Not surprisingly, Wrestling Hall of Fame coaches concentrate on wrestling. Some coaches devote their time to wrestling year-round while others might work other sports, although often it is to nourish their wrestling program. 

Not so with Mike Benzel, which is pronounced Ben-zul not ben-ZEL. 

During his 42-year coaching career, as both a head coach and an assistant coach at three high schools, Benzel has served as a head football coach for nine years, a soccer coach for two years, and a track coach for nine years. Add those positions to his four years as the head wrestling coach at Norfolk Catholic High School, three years at Princess Anne High School, and his 22 years and counting at Kellam High School, and you have the ultimate “coachin’ fool.” 

In one three-year period at Princess Anne, he was the head coach for football, track and wrestling. 

His wife, Sharon, would have been the ultimate coach’s widow had she not been the longtime gymnastics coach for Kellam, making them a busy couple sharing the same building. 

Benzel’s success equals his stamina as his teams, by his own casual estimate without exact numbers because he says it is not about him, have won over 500 matches, including 30-wins per season at times. His Knights have earned over 100 state place-winners, as well as several district and regional titles, the last in 2021. 

One key to his consistent excellence has been, you guessed it, more coaching. Benzel established the Kellam Mat Rats in 1996, so that he has a wrestling farm that grows its own. 

Benzel looks back to his Norview High School football coach Ken Whitley as his role model for commitment. Whitley recruited Benzel for wrestling, which turned out pretty well, including an individual state title and helping Norview win the state team title in 1975. 

He went on to be an Atlantic Coast Conference champion for the University of North Carolina while also earning his bachelor’s degree in biology. 

His biology degree led him to teaching and coaching, including currently instructing six chemistry classes at Kellam. 

Benzel is proud of his four sons, Ryan, Reid, Ross, and Reece. Reece and Ross are following their father into coaching, while Ryan, among other endeavors, is a busy tournament director. Benzel also takes great pride and gratitude in his wrestlers who are serving in the military and otherwise living fulfilling lives.