institution campuses is consistent with the philosophy of the MWC and NCAA Division III. As the league's chief executive officer, Benning is responsible for strategic leadership, association administration, fiscal management and compliance and education of the membership. Additionally, she oversees the administration of 18 varsity sports, their league schedules, respective end-of-season tournaments and championships, and award programs. 

From January 2017 - January 2021, Benning was a member of the NCAA DIII Management Council, serving first as vice chair (2019-2020) and then as chair in her final year (2020-2021). As chair of the Managament Council, Benning sat on the NCAA Board of Governors, DIII Presidents' Council and DIII Administrative Committee. Additionally, during her term, Benning served on the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee, the NCAA Honors, DIII Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee, DIII Convention Planning Committee and DIII Diversity & Inclusion Working Group. 
 
Prior to her appointment to the Management Council, Benning was as a member of the NCAA DIII Membership Committee from 2013-2017, a group she chaired for two years.
 
After just two years in the commissioner seat, Benning was elected to a two-year at-large position on the DIII Commissioners' Association (DIIICA) Executive Committee - a role she filled from 2017-2019. She served as chair of the DIIICA Equity & Inclusion Committee, and currently is a member of the Association's Grant Committee.
 
Immediately prior to her appointment to the MWC, Benning served as Grinnell's Assistant Athletic Director, Associate Professor of Physical Education, Senior Woman Administrator, Head Women's Soccer Coach and Coordinator for Title IX in Athletics.
 
Administratively Benning supervised multiple team sports, oversaw Grinnell's compliance program, and was the key leader in the athletic department's diversity and inclusion initiative. At the Conference level, she chaired the MWC Oversight, Nominating, Awards, and Women's Soccer Committees as an athletic representative for Grinnell.
 
Benning began her tenure at Grinnell as an assistant soccer coach in 1995 before becoming the women's soccer head coach in 1998. She guided the Pioneers to five MWC championships and took her team to the NCAA Tournament four times - earning the school's first win in NCAA play (2005). She owns the school record for career wins with 167 and went 107-31-8 in league play.
 
Along with the on-field success, Benning served on the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Committee, a group she chaired from 2005-2006. She directed the NCAA championship tournament selection process, acted as an NCAA administrator at regional championship matches and oversaw the national championship tournament.

In the classroom she was promoted to Associate Professor of Physical Education in the spring of 2011 and served on institutional committees that included the Strategic Planning & Steering, Tutorial & Advising, Alumni Senior Awards, Accessibility, Hearing Board for Conduct Cases and President's Medal Selection.

Benning earned her undergraduate degree in History from Grinnell College and her Master of Arts in Sports Psychology and Sport Management from the University of Iowa. She is a graduate of the Women Leaders in College Sports (formerly NACWAA) Administrative Advancement Institute, the Women Leaders in College Sports Leadership Enhancement Institute, and the NCAA Pathway Program.