Dick Bennett
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dick Bennett (born April 20, 1943, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States) is an American basketball coach who is best known for revitalizing the Wisconsin Badgers basketball program, and leading the team to the Final Four in 2000. He also coached at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and Washington State University.
Contents |
[edit] Coaching career
Bennett had enormous success at each level of collegiate coaching in Wisconsin. In the mid-1980s, he led Stevens Point to an NAIA title game. He followed that up by bringing UW-Green Bay to its first three NCAA tournament appearances, and in 2000, after five years in Madison, he took the Badgers to the Final Four. Prior to collegiate coaching, Bennett was a successful high school coach for eleven years, winning 168 games and leading Eau Claire Memorial to a runner-up finish at the State tournament during the 1975-76 season.[1]
[edit] UW-Stevens Point
Bennett began his collegiate coaching career at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where he won 173 games. He was named NAIA Coach of the Year after leading the 1983-84 squad to a 28-4 record and national runner-up finish. That team featured former NBA All-Star Terry Porter and former Saint Louis University head coach Brad Soderberg.
[edit] UW-Green Bay
In 1985, Bennett moved to the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. The Phoenix posted a 4-24 the year record before Bennett arrived, but had reached the second round of the NIT tournament by 1990.
Bennett's son Tony became the star of the team during the early 1990s. A guard who played several seasons in the NBA, Tony Bennett led the team to its first NCAA tournament berth in 1991, where the Phoenix lost to Michigan State in the first round. The following year, the UW-GB rolled to a 25-5 and won its first regular season conference title, but lost in the conference tournament. After Tony Bennett's departure in 1992, the 1993-94 team won the conference title and tournament on its way to the NCAA tournament. There, the 12th-seeded Phoenix defeated 16th-ranked California, whose roster included Jason Kidd and Lamond Murray. In Bennett's final year with the Phoenix, his team returned to the NCAA Tournament where they lost to Big Ten champion Purdue.
[edit] Wisconsin Badgers
In 1995, Bennett replaced Stan Van Gundy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as the head coach of the men's basketball team. In Bennett's first year, the Badgers earned a bid in the NIT Tournament. Over the next four seasons Bennett coached Wisconsin to three NCAA tournament appearances including the Final Four (1999-2000). The Badgers had played in a total of three NCAA tournaments in the 97 years before his arrival. Bennett also coached Wisconsin to its first ever 20-win season in 1998-99. Bennett resigned three games into the 2000-2001 season citing burnout—he said he "simply was drained".[2]. During his tenure at Wisconsin he was 94-68 (.580) from 1995-2000.
[edit] Washington State Cougars
After two years off, Bennett was hired at Washington State University on March 29, 2003, and retired immediately following the 2005-2006 season, after the Cougars finished last in the Pac-10. His son, Tony Bennett, who was picked to be his successor, took over the team immediately following his retirement[3].
[edit] Coaching Awards
1982 Wisconsin State University Conference Coach of the Year
1985 Wisconsin State University Conference Coach of the Year
1985 NAIA District IV Coach of the Year
1985 NAIA Area IV Coach of the Year
1990 Mid-Continent Conference Coach of the Year
1992 Mid-Continent Conference Coach of the Year
1992 NABC District 11 Coach of the Year
1994 Basketball Times Midwest Coach of the Year
1994 NABC District 11 Coach of the Year
[4]
[edit] Legacy
Bennett's teams were known particularly for their defensive prowess[citation needed]. While at Wisconsin his teams led the Big Ten in scoring defense four straight years and finished in the top-five nationally three times.[citation needed]
Bennett recruited players who were willing to place teamwork and discipline ahead of personal statistics. His players excelled in the classroom as well as on the court. While few NBA players emerged from his programs, most of his players have gone on to success in other careers, including coaching.
[edit] Background and family
Bennett went to high school in Clintonville, Wisconsin, and graduated from Ripon College. His daughter Kathi Bennett is the former head women's basketball coach at Indiana. His son Tony Bennett, previously the head assistant coach, was hired as WSU head coach after his father's retirement. His brother Jack Bennett recently retired as head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point after winning back-to-back NCAA Division III National Titles in 2004 and 2005. Another brother, Tom Bennett, died of AIDS-related complications at age 38 in January 1996.
[edit] Season Records
[edit] NCAA Division I
| School | Season | Overall Record |
Conference Record |
Conference Standing |
Post-Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UW-Green Bay | 1985–86 | 5-23 | 7 | ||
| UW-Green Bay | 1986–87 | 15-14 | 4 | ||
| UW-Green Bay | 1987–88 | 18-9 | 3 | ||
| UW-Green Bay | 1988–89 | 14-14 | 4 | ||
| UW-Green Bay | 1989–90 | 24-8 | 2 | NIT Second Round | |
| UW-Green Bay | 1990–91 | 24-7 | 2* | NCAA First Round | |
| UW-Green Bay | 1991–92 | 24-6 | 1 | NIT First Round | |
| UW-Green Bay | 1992–93 | 13-14 | 4 | ||
| UW-Green Bay | 1993–94 | 27-7 | 1* | NCAA Second Round | |
| UW-Green Bay | 1994–95 | 22-9 | 2* | NCAA First Round | |
| Wisconsin (Madison) | 1995–96 | 17-15 | 8-10 | 8 | NIT Second Round |
| Wisconsin (Madison) | 1996–97 | 18-10 | 11-7 | 4t | NCAA First Round (#7 seed) |
| Wisconsin (Madison) | 1997–98 | 12-19 | 3-13 | 9t | |
| Wisconsin (Madison) | 1998–99 | 22-10 | 9-7 | 3t | NCAA First Round (#5 seed) |
| Wisconsin (Madison) | 1999–00 | 22-14 | 8-8 | 6 | NCAA Final Four (#8 seed) |
- t = tied
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ *Profile at Washington State
- ^ AP. "Wisconsin's Bennett Steps Down", CBS Sports.
- ^ AP. "Bennett: First goal met", Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, February 28, 2006.
- ^ *Profile at Washington State
- ^ UW-Green Bay Phoenix basketball UW-Green Bay Phoenix basketball
- ^ *Year-by-Year Records UW-Madison
| Preceded by Paul Graham |
Washington State Cougars Head Coach 2003–2006 |
Succeeded by Tony Bennett |
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
