Dick Bennett
Encyclopedia
Dick Bennett is an American college basketball
coach who is best known for revitalizing the Wisconsin Badgers basketball program. He is the father of current Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Bennett
and current Northern Illinois women's basketball head coach Kathi Bennett.
title game. In the early 1990s he brought 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.
and former Saint Louis University
head coach Brad Soderberg
. In 2009, the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point renamed its basketball court Bennett Court to honor both Dick Bennett and his brother Jack Bennett.
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 5th-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
.
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
. 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 2000–01 season citing burnout
– he said he "simply was drained". During his tenure at Wisconsin
he was 94–68 (.580) from 1995–2000.
and Jeff Varem
and brought in what arguably was the greatest recruiting class in school history in 2004 (Kyle Weaver
, Derrick Low, Robbie Cowgill, Chris Henry, Daven Harmeling and Josh Akognon). Bennett stayed three seasons at WSU. The team didn't post a winning record, but they did secure wins over teams they traditionally could never beat, UCLA, Arizona and Stanford. Bennett retired following the 2005–06 season and handed the program to his son and top assistant, Tony Bennett
. Tony proceeded to guide the Cougars to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and a Sweet 16 showing in 2007.
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
2007 Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame
in 2007.
, and graduated from Ripon College
. His daughter Kathi Bennett
is currently head women's basketball coach at Northern Illinois and is a former head women's basketball coach at Indiana University. His son Tony Bennett, previously the head assistant coach, was hired as WSU head coach after his father's retirement. Two years later, he accepted his current position as head coach at Virginia. His brother Jack Bennett recently retired as head coach at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point after winning back-to-back Division III national titles in 2004 and 2005. Another brother, Tom Bennett, died of AIDS-related complications at age 38 in January 1996.
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach who is best known for revitalizing the Wisconsin Badgers basketball program. He is the father of current Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett (basketball)
Anthony "Tony" Guy Bennett is an American college basketball coach and current head coach for the University of Virginia Cavaliers men's team. Previously, he played professionally for the NBA's Charlotte Hornets and was later head coach at Washington State University...
and current Northern Illinois women's basketball head coach Kathi Bennett.
Coaching career
Bennett had enormous success at each level of collegiate coaching in Wisconsin. In the mid-1970s, he led Eau Claire Memorial High School to the state title game. In the mid-1980s, he led the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to an NAIANational Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
title game. In the early 1990s he brought UW–Green Bay to its first three NCAA tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
appearances. And in 2000, after five years in Madison, he took the Badgers to the Final Four.
High school
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.UW–Stevens Point
Bennett began his collegiate coaching career at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point in 1976, where he won 173 games in nine seasons. 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 PorterTerry Porter
Terry Porter is an American professional basketball coach and former player in the National Basketball Association . A native of Wisconsin, he played college basketball at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point before being drafted 24th by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1985 NBA Draft...
and former Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University is a private, co-educational Jesuit university located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1818 by the Most Reverend Louis Guillaume Valentin Dubourg SLU is the oldest university west of the Mississippi River. It is one of 28 member institutions of the...
head coach Brad Soderberg
Brad Soderberg
Brad Soderberg is the men's head basketball coach at Lindenwood University in Saint Charles, Missouri Soderberg has been a head coach previously at Saint Louis University, South Dakota State University, Loras College, and as an interim head coach at the University of Wisconsin–Madison...
. In 2009, the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point renamed its basketball court Bennett Court to honor both Dick Bennett and his brother Jack Bennett.
UW–Green Bay
In 1985, Bennett moved to the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay. The Phoenix posted a 4–24 record the year before Bennett arrived, but had reached the second round of the NIT tournament by 1990.Bennett's son Tony
Tony Bennett (basketball)
Anthony "Tony" Guy Bennett is an American college basketball coach and current head coach for the University of Virginia Cavaliers men's team. Previously, he played professionally for the NBA's Charlotte Hornets and was later head coach at Washington State University...
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
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
tournament berth in 1991, where the Phoenix lost to Michigan State
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
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 5th-ranked California, whose roster included Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd
Jason Frederick Kidd is an American professional basketball point guard who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Raised in Oakland, California, Kidd played college basketball at the University of California, Berkeley and was drafted second overall by the Dallas...
and Lamond Murray
Lamond Murray
Lamond Maurice Murray is an American professional basketball player who last played with the NBA's New Jersey Nets. In 2009, Lamond Murray joined the Bahrain Basketball Association in Bahrain...
