Jason Benae is a men’s soccer player and college recruit from St. Monica Catholic High School in Santa Monica, California. A member of the graduating class of 2022, he plays as a forward and attacking midfielder, standing 6’1″ and weighing 160 lbs. His NCSA recruiting profile highlights one year of varsity experience, where he served as a starter for his school team.
Jason Benae is a promising young soccer talent who came to public attention through his college recruiting profile on NCSA Sports, one of America’s largest athletic recruiting networks. A product of St. Monica Catholic High School in Santa Monica, California, Benae played as a forward and attacking midfielder during his high school career. At 6’1″ with a lean, athletic build, his physical profile suits the demands of college-level soccer. His story is one shared by thousands of American high school athletes — grinding through varsity seasons, building a digital profile, and reaching out to college coaches in hopes of earning a roster spot and, potentially, a scholarship. This article dives deep into who Jason Benae is, what his recruiting journey looks like, and what the college soccer path means for players like him.
Quick Bio Table
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Jason Benae |
| Graduation Year | 2022 |
| High School | St. Monica Catholic High School |
| Location | Santa Monica, California |
| Primary Position | Forward |
| Secondary Position | Attacking Midfielder |
| Height | 6’1″ |
| Weight | 160 lbs |
| Varsity Experience | 1 Year (Starter, 2021) |
| Recruiting Platform | NCSA Sports |
Who Is Jason Benae? Introducing the Santa Monica Soccer Prospect
Jason Benae is a young men’s soccer player who gained online recognition through his publicly listed college recruiting profile on NCSA Sports — one of the most widely used college athletic recruiting platforms in the United States. Based out of Santa Monica, California, Benae attended St. Monica Catholic High School, a respected institution with a long-standing athletic tradition. He competed as a varsity starter during the 2021 season, playing as a forward and attacking midfielder. At 6’1″ with a lean frame of 160 pounds, Benae possesses the physical attributes college coaches look for in offensive players — height, reach, and the agility to operate in tight spaces near goal.
The School Behind the Player — St. Monica Catholic High School
An Athletic Tradition Worth Knowing
St. Monica Catholic High School, located in the heart of Santa Monica, California, is a mid-sized Catholic institution with an enrollment of roughly 548 students. Despite its relatively modest size, the school has produced athletes who have gone on to compete at the collegiate level in multiple sports, including basketball, soccer, softball, and water polo. The athletic culture at St. Monica is built on discipline, faith, and competitive drive — qualities that shape athletes not just as players, but as individuals. For a soccer prospect like Jason Benae, coming from this school means being part of a legacy that values hard work on and off the pitch. College coaches who scout California talent are familiar with St. Monica’s competitive programs.
The Men’s Soccer Program
The men’s soccer program at St. Monica Catholic High School operates within California’s highly competitive high school soccer landscape. The state of California consistently produces some of the top collegiate and professional soccer talent in the United States, meaning the competition for spots — both on high school rosters and at the college level — is fierce. Playing varsity soccer in this environment, and earning a starting position, is itself a meaningful accomplishment. Benae’s ability to secure a starting role as a forward in the 2021 season speaks to his skill level and his commitment to the sport. His participation in the NCSA recruiting network indicates an ambition that extends well beyond the high school pitch.
Breaking Down Jason Benae’s Player Profile
Position and Physical Attributes
Playing forward and attacking midfielder are among the most demanding positions on a soccer field. These roles require sharp instincts near the goal, quick decision-making, the ability to hold up play under physical pressure, and — crucially — the composure to finish. At 6’1″, Jason Benae has a notable height advantage over many players in these positions, allowing him to compete in aerial duels, screen defenders, and serve as a target for through-balls and crosses. His listed weight of 160 pounds suggests a lean, mobile build — ideal for an attacker who needs to combine physical strength with agility and pace. These physical characteristics make him an attractive prospect on paper for many college programs.
Varsity Experience and Starting Role
Earning a varsity starting position is not a small feat, especially in California where high school rosters are packed with talented players. Jason Benae’s NCSA profile lists one year of varsity experience, during which he was a starter for the 2021 season at St. Monica Catholic High School. While one year of varsity play might seem brief, it tells an important story — coaches prioritized him in the lineup, which reflects real confidence in his abilities. Many top college recruits come from schools where the competition within the team itself is significant. Benae’s starting role is a signal to college coaches that he was considered among the best available options at his position within a competitive athletic environment.
The College Soccer Recruiting Process — What Athletes Like Benae Must Navigate
How NCSA Sports Works for High School Recruits
NCSA Sports — the National Collegiate Scouting Association — is the largest college athletic recruiting network in the United States. It serves as a bridge between high school athletes and college coaches across NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, and NJCAA programs. Athletes like Jason Benae create profiles that include physical measurements, position details, highlight video links, academic information, and personal statements. College coaches can search the database to find players who match their program’s needs. For a California-based forward with varsity experience and a solid physical profile, the NCSA platform provides a meaningful opportunity to gain visibility beyond what local recruiting events might offer. Thousands of athletes use this path each year to secure roster spots and athletic scholarships.
