Bennett joined the Chattanooga volleyball staff in August 2023 after being hired by Mocs head coach and director of volleyball Julie Torbett.
Derrick’s first season with the Mocs saw UTC earn its second consecutive winning season after posting a 19-14 record overall in 2023. It was in that same season that the Mocs opened the year with an 8-1 record, marking the best start to a season in program history.
Under Bennett’s guidance, two Mocs have received All-Conference honors from the SoCon while one additional Moc earned a SoCon All-Tournament Team nod.
Bennett had racked up over a decade of playing and coaching experience prior to joining UTC's staff, including stops at Florida State, Saint Leo and Southeastern Oklahoma State.While on staff at these programs, Bennett brought a level of success that included deep tournament runs and national recognition.
Prior to his hiring at UTC, Bennett held the role of technical coordinator with the prestigious Florida State University indoor volleyball program during the 2021 season. It was there that Bennett helped with opponent scouting and analyzing individual and team performance data. In 2021 the Seminoles finished with a record of 20-10 on the year, reaching the Second Round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
Before joining the Seminoles Bennett held the role of volunteer assistant coach at Saint Leo University for multiple seasons, coaching both the indoor and beach programs from 2019 to 2021. During the 2019 season, Bennett helped the Lions finish with a record of 24-11 on the indoor side, capturing their first NCAA South Region Championship along with an NCAA Elite Eight appearance.
While with the beach program, Bennett helped the Lions finish 12-5 in 2021 enroute to placing fifth at the 2021 AVCA National Championship. In his time at Saint Leo, Bennett guided a total of four players to achieve South Region All-Tournament honors, as well as helping one player be named First Team All-Sunshine State Conference, First Team All-Region by the AVCA and D2CCA, as well as AVCA All-American Honorable Mention.
Bennett’s first collegiate coaching stop was at Southeastern Oklahoma State from 2014 to 2015, where he held the role of volunteer assistant coach. While there, the Savage Storm finished third in the Great American Conference with a record of 10-4. Bennett also helped a total of four players get recognized with All-GAC honors.
Bennett is a 2008 graduate of Warner University, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science along with a minor in coaching. Bennett also played on Warner’s men’s volleyball team during his time at the university, serving as a defensive specialist and libero for the Royals.
