Newton senior Paige Benson signed with the Central College tennis team and plans to major in communications.
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June 05, 2025
Newton’s Benson signs with Central College tennis
Cardinal senior joins older sister in Pella
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Newton senior Paige Benson, second from the left, signed with the Central College women’s tennis team last week. She was joined at her signing by her mother Mindy Benson, left, her father Jason Benson, right, and her sister Grace Benson, who’s currently on the Central College triathlon team. Paige Benson said she chose Central College tennis over attending Iowa State University. “I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to play a sport in college,” Benson said. “I knew if I went to Central, I would want to do a sport and tennis happened to be the sport I wanted to keep playing. I would have just studied event planning at Iowa State.” Paige Benson chose Central because her sister goes there, and she’s enjoyed the campus and people she’s met every time she visits. “It took me the whole year to decide, but deep down I figured that’s where I’d end up,” Benson said. “My sister and other friends are there so there was a sense of familiarity. Iowa State was just a little bit too big for me, too.” Paige Benson competed in four sports at Newton, but chose tennis because it’s the sport she feels she can grow in the most. She’s only played high school tennis for two seasons. “One of the big reasons, because I started so late, was I wanted more time playing the sport,” Benson said. Paige Benson, who will be roommates with Newton High School alum MeLayna Budinich, said event planning is not offered at Central College. She plans to major in communications and then will use that to get into event planning. (Troy Hyde/Newton News)