What College Coaches Look for in a Forward
When a college coach evaluates a forward prospect like Jason Benae, they are looking at a combination of technical, physical, and psychological qualities. On the technical side, finishing ability, dribbling under pressure, and link-up play with midfielders and wingers are paramount. Physically, size, speed, and the ability to win aerial challenges matter enormously, especially at higher divisions. Psychologically, coaches want players who are mentally resilient, coachable, and capable of performing under the pressure of competitive match situations. A player who has played in a starting role during their high school career — demonstrating that coaches trust them in key moments — checks an important box in this evaluation process. A solid highlight reel can significantly accelerate the recruitment timeline.
California Soccer — A Breeding Ground for Collegiate Talent
Why California Produces Top College Soccer Players
California’s soccer ecosystem is among the richest in the entire country. The state is home to hundreds of elite club teams, multiple top-tier high school leagues, and a year-round playing calendar that accelerates player development in ways that athletes in colder climates cannot easily replicate. Cities like Los Angeles, San Jose, and San Diego function as talent hubs, producing players who go on to compete at every level of the collegiate and professional game. Santa Monica, in particular, sits within one of the densest concentrations of soccer talent in Southern California. For a player who grew up in this environment, the competition faced in local leagues and on the high school pitch represents outstanding preparation for the demands of college soccer.
The Competitive Landscape for Southern California Forwards
Within Southern California’s high school soccer world, forwards and attacking midfielders face some of the fiercest position-specific competition in the nation. Scouts from major universities regularly attend games in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, and club programs affiliated with MLS academies are common. For a forward like Jason Benae to compete for a starting role at St. Monica Catholic — a school embedded in this talent-rich region — represents genuine accomplishment. It also means that his skills have been tested against high-quality defenders and goalkeepers, providing the kind of competitive edge that college coaches appreciate. The crucible of Southern California high school soccer is, for many prospects, the best possible preparation for the next level of play.
The Role of Recruiting Profiles in a Footballer’s Career
Building a Digital Identity as an Athlete
In today’s college sports landscape, a player’s digital presence can be just as important as their performance on the pitch. Recruiting profiles on platforms like NCSA provide college coaches with an accessible, standardized format for evaluating prospects across geographic boundaries. A well-constructed profile includes highlight footage, academic records, physical measurements, and contact information — giving coaches everything they need to make an initial assessment before reaching out. For young players like Jason Benae, building and maintaining a strong recruiting profile is one of the most actionable steps they can take toward realizing their collegiate ambitions. It puts their name and abilities in front of decision-makers at hundreds of institutions simultaneously.
The Importance of Highlight Videos and Coach Communication
Of all the components in a college recruiting profile, video footage is arguably the most decisive. A single standout highlight reel showing an athlete’s speed, finishing, and game intelligence can generate interest from coaches who had no prior knowledge of the player. For forwards, the most impactful clips tend to feature goal-scoring moments, creative dribbling sequences, and smart movement off the ball — all of which communicate the player’s instincts and technical quality. Beyond video, proactive communication with coaches is essential. Sending personalized emails, attending college camps, and responding promptly to coach inquiries are all behaviors that separate recruits who earn offers from those who remain overlooked. The recruiting process is as much about initiative as it is about raw talent.
Life After High School Soccer — What the College Experience Offers
Scholarships, Academic Life, and Athletic Development
For players who successfully navigate the college recruiting process, the rewards can be significant. Athletic scholarships — full or partial — can dramatically reduce the financial burden of a college education, opening doors to institutions that might otherwise be out of reach. Beyond the financial dimension, playing college soccer means access to professional coaching staffs, state-of-the-art training facilities, sports medicine support, and a structured development environment designed to help players reach their full potential. The college soccer experience also builds life skills — discipline, time management, teamwork, and leadership — that serve athletes well long after their playing careers conclude. For a young player from Southern California with varsity experience and the right mentality, this path is entirely achievable.
Division I vs. Division II vs. Division III — Understanding the Options
Not all college soccer programs are created equal, and part of the recruiting process involves understanding what each division offers and demands. NCAA Division I programs represent the highest level of college soccer in the United States, featuring the most competitive schedules, the largest coaching staffs, and the most scholarship money. Division II programs offer a strong balance between athletic competition and academic engagement, often providing generous scholarship packages. Division III, while scholarship-free, attracts many talented players who prioritize academic excellence and a well-rounded college experience. NAIA programs offer yet another avenue — often with strong scholarship support and a more intimate athletic environment. For a player with Jason Benae’s profile, the full spectrum of options likely remained open during the recruiting process.
