Virginia hires Washington State’s Bennett
Associated Press
Sources say Washington State coach Tony Bennett is Virginia’s new men’s basketball coach.
Published: March 30, 2009
Updated: March 30, 2009
Sources have confirmed that Washington State coach Tony Bennett is Virginia’s new men’s basketball coach.
Bennett, 39, is the son of former Wisconsin-Green Bay coach Dick Bennett. He played for his father at UWGB.
According to sources, he has been described as “a young Mike Krzyzewski” and has previously turned down offers from LSU, Marquette and Indiana.
Having just finished his third year at Washington State, Bennett owns a 68-30 (.694) overall record with the Cougars. This season’s team compiled a 16-13 overall record (8-9 in the Pac-10) and reached the NIT, where the Cougars were eliminated in the first round. His previous two teams both made it to the NCAA tournament, including a Sweet 16 finish in 2007-08.
That team compiled a 26-9 overall mark and finished 11-7 in the Pac-10, good for third place. Bennett’s 2006-07 Cougars went 26-8 and finished second in the conference with a 13-5 record and made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Prior to taking over the Cougars, he served as an assistant coach in the program from 2003-06 under his father.
After a three-year stint as a guard for the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, Bennett began his coaching career working as an assistant under his father at the University of Wisconsin. Upon his father’s retirement, he was retained by new Badgers coach Bo Ryan. He remained on that staff until his father came out of retirement to take over the Washington State program in 2003. He succeeded his father as head coach of the Cougars upon his father’s second retirement after the 2005-06 season.
Bennett was named the Associated Press college basketball coach of the year for the 2006-07 season.
Reader Reactions
UVA has scored a home run with Bennett and will be well worth the $1.7m a year that he will be earning. He is a coach that can turn average players into a team that dominates on the defensive end and is capable of playing with anybody. The only thing he has lacked in Pullman is receiving high caliber players straight out of high school, with the exception of Klay Thompson. Virginia has done good on the recruiting end for the last few years and it will be interesting to see how the players do under Bennetts system of defensive basketball. Although I’m currently a WSU student and am pretty upset by the fact that Bennett has left us for UVA, I wish him all the best and am excited to see him turn UVA around, WHICH HE WILL DO! I guarantee that you will have a team that is capable of running with UNC and DUKE in no time. GOOD LUCK TONY
Don’t get me wrong, I want Tony to succeed, but his hire feels a lot like Dave’s hire. UVA fans have the right to whine and want a big name coach because of the money we throw at athletics and the fact that this is the ACC, not the PAC-10. Tony is not going to get a long time to prove his worth, which is unfortunate, so I hope he is a miracle worker as you WSU fans claim he is. In response to why Capell would have left Oklahoma, consider these things: familiar with the state of Virginia b/c he coached at VCU, father coached at ODU, he played in the ACC, Blake Griffin is gone, the money would have been right, there is nothing to do in Oklahoma.
I am a huge UVA fan and also a big fan of this hire.
2 things:
1. to all of you who are saying that Bennett will leave UVA after just a few years for something bigger, what makes you think Tubby Smith would have been around much longer? He’s 59!
2. To all of you who wanted Capel, what makes you think he would leave an Elite 8 team for UVA?
Also at WSU, a good academic school, Bennett had players on All-Academic teams every year he was there, so he obviously knows how to coach and recruit good players who can also perform in the classroom. This is huge at UVA being it has such high academic standards.
Bennett is a proven coach and great recruiter who is on the rise and brings quality, class, and hardwork to the UVA program.
GO HOOS!
Tony Bennett???
Did someone say Tony Bennett is coming to town? Awesome singer- one groovy cat! If you ever heard his “Swinging Christmas” album, you wouldn’t be complaining!
For those out west that think we made such a great choice, the best way to get us back would be to steal away our AD! That would show us. “Take my AD”…no seriously, take our AD!!!!!! Ba-dat-da!!!!
I’m a UVA fan and former Southern Conference player who has friends coaching all over the country. To a man, they all say Bennett is a homerun hire! Everyone in the business knows what this guy can do and to complain about this hire is unbelievably ignorant and naive. He will be a stud!
Tony Bennett is a players coach, his players will put out for him, love him and just try and do anything to win the game. You will not be seeing “track meet hoops”...they will play very defensive basketball, and when on offense they will take almost the whole shot clock, before shooting.At first it will be ugly, but the sooner his players buy into his system..the sooner they start winning again. As you know now, Tony is the son of Dick Bennett, who was coach of Wisconsin, and took them to the final four in the early 2000’s, he then retired for a yr, and came out of retirement to coach the Coug’s for 3 yrs., before handing them over to Tony. Tony also played NBA for the Hornuts, when they were in Charlotte. I believe if you give him the time to turn things around for Virginia, and soon you will be winning again. If you want to see how well his D works, look back at 2008 “Dance”,the Coug’s totally blew Notre Dame out,and ND did not have clue the whole game, trying to figure out the Coug’s..I strongly suggest you find that game, and watch!
Also one more thing…last yr. he turned down job offers from Indiana,LSU,and Marquette, embrace Coach Bennett and he will do the same for you. Good Luck coach…we will miss you so much, between him and his dad they gave us a reason to love hoops again here at the ol’ Wazzu!
Why be excited about Tony Bennett
1. He makes the most out of his talent - This year’s team was considered a 9th place team. Won with freshman and developed 1 unrecruited freshman to #2 vote getter for Pac 10 freshman of the year.
2. Develops Talent - WSU has not had a top 60 class in 6 years. Yet developed players who went to consecutive ncaa tourneys and a sweet 16. Winning record against 2 UCLA final 4 teams.
3. WSU is a wasteland and he landed two of their best recruiting classes ever. They aren’t stellar classes, but way better than anything they had seen.
4. His dad was a great coach and he knows the game. I would love to have him as my coach and we have Lorenzo Romar at my school
Well, at least its not a “diversity” hire…...We have to give Littlepage that much credit..Also he seems to understand that the big name coaches have really priced themselves , or at least their agents have, out of the market….Kentucky just dropped a chunk ‘o cash on someone who is really not any more well known that this guy…As much as you may thing, Tubby would not fit in at mr.Jeffersons University…This selection is much better…Good luck Tony..I wish you well, and hope you fill JPJ….
Us UVA fans were looking for a big name, high impact name to fill our coaching position.
I for one appreciate the comments from my bball fan brethren from across the nation as I know nothing of the man hired to lead my alma mater’s basketball program. I do feel better for your postings though.
I proposed a young talented individual myself (although closer to home ((Antony Grant VCU now at Alabama))).
Pac NW dudes keep posting and make me feel better ! ! ! !
WSU Fans, please help me. I plead ignorance. Please tell my why I should be excited about coach Bennett.
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