Bentley Stilwell returns to the Drury coaching staff and will serve as a volunteer assistant in 2022. Bentley (Mara) Stilwell was a standout for the Panthers 2015-18 and, following her senior year, won the university's highest honor - the Dr. Edsel Matthews Award, presented to one men's senior and one women's senior who display leadership, character and have had an exemplary athletic and academic career.
She earned the honor after leading the 2018 volleyball team to a breakthrough season that saw them set a Division II program record in winning percentage as they went 28-7 (.800) and won their first Great Lakes Valley Conference championship going 15-3 in the league. A native of Harrison, Arkansas, she ended her career ranked 11th all-time at Drury in career kills with 1,139. She was a part of Drury's first-ever NCAA-II All-American class as she and teammate Kendra Sater were both selected to the honor last fall. Stilwell was a two-time All-GLVC selection, an All-Midwest Region pick, and was an All-Academic honoree in the conference every year of her career.Â
In addition to coaching at Drury, Stilwell is an Assistant Director for 417 Volleyball and coaches the organization's 14-year old national team.Â
Bentley married former Drury baseball player Alex Stilwell and the couple reside in Springfield.Â
