Sports24 March, 20262 min read
Randy Bennett hired as Arizona State men's basketball head coach
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Arizona State hires Randy Bennett as its head coach. Bennett spent 25 seasons at Saint Mary's.
Coaching Announcement
Arizona State University has officially hired Randy Bennett as the new Head Coach of the Sun Devil Men's Basketball program. Bennett, a 63-year-old Arizona native, was announced by athletic director Graham Rossini after an extremely successful 25-season tenure at Saint Mary's College. The hire has been described as a 'home run' by local observers.
“Sun Devil Athletics Director Graham Rossini announced that Randy Bennett will be the new Head Coach of the Sun Devil Men's Basketball program.”
Arizona State is bringing aboard one of the most accomplished coaches in college basketball. Bennett has proven ability to develop international talent and maintain sustained success over multiple decades.
Saint Mary's Legacy
Bennett's departure from Saint Mary's marks the end of an era for the West Coast Conference program. Before Bennett's arrival in 2001, Saint Mary's had made just three NCAA tournament appearances and won four conference championships. The Gaels went 2-27 the season before Bennett was hired.
Under his leadership, the Gaels developed into one of the nation's most consistent mid-major programs. They won at least 20 games in 18 of the last 19 seasons.
The program achieved a remarkable 30-win season in 2017-18. The Gaels made 20 postseason appearances under Bennett, including 12 NCAA Tournament berths and seven NIT appearances.
National Recognition
Bennett's success at Saint Mary's earned him significant recognition and established the program as a national force. He won West Coast Conference Coach of the Year seven times. He developed a healthy conference rivalry with Mark Few and mid-major powerhouse Gonzaga.
“Bennett built the Gaels into a force in the West Coast Conference, collecting a school-record 589 wins and earning seven WCC Coach of the Year honors.”
The Gaels' remarkable streak of 18-straight postseason appearances trails only Gonzaga, Michigan State, and Kansas nationally. This demonstrates Bennett's ability to maintain consistent excellence.
His teams were ranked in the AP Top 25 in 12 different seasons under his watch. This was a dramatic improvement from being ranked in just two seasons in program history before his arrival.
ASU Transition
Bennett's move to Arizona State comes with a five-year contract according to ESPN. He expressed enthusiasm about returning to his home state to lead the Sun Devils. Bennett said: 'It was going to take a special situation for us to leave Saint Mary's, and I am energized, driven, and focused on taking over Sun Devil Basketball, a program I am very familiar with and grew up watching.'
He takes over a program that has struggled in recent years. Bennett replaces Bobby Hurley, whose contract was not renewed after 11 seasons at the helm.
Hurley had guided the Sun Devils to three NCAA tournament appearances during his tenure. Arizona State is looking to elevate its basketball program in the competitive Big 12 Conference.