Lehigh University Athletics
Confident Cameryn
3/9/2020 11:09:00 AM | Women's Basketball, Student Athlete, Features, Intellectual Development
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
Over the course of Cameryn Benz's collegiate career, the Lehigh women's basketball senior is enjoying increased success.
"Confidence comes naturally with success, but success comes only to those who are confident."
Over the course of Cameryn Benz's collegiate career, the Lehigh women's basketball senior is enjoying increased success.
It's due in large part to one word… confidence.
"Honestly, my biggest improvement is just knowing I'm a good basketball player," she said. "I can shoot 3-pointers and I can get rebounds."
The New Jersey native does much more than what's seen in the box score. Benz is the type of "glue" player every winning team needs.
"Cam brings joy and love to our team on a daily basis," said Lehigh head coach Sue Troyan. "Her coaches and teammates enjoy being around her because of her fun-loving and outgoing personality. She has a way of bringing levity and lightness to situations, making her a perfect complement to her teammates. On the court, she plays a critical role in our team's success, which often goes unnoticed.
"When Cam plays well and to her strengths, our team feeds off her personal confidence and plays well."
There's a certain attribute of Benz that typically leads to success.
"I'm not usually the person who fills up the stat sheet, but one of my roles is simply having fun," said Benz. "Coach Troyan and I have talked about making sure we're collectively smiling and laughing because you play your best when you're having fun and enjoying the moment."
Benz admits she's a spontaneous person, someone who enjoys every moment as it comes. She doesn't think too far ahead, or dwell in the past.
In the past, Cameryn Benz is a confident and personable young woman in all aspects of her life. She has always loved being around people, which brought her to Lehigh in the first place.
"The family aspect at Lehigh is so important because when you go to college, you're leaving your actual family," said Benz. "You want to come to a place where you feel comfortable and feel like you have someone to lean on…
"… Lehigh is definitely that place.
Benz has her teammates to lean on, including four classmates (Camryn Buhr, Paige Galiani, Gena Grundhoffer and Hannah Hedstrom). The class features multiple four-year starters, but even though Cameryn didn't start until her junior year, she's always been a key contributor and only gotten better.
"Freshman year was more of a transitional period," said Benz. "Sophomore year, I was still pretty quiet in terms of my capabilities and confidence in myself. Going into junior year was when I had the full summer at Lehigh. I stayed both summer sessions, which probably had something to do with my growth. I was playing basketball nonstop and it gave me the confidence that I was a good player."
Benz has always been a good player, but her scoring average has gone up each of her four years at Lehigh (4.5 to 5.9 to 7.6 to 9.7).
What specifically is Benz doing better?
"I'd say I've improved in post moves specifically," she said. "In high school, I played some point guard and shooting guard. Coming to Lehigh, I was really able to gain the knowledge, through our coaches, who taught me how to play bigger."
"Cam came into Lehigh as a freshman who had a lot to learn on the basketball court, in the weight room and in the classroom," said Troyan. "Through hard work and discipline, she has improved her basketball skills, has gained significant strength in the weight room and has excelled in the classroom as she found direction with her major in the business school. All of these improvements have played a role in the growth of her self-confidence."
Whether she's on or off the court, Benz's personality is infectious. Cameryn entered Lehigh in the College of Arts and Sciences, but quickly realized it wasn't for her, so she transferred to the College of Business.
She is now a marketing major.
"Marketing caught my eye because it's a 'people person' major, and features personal selling," said Benz. "It's about making relationships with people and knowing how people behave in certain situations. I am minoring in management and sociology as well.
"Not only am I doing sales and advertising, but with my minors, I'm also able to connect why people want to buy a certain product," she continued. "It all fell into place."
Despite the large time commitment of college basketball, opportunities outside of her sport have fallen into place, too. Several summers ago, Benz studied abroad in Prague, Czech Republic while last summer, she interned in Bethlehem at Guardian Life Insurance.
"Studying abroad had a huge impact on me knowing I'm okay with travelling," said Benz. "My job in the future may have to do with traveling and I'm confident saying I'm more than happy with that. I also interned in Prague, learning how business works in a different country."
Benz is confident in her ability to work with all types of people in different settings.
"As I've gotten older, my role (on the Lehigh women's basketball team) has shifted more towards relationships," she said. "Having not started (my first two years) then started (the last two years) gives me a huge edge on being able to relate to everyone on my team. My relationships are a lot more personal and I feel a lot more confident in myself to get to know people on a deeper level."
One of those people Benz has gotten to know is current junior Mariah Sexe.
"Cam understands everything she brings to the table, whether or not it shows up on the stat sheet," said Sexe. "Her energy is infectious and she knows that. Cam plays her best when she's loose and I believe a lot of her teammates look up to that. She knows she can score the ball, but she's had a tremendous growth in confidence in the other ways she impacts the game.
"Cam is confident in her ability to impact our team, not because she's trying to force herself into a role, but because she genuinely wants to."
Genuine is another great word to describe Cameryn, which hasn't gone unnoticed.
As the Mountain Hawks enter the postseason – which is exciting, yet stressful – Benz will surely keep everyone smiling by just being herself. Through her actions and words, Cameryn will remind everyone that they're playing the game they love, and to be grateful for the moment.
"My parents say whenever I have my best games, I'm smiling and laughing on the court," said Benz. "I don't even realize when I do it.
As she continued, "Time goes quickly; I can't believe I'm a senior and soon, I won't be able to play competitive basketball every day. It's important to play with love, play in the moment and know that every moment you're playing basketball could be the last.
"You just have to throw it all out there and have fun because if you're not having fun, then why are you playing?"
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