Charlotte, NC - Johnson & Wales Charlotte head women's soccer coach Matt Hisler is excited to announce the signing of Lillian Benton as the first member of the 2025 recruiting class.

Benton is midfielder/defender that plays for West Davidson High School in Lexington, NC. She has been a key piece of Dragon teams that have won 64 matches over the last three years and advanced to the NCHSAA quarterfinals in 2024. She is a three time 1A/2A West All-Conference selection. She has played club soccer for NC United and Carolina Core FC.

She is the daughter of Shana and John Benton, and plans to major in Business Administration at Johnson & Wales. She is a A Honor Roll Student, and has twice been the recipient of the Citizenship Award. When asked why she chose Johnson & Wales, Benton replied, "I loved the school when I visited. When I met and played with the women's soccer team I felt welcomed and was ready to join the JWU women's soccer family."

Coach Hisler feels that JWU is getting the total package.  "I am thrilled to have Lillian Benton as the first member of our 2025 class.  As a player, she has an outstanding work ethic and covers the entirety of the field.  Lillian quickly solves problems and competes at the highest level wherever she is needed for her team. As a person, she is an excellent student, who is thorough  in her attention to detail and intentional in her interactions.  She will be a great addition to our program and campus community."