Walker Bennett
Des Moines,IA
Summary
Analytical Data Scientist skilled in Python, SQL, machine learning, statistical modeling, and data visualization. Developed predictive models for large-scale sports data in an MLB Draft analytics capstone, delivering clear insights from complex results. Seeking a Data Analytics or Business Intelligence role to leverage data for informed decision-making.
Overview
1
1
Certification
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Junior Varsity Baseball Coach
Roosevelt High School
Des Moines, IA
05.2024 - Current
- Planned and conducted inclusive practices to develop skills across all positions and skill levels.
- Oversaw team logistics for home and away games, ensuring efficient scheduling and travel arrangements.
- Coordinated daily communication among school staff, players, parents, and coaches to maintain program effectiveness.
Member, Norse Baseball Team
Luther College
08.2022 - 05.2026
- Competed as collegiate athlete at Luther College while managing a double major in Data Science and Economics, developing discipline, time management, and teamwork under pressure.
Front Desk Associate
The YMCA of Greater Des Moines
Des Moines, IA
05.2023 - Current
- Managed front desk operations and ensured a welcoming environment.
- Managed front desk operations and member check-in, ensuring smooth facility upkeep and equipment maintenance.
- Acted as primary contact for members and staff, addressing day-to-day needs efficiently in a fast-paced environment.
- Greeted and assisted members with inquiries and facility access.
- Handled membership registrations and processed payments efficiently.
Server & Bartender
The Bird's Nest
08.2022 - 08.2023
Nanny
Des Moines, IA
01.2021 - 08.2023
Applishus Associate
Iowa State Fair
05.2022 - 08.2022
Education
Bachelor of Science - Data Science & Economics
Luther College
Decorah, Iowa05-2026
Skills
- Python (pandas, scikit-learn)
- SQL
- Machine Learning
- Statistical Modeling
- Data Visualization
- Data Cleaning & Preprocessing
- Large-Scale Dataset Analysis
- Data analytics
- Project management
- Statistical modeling
- Team collaboration
- Effective communication
- Time management
- Game analysis
Projects
MLB Draft Success Prediction, Senior Data Science Capstone, Luther College, Combined and cleaned 60 years of MLB Draft data (1965–2024) into a 65,861-record dataset by matching draftees against the Sean Lahman baseball database., Engineered features, built preprocessing pipelines, and ran EDA and hyperparameter tuning across five classification models — Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, Random Forest, XGBoost, and a Deep Neural Network., Best model (Deep Neural Network) reached 80.5% accuracy and a 41.5% F1 score (AUC 0.72); XGBoost delivered the top precision at 59.1%, correctly flagging 813 future MLB players in testing.
Leadership Experience
- Junior Varsity Baseball Coach, Roosevelt High School, Des Moines, IA, 05/24, Present, Planned and ran practices for players of all positions and skill levels., Oversaw the team for home and away games, including scheduling and travel logistics., Communicated daily with school staff, players, parents, and coaches to keep the program running smoothly.
- Front Desk Associate, The YMCA of Greater Des Moines, 05/23, Present, Managed front desk operations and member check-in while supporting facility upkeep and equipment maintenance., Served as a point of contact for members and staff, resolving day-to-day needs in a fast-paced environment.
- Member, Norse Baseball Team, Luther College, 08/22, 05/26, Competed as a collegiate athlete at Luther College while completing a double major in Data Science and Economics, building discipline, time management, and teamwork under pressure.
Certification
- BoEE Iowa Coaching Endorsement
- CPR/AED with First Aid
- Mandatory Reporter Training
Timeline
Junior Varsity Baseball Coach
Roosevelt High School
05.2024 - Current
Front Desk Associate
The YMCA of Greater Des Moines
05.2023 - Current
Member, Norse Baseball Team
Luther College
08.2022 - 05.2026
Server & Bartender
The Bird's Nest
08.2022 - 08.2023
Applishus Associate
Iowa State Fair
05.2022 - 08.2022
Nanny
01.2021 - 08.2023
Bachelor of Science - Data Science & Economics
Luther College