The Wildcats have quickly added their 6th player to the 2020/21 recruiting class with the addition of smooth-skating, lengthy defensemen, Camden Benson. 

Benson, standing at 6’3, 170-pounds comes from Stillwater, Minnesota where he played for Stillwater High, which competes in the highly competitive Suburban East conference.

“I chose the University of Arizona for several reasons. The high level of education I will receive was a major factor,” said Camden Benson. “The campus is beautiful and so is the weather, not to mention the opportunity to play for the Wildcat hockey team. I am looking forward to playing for a Nationally ranked program with highly talented players and a good coaching staff that will compete for a National Championship.”

Benson, is only 18 years old, so he has plenty of time to fill out his big 6’3” frame. With that kind of size comes a long reach which can cause havoc in the defensive zone, taking away time and space. But it was his high level of skating that really caught coach Berman’s attention.

“When you watch Cam on film it’s hard to believe a player of his size can be such a good skater,” said coach Berman. “He has all the ingredients of a high ceiling type of prospect that can develop into a top-pair defensemen. If his work ethic matches his talent level then we have the makings of a special player. He reminds me a lot of Matthew Hohl when he was the same age.”

“The jump to the ACHA is a big step so it’s going to take some adjustment. We need to get him  stronger to put him in a better position to succeed. This is a very physical league with teams that come hard on the forecheck. The thing that stood out on film and gives me confidence he can quickly make the adjustment was his ability to make good plays while under pressure. Not to mention, he will benefit by stepping into a really strong culture. We have good veteran group retuning next year that will be great guidance for guys like Benson and McCauley. It’s going to be fun to watch them grow.”