GREEN & BENSON: top national academic and athletic podiums

Brianna Green and Tatum Benson are fueled by the same drive to excel academically as well as athletically.

Both Sunbirds have been named to the Academic All-America Second Team by College Sports Communicators. The award recognizes students who maintain a minimum GPA of 3.50 while also competing in a majority of their sport’s meets or games. Green was named to the Women’s Track and Field/Cross Country team, while Benson was named to the Women’s at Large team for her participation in water polo.

Discovering scholarship

The pair chose FPU for the opportunity to participate in sports, neither initially seeing themselves as a scholar.

“My first year was rough,” says Green, who transferred from College of the Redwoods. “I was balancing all my classes and the homework. I struggled a bit, but my teammates helped me stay on top of things; my head coach said that if I needed help with academics, he would definitely help me.”

Benson, for her part, admits her high school grades “weren’t that impressive.” A friend and teammate, Rosemary Chapman (BS ‘23), helped shift her perspective. “Rose is probably one of the best students you will ever meet,” she says. “She inspired me to give a little more effort towards my academic work, and as a result my grades improved. I realized that I would get a lot more out of my degree if I went a little beyond the requirements and challenged myself.”

And challenge herself, she did. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in 2023, Benson remained at FPU for her master’s. She graduated in May with a 4.0 grade point average.

Both Green and Benson overcame physical challenges as fledgling Sunbirds. Green spent part of her first season injured; she says it took some time to figure out which events she excelled in. Benson struggled with limited lung function due to area wildfires, and also tore the labra in both shoulders, which required intense physical therapy to manage.

Despite those setbacks, FPU provided space for them to spread their wings—as academics, as athletes and as leaders.

Overcoming uncertainty

Green, who says she went through a period of uncertainty as she struggled to overcome her injuries and find her place on the track team, says coaches Ray Winter and Robert Foster encouraged her to be a team leader, a role that didn’t come naturally. “I can be shy and timid,” she says, “but Coach Ray said that he sees the Fresno Pacific track and field culture in me, the aspects of a leader. With [others] leaving, I felt it was partially my responsibility to uphold the FPU track and field culture, so new people don’t feel lost or left out or scared.”

“Every place you turn at Fresno Pacific, you are encouraged to take part in something that gives you the opportunity to serve others,” adds Benson. “The university’s programs prepare you to be a servant leader wherever you find yourself in life. The call to serve others will forever be engrained in my mindset. This summer, I volunteered to be the logistics coordinator for an event at my church, which I felt prepared to do because of the experience I gained at Fresno Pacific.”