At Utah Valley University ...
JUNIOR ~ (2020): NCAA Championship qualifier ... earned First Team All-WAC honors ... also earned both USTFCCCA All-Academic Individual accolades as well as Academic All-WAC ... became the first female NCAA Championship qualifier after posting a runner-up individual finish at the WAC Championship by placing second at the conference championship meet with a blazing 6k time of 21:05.5 ... finished her first NCAA Championship appearance with a 136th-place finish at the 2020 (2021) NCAA Championships in Stillwater, Okla., with a 6k time of 21:45.6 ... competed in all four cross country meets during the COVID-shortened season ... UVU's top female finisher in all four meets and posted three top-five finishes ... also placed placed fourth at the Silver State Collegiate Challenge on Feb. 1 (20:58.7, 6k) and fifth at the season-opening Dixie State Invite on Jan. 23 (20:48.3, 6k) ... her 20:48.3 at the Dixie State Invite is a 6k personal best.
SOPHOMORE ~ (2019): Competed in six meets on the season for the Wolverines ... recorded three top-25 finishes ... posted a fifth-place finish at the UVU Vivint Invitational to lead the way for the UVU women at the meet with a 5K time of 18:50.9 ... was UVU's second finisher at the UC Riverside Invite by taking 21st with a 6K time of 21:07.6 ... just missed earning All-WAC honors by placing 15th at the WAC XC Championship with a 6K time of 22:12.0 ... also recorded times of 18:00.2 (5K) at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invite, 21:14.4 (6K) at teh Santa Clara Bronco Invite and 21:55.4 (6K) at the NCAA Mountain Region Championship ... earned Academic All-WAC accolades.
REDSHIRT ~ (2018): Redshirted the 2018 season for the Wolverines.
Other College...
Competed her freshman campaign at Weber State ... ran in two meets: pre-nationals and Roy Griak Invitational. Top finished was 49th at pre-nationals.
Before Utah Valley ...
Lettered each season in track and field and cross country at American Fork High School ... finished in the top 13 at the state cross country meet three times and helped lead the team to the state 5A championship ... had personal bests of 2:20 in the 800 meters, 5:12 in the 1600 meters, 11:20 in the 3,200 meters ... helped lead the Cavemen to the 2014 state championship and won the Nike Cross Country Regionals and ran at nationals.
Personal ...
Graduated from American Fork HS in 2015 ... birthday is Jan. 27 ... born in Orem, Utah ... parents are Cory and Jami Bench ... full name is Maddalin Jo Bench ... has five siblings, Emeline, Abigail, Morgan, Jocelyn, and Coleson ... married to BYU football player James Empey (offensive lineman) ... was recruited by several schools before signing at Weber State... plans on majoring in behavior science ... plans to pursue a career as a family counselor ... enjoys being outside, taking pictures, eating, sleeping, and spending time with friends and family ... served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Missouri and Kansas.
