Palm Beach State guard Benetria Robinson killed in Ocala nightclub shooting

Palm Beach State guard Benetria Robinson killed in Ocala nightclub shooting 

A 19-year-old women’s basketball player at Palm Beach State College was killed Sunday morning in a mass shooting that took place outside a nightclub in Ocala.
Benetria Robinson, a sophomore guard known for her ability to make long-range three-point shots, was set to begin her second and final season at Palm Beach State on Oct. 16.

Authorities say that Robinson and five others were injured when at least one gunman opened fire into a crowd outside the Cloud 9 nightclub around 1:30 a.m. No one has been arrested.
“I’m going on 20 years as a head coach at the college level and I’ve never had to deal with the death of a player,” said Kris Ruffo, Robinson’s coach at Palm Beach State. “It’s a big loss. She was a great young lady who certainly had a great future ahead of her.”

Robinson, of Ocala, died at the scene. The five injured individuals were taken to local hospitals. Their identities and conditions were not available.

Katina Robinson, Benetria’s mother, told the Ocala Star-Banner her daughter came home from Palm Beach State College on Friday to attend a high school football game. Benetria Robinson was scheduled to return to Palm Beach County on Sunday morning.

Ruffo said that many of her players are “struggling” with Robinson’s death. The team was scheduled to resume practice this week, but Ruffo said the schedule would be adjusted to “allow our players to grieve.”

A spokeswoman said the college’s counseling staff would be made available to Robinson’s teammates.

“It is always tragic when someone loses their life to a violent act, but particularly when it is a young adult who is just in the early stages of life’s journey,” PBSC athletic director David Holstein said in a statement. “I cannot even begin to imagine the scope and depth of grief that Benetria’s family and close friends are experiencing. All I can say on behalf of the entire athletic department is that Benetria will be sorely missed and long remembered.”

Ruffo said that Robinson was very popular with teammates, who referred to her by the nickname, ‘NeNe” (pronounced knee-knee).

Robinson also excelled academically and was on pace to graduate in May, Ruffo said. Robinson arrived at Palm Beach State College with 15 college credits earned while at Ocala Forest High School and was also taking on-line courses from Florida State University, Ruffo said.

Despite her intelligence, Robinson also had a silly side to her personality which was reflected in her love for everything connected to FSU and the school’s rivalry with the University of Florida.

“She refused to drink Gatorade when we would go on roadtrips last year,” Ruffo said of the sports drink developed by researchers in Gainesville. “The Gatorade reminded her of the University of Florida. We had to get her Powerade.”