. In Bennett's final year with the Phoenix, his team returned to the NCAA Tournament where they lost to Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
champion Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers
Boilermakers is the official nickname for the intercollegiate athletic teams of Purdue University. As is common with athletic nicknames, it is also used as colloquial designation of Purdue's students and alumni at large....
.
Wisconsin Badgers
In 1995, Bennett replaced Stan Van GundyStan Van Gundy
Stanley A. "Stan" Van Gundy is the head coach of the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. From 2003 to 2005, he was the head coach of the Miami Heat but resigned in 2005 mid-season, turning the job over to Pat Riley...
at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
as the head coach of the men's basketball team. In Bennett's first year, the Badgers
Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball
The Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team is a NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at the Kohl Center, located on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus in Madison, Wisconsin....
earned a bid in the NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
. 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 2000–01 season citing burnout
Burnout (psychology)
Burnout is a psychological term for the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest. Research indicates general practitioners have the highest proportion of burnout cases; according to a recent Dutch study in Psychological Reports, no less than 40% of these experienced high levels of...
– he said he "simply was drained". During his tenure at Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
he was 94–68 (.580) from 1995–2000.
Washington State Cougars
After two years off, Bennett was hired at Washington State University on March 29, 2003. He faced a daunting rebuilding project. Making strong defense a cornerstone, he started building around veterans Thomas KelatiThomas Kelati
Thomas Kelati is a US-born Polish professional basketball player of Eritrean heritage who is currently playing for BC Khimki in the Russian Superleague. In 2010 he gained Polish citizenship through his wife and is eligible to play on the Poland national basketball team in international competition...
and Jeff Varem
Jeff Varem
Jeff Varem is a Nigerian professional basketball player. He formerly played for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Development League. He also played as an import for the Coca-Cola Tigers and the Barako Bull Energy Boosters in the Philippine Basketball Association.-External links:* nba.com* ...
and brought in what arguably was the greatest recruiting class in school history in 2004 (Kyle Weaver
Kyle Weaver
Kyle Donovan Weaver is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for Washington State University, and was drafted 38th overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2008 NBA Draft...
, Derrick Low, Robbie Cowgill, Chris Henry, Daven Harmeling and Josh Akognon). Bennett stayed three seasons at WSU. The team didn't post a winning record, but they did secure wins over teams they traditionally could never beat, UCLA, Arizona and Stanford. Bennett retired following the 2005–06 season and handed the program to his son and top assistant, Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett (basketball)
Anthony "Tony" Guy Bennett is an American college basketball coach and current head coach for the University of Virginia Cavaliers men's team. Previously, he played professionally for the NBA's Charlotte Hornets and was later head coach at Washington State University...
. Tony proceeded to guide the Cougars to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and a Sweet 16 showing in 2007.
Coaching Awards
1982 Wisconsin State University Conference Coach of the Year1985 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
2007 Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame
Legacy
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. He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of FameWisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame
The Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame is a promenade in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, dedicated to honoring distinguished members of Wisconsin's sports history. New members are honored at a biennial banquet.-History:...
in 2007.
Background and family
Bennett went to high school in Clintonville, WisconsinClintonville, Wisconsin
Clintonville is a city in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,736 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Clintonville is located at 44°37'27" North, 88°45'29" West ....
, and graduated from Ripon College
Ripon College (Wisconsin)
Ripon College is a liberal arts college in Ripon, Wisconsin, USA. It offers small class sizes and intensive mentoring to students. Ripon has a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa--one of the nation's most prestigious honor societies. Alumni have high rates of success in the workforce as well as acceptance...
. His daughter Kathi Bennett
Kathi Bennett
-Biography:Bennett is the daughter of former Green Bay Phoenix, Wisconsin Badgers, and Washington State Cougars head coach Dick Bennett. Her brother is former NBA player and now Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Bennett...
is currently head women's basketball coach at Northern Illinois and is a former head women's basketball coach at Indiana University. His son Tony Bennett, previously the head assistant coach, was hired as WSU head coach after his father's retirement. Two years later, he accepted his current position as head coach at Virginia. His brother Jack Bennett recently retired as head coach at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point after winning back-to-back Division III national titles in 2004 and 2005. Another brother, Tom Bennett, died of AIDS-related complications at age 38 in January 1996.