Dick Bennett

Dick Bennett (born April 20, 1943)

Teams coached: Wisconsin-Stevens Point Pointers, Green Bay Phoenix, Wisconsin Badgers, Washington State Cougars
Wisconsin-Stevens Point record^: 173-80 (.684)
Green Bay record: 187-109 (.632)
Wisconsin record: 93-69 (.574)
Washington State record: 36-49 (.424)
Overall record^: 489-307 (.614)

Career Accomplishments:

  • NCAA National Championships:  0
  • NCAA Tournament Appearances:  6  (1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000)
  • NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen:  1  (2000)
  • NCAA Tournament Final Four:  1  (2000)
  • NIT Championships:  0
  • NIT Appearances:  3  (1990, 1992, 1996)
  • Summit League Regular Season Champion:  2  (1992, 1994)
  • WIAC (NAIA) Regular Season Champion:  4  (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985)
  • MCC Tournament Champion:  1  (1995)
  • Summit League Tournament Champion:  2  (1991, 1994)
  • NAIA National Championships:  0  (Runner-up in 1984)   
  • NCAA Division II Tournament Appearances:  3  (1983, 1984, 1985)

Awards:

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

2003-2006 Washington State
1995-2001 Wisconsin
1985-1995 Green Bay
1976-1985 Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Dick Bennett Facts

  • Richard A. Bennett
  • Born April 20, 1943
  • Hometown: Clintonville, Wisconsin
  • Alma Mater: Ripon College (BA, 1965)
  • Played baseball, football and basketball for four years each at Ripon College in Wisconsin
    • Born in Pittsburgh but raised in Clintonville, WI, Bennett spent almost his entire coaching career in Wisconsin
  • Started coaching at the high school level, spending eleven years coaching at five different Wisconsin high schools
  • Coached NAIA (now D-III) Wisconsin-Stevens Point for nine years, winning 173 games and going to three NAIA Tournaments
    • Won NAIA Coach of the Year in 1984 following a runner-up finish in the NAIA Tournament
  • Spent ten seasons as the head coach at Green Bay, leading the Phoenix to three NCAA Tournaments and two NITs
  • Left Green Bay for the head coaching vacancy at Wisconsin in 1995, coaching the Badgers for six seasons
    • Led the Badgers to the Final Four in 2000, the program’s second ever trip and first since 1941
    • Resigned three games into the 2000-01 season and took the next several seasons off
  • Took over at Washington State in March 2003, spending three seasons as the Cougars’ head coach
    • Retired in 2006, turning the team over to his son (and associate head coach), Tony Bennett
  • Along with his wife, Anne, has two daughters and one son
    • Brother, Jack Bennett, was also the head coach at UW-Stevens Point and won two D-III National Championships
      • The Pointers of UWSP play on Bennett Court at Quandt Fieldhouse, named in honor of both Jack and Dick
    • Son Tony Bennett, played for and coached under his father and is currently the head coach at Virginia
    • Daughter Kathi Bennett is also a coach, coaching the women’s teams at both Northern Illinois and Indiana

Dick Bennett Coaching Tree

 

^ overall record includes head coaching positions at both the NCAA Division I and NAIA levels