The Mindset of a College Soccer Recruit
Resilience, Patience, and the Long Game
The road from high school soccer to a college roster spot is rarely straightforward. Rejections are common, timelines are uncertain, and the mental demands of the process can be exhausting. What separates athletes who ultimately land in the right program from those who fall short is often not talent alone — it is resilience. The ability to keep training hard, keep sending emails, keep attending showcases, and keep believing in oneself even when interest from coaches is slow to materialize is the defining characteristic of recruits who succeed. For a player who chose to list publicly on a major recruiting platform and commit to the process, that persistence is already evident. The willingness to be seen, evaluated, and judged is itself a form of courage.
The Value of a Support System in Athletic Recruiting
Behind every successful college recruit is a support system — parents, coaches, and mentors who provide guidance, encouragement, and practical assistance throughout the process. High school coaches who write strong recommendation letters, club coaches who make calls to college programs on a player’s behalf, and parents who help navigate the administrative complexity of NCAA eligibility requirements all play vital roles. Academic advisors who ensure a student-athlete meets eligibility benchmarks add another layer of essential support. The college recruiting process, at its best, is a team effort — and athletes who recognize and lean into this collaborative structure tend to navigate it more effectively than those who attempt to go it alone.
What Makes Jason Benae a Name Worth Knowing
A Profile That Represents Thousands of Aspirations
Jason Benae may not yet be a household name, but his story represents something deeply meaningful in American sports culture — the journey of a young athlete who refuses to let geography, school size, or circumstance limit his ambitions. A 6’1″ forward from a mid-sized Catholic school in Santa Monica, California, who earned a varsity starting position and took the initiative to build a college recruiting profile, is doing exactly what the system is designed to reward. His profile on NCSA stands as a testament to the dedication and forward-thinking approach that the college recruiting process demands. Whether he went on to compete at the collegiate level or pursued other paths after graduation, the effort he invested in the process reflects genuine sporting ambition.
A Story That Resonates Across High School Sports
Stories like Jason Benae’s resonate because they are human. They are about the gap between where you are and where you want to be — and about the daily discipline required to close that gap. In a world where professional and collegiate sports are increasingly dominated by discussions of elite phenoms and multi-million-dollar contracts, there is something refreshing and important about the story of a high school forward who suits up every weekend, works on his finishing, and sends emails to college coaches hoping for a response. These are the athletes who make up the fabric of American sports — not the headlines, but the heart. Their stories deserve to be told, and their journeys deserve to be understood in their full complexity and beauty.
Conclusion — The Legacy of a Young Footballer’s Ambition
Jason Benae’s story, as it currently exists in the public record, is a snapshot of ambition in motion. A young forward from Santa Monica with the size, the position, and the varsity credentials to compete for a college roster spot chose to put himself out there through one of the nation’s most respected recruiting platforms. Whether he is now playing college soccer, pursuing a different athletic path, or channeling his competitive drive into other areas of life, the qualities he demonstrated during his recruiting journey — initiative, commitment, and athletic discipline — are ones that translate across every arena of human endeavor. For families, coaches, and athletes navigating similar journeys, his profile offers a relatable and instructive example of what it means to pursue a dream with purpose.
FAQs About Jason Benae
Q1: Who is Jason Benae?
Jason Benae is a men’s soccer recruit from St. Monica Catholic High School in Santa Monica, California, known for his forward/attacking midfielder position and his listing on the NCSA Sports recruiting platform for the graduating class of 2022.
Q2: What position does Jason Benae play?
He plays primarily as a forward, with a secondary designation as an attacking midfielder — two roles that require strong finishing instincts, physical athleticism, and sharp offensive decision-making.
Q3: How tall is Jason Benae?
Jason Benae stands at 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs approximately 160 pounds, giving him a lean athletic build well-suited to his offensive playing positions.
Q4: What high school did Jason Benae attend?
He attended St. Monica Catholic High School in Santa Monica, California — a mid-sized Catholic institution with a strong athletic program and a history of producing college-level athletes.
Q5: What recruiting platform is Jason Benae listed on?
His recruiting profile was publicly listed on NCSA Sports (National Collegiate Scouting Association), one of the largest and most respected college athletic recruiting networks in the United States.
Q6: Did Jason Benae play varsity soccer?
Yes. He played one year of varsity soccer at St. Monica Catholic High School and served as a starter during the 2021 season, reflecting a high level of trust from his coaching staff.
Q7: What year did Jason Benae graduate?
Jason Benae is a member of the class of 2022, meaning he graduated from St. Monica Catholic High School in 2022 and would have been pursuing college recruitment in the 2021–2022 academic year.
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