After an injury-riddled season held him to just seven appearances last season, graduate student guard Jackson Benigni is looking to bounce back this year in his first fully healthy season since transferring to the program one year ago. Having established himself as a sharpshooter before joining the Bearcats, Benigni is shaping up to be a key piece of Binghamton’s offense for the 2025-26 season.

”My own personal goal is just to try to stay healthy from the start of the season to the end of the season,” Benigni said. “Throughout my college career, I’ve had a lot of unfortunate luck with injuries and stuff like that have kept me sidelined a lot, so just me personally, just try to stay healthy for the entire year.”

Benigni’s injuries last year kept him from seeing the court consistently, as he played a total of 125 minutes, averaging 1.9 points per game in the process. Noting the difficulties that come with returning from a limited season like last year’s, Benigni is confident that he can return to form and be a big contributor for this Bearcats squad.

“It’s not that big of a deal coming back from injury, because I’ve done it before,” Benigni said. “I just think for me, just taking care of my body every single day and just prepping everything and just being ready to go for the long season and stuff like that, and just doing everything I can physically to keep myself ready to go.”

Benigni has worked hard to stay in shape for the season, especially after missing so much time last year. Staying in shape has been one of his focuses this season, especially on a Bearcats team that expects to be a faster-paced and more aggressive offense.

“With [Binghamton head coach Levell Sanders] and everything that he’s talked about this year, like we’re trying to play fast-paced and stuff like that,” Benigni said. “So just for me, I really worked on my conditioning, dropped over 20 pounds this offseason and just honestly being the shooter, just working on my shot.”

Benigni models his game after several people, but he cites his father as his biggest inspiration, both on and off the court.

“My father really is someone who’s inspired me just to work so hard,” Benigni said. “Everyday, he’s always said, ‘Give it your best, and whatever happens will happen, but live with no regret, always work so hard.’ One of his quotes I’ve always lived by is, ‘When you’re not working, someone else is,’ so just keeping that mindset, especially going into my last season, that I control what I can control and whatever happens will happen this year. I’m just looking forward to ending my basketball career on a high note this year.”

Benigni’s pregame routine, which helps him get into the proper mindset for any upcoming challenges he may face on the court, has remained unchanged for some time.

“I’m big on routine and stuff like that,” Benigni said. “I just always have to listen to music before games. I have to do my same shooting routine that I’ve done for the last six years, and just keep my routine the exact same every single game and try not to change it up, regardless of where we are or who we’re playing.”

Benigni has high hopes for the Bearcats this season, and he believes they can secure a top-four seed in the America East playoffs as the squad gears up for a deeper run.

“To get a home playoff game, that’s our number one goal, and try to win the America East,” Benigni said. “And for us just to keep every day, just to keep getting better and better and working towards that goal.”