Feb. 15, 2026, 4:06 p.m. ET

Clemson baseball legend Kris Benson officially added another historic chapter to his already decorated career on Thursday, earning induction into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame.

For Clemson, Benson’s enshrinement is more than a personal milestone. It is a reaffirmation of one of the most dominant individual eras the program has ever seen.

Benson’s name is woven into nearly every meaningful Clemson baseball conversation. In 1996, he produced one of the greatest single seasons in school history, leading the Tigers to the College World Series while posting a 14–2 record, a 2.02 ERA, and a 204 to 27 strikeout to walk ratio across 156 innings.

A unanimous first-team All-American, Benson swept college baseball’s top honors that year, earning National Player of the Year, ABCA Player of the Year, Rotary Smith Award winner, and the Dick Howser Trophy, which recognizes performance, character, leadership, and courage.

Benson was named ACC Athlete of the Year for all sports in 1996 and became the first overall pick in the 1996 MLB Draft, making him the only Clemson athlete in any sport to ever be selected No. 1 overall. Shortly after, he represented Team USA at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, helping bring home a bronze medal.

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Clemson previously honored Benson with induction into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2003, he was named to the ACC’s 50th Anniversary Team, cementing his place among the conference’s all-time greats.

Benson’s professional career spanned 12 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1999 to 2010. He pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, and Arizona Diamondbacks, compiling 70 career wins, a 4.42 ERA, and 806 strikeouts across 1,243.2 innings. He made 200 career starts and posted his best big-league seasons early, following a strong rookie year in 1999 with an even better campaign in 2000 before undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Despite later battling rotator cuff issues, Benson continued to provide value as a rotation mainstay. While with Pittsburgh, he started the final game at Three Rivers Stadium and the first game ever played at PNC Park, while also setting the franchise record for strikeouts by a right-handed pitcher.

Beyond the numbers, Benson built a reputation as a deeply respected humanitarian. He earned the Roberto Clemente Award from the Pirates, along with the Thurman Munson Award, Joan Payson Award, and New Jersey Sports Writers Humanitarian of the Year, reflecting his commitment to community service and charitable outreach.

That impact has continued well beyond baseball. Benson is the founder and CEO of Superior Business Management, which he launched in 2014 in Atlanta, and remains active in numerous philanthropic efforts.

Already destined for induction into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame this May alongside former Clemson standouts Donnell Woolford and Bobby Johnson, Benson’s National College Baseball Hall of Fame honor further cements what Clemson fans have long known.

Kris Benson is not just one of the best players in program history. He is one of the greatest athletes to have ever represented Clemson.

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