2025-26 Men's Basketball Roster
Biography
CAREER HIGHS
Points: 14 at Siena (2/23/25)
Rebounds: 6 vs. Merrimack (12/6/24)
Assists: 9 vs. Rider (1/10/25)
2024-25 • SOPHOMORE SEASON
Game-by-Game Statistics
• Played in 31 games and made 25 starts in his first season with the program.
• One of four players to play in all 31 games.
• Averaged 5.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game.
• Scored a career-high 14 points in the team’s road win at Siena Feb. 23.
• Made a career-high three 3-point field goals in a road loss at Rider March 6.
• Grabbed a career-high six rebounds in a home loss to Merrimack Dec. 6.
• Registered a career-high nine assists in a home win over Rider Jan. 10.
• Led the team with his 3.8 assists per game, which ranked eighth in the MAAC.
• Was good for five-or more assists in nine games.
• Had eight assists in each of his first two home games (vs. St. Bonaventure and vs. Brown), making him the first player in school history to record eight-or more assists in each of his first two career home contests.
• Ranked ninth in the conference with his 1.5 assist-to-turnover ratio.
• Led the team with his 1.9 steals per game, which ranked fifth-best in the league.
• Had multiple steals in 16 games, highlighted by his career-high five steals in three different games.
• His 59 steals for the season are the most for a Canisius player since the 2019-20 campaign.
• Shot 42.9 percent (63-for-147) from the floor and 37.7 percent (20-for-53) from 3-point land.
• Made 12-of-18 (66.7 percent) of his chances from the free-throw line.
• Averaged 29.8 minutes per game.
BEFORE CANISIUS
• Played the 2023-24 season at Mercer, where he appeared in 27 games and made 20 starts.
• Made his first collegiate start Nov. 9, 2023 at Chicago State.
• Averaged 2.3 points, 2.0 assists and 1.2 rebounds per game in his time at Mercer.
• Scored a season-high 11 points against Chattanooga Jan. 17, 2024.
• Had multiple assists in 13 contests, highlighted by his season-high six against FGCU on Dec. 16, 2023.
• In high school, Benard was a four-year starter and a three-time team captain at Grosse Pointe South, where he earned all-league honors four times and was named the conference's MVP following his senior season in 2022-23.
• An all-state selection by the Detroit Free Press, the Detroit News, the Associated Press and the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan, he graduated from Grosse Pointe South as the school's all-time leader in career points (1,464), 3-point field goals made (189), assists (296), steals (229) and games started (83).
• Also played high school football at Grosse Pointe South and earned all-conference honors.
PERSONAL
• The son of Laura and Stephen Benard.
• Has an older brother, Stephen Jr., and a younger sister, Madison.
• He was a three-year letterwinner as a quarterback for the Grosse Pointe South football team.
• His mother was a member of the swimming team at the University of Michigan.
• His father played college basketball at Rochester University.
• He is majoring in strategic communications.
Statistics
Season Statistics
No statistics available for this season.
There are no statistics available for this player.
Historical Player Information
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2024-25Sophomore
Guard
6'0"
170 lbs
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2025-26Junior
Guard
6'0"
170 lbs
