Career
Banwell played Division 1 National Collegiate Athletic Association hockey for the University of Maine Black Bears, where he was a finance major. In his four years there, he played 109 games, totalling 18 points and 169 penalty minutes. In the 08-09 season, Banwell was tied for team leader in plus-minus rating with Gustav Nyquist.
Banwell played two seasons in the American Hockey League.
During the 2011-2012 season, he played for the Albany Devils. Banwell started the 2012-2013 season playing for the Trenton Titans, where he played 10 games before being called up to the Worcester Sharks.
He split the season between the Worcester Sharks and the Springfield Falcons. Banwell tallied a total of 7 fights this season (5 AHL, 2 ECHL).
The following season, Banwell signed with the Reading Royals of the ECHL. In his third professional season, playing 60 games, he tallied 3 goals and 16 assists for 19 points with the Royals.
He was also called up briefly to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the 2013/2014 season. Banwell signed his first contract abroad on a one-year deal with IF Björklöven of the Swedish HockeyAllsvenskan on May 9, 2015.