John E. Benington

Teams coached: Drake Bulldogs, Saint Louis Billikens, Michigan State Spartans
Drake record: 21-28 (.429)
Saint Louis record: 118-71 (.624)
Michigan State record: 54-38 (.587)
Overall record: 193-137 (.585)

John E. Benington
Born December 31, 1921
Died September 10, 1969
Hometown: Findlay, Ohio
Alma Mater: University of San Francisco (BA, 1949)
Played at USF for Hall of Fame head coach Pete Newell; was part of the Dons’ 1949 NIT championship squad
- Later inducted into the San Francisco Athletic Hall of Fame (c/o 1970)
Started his coaching career as an assistant under Newell, who left USF for Michigan State in 1950
- Stayed on the Spartans’ staff for four seasons under Newell and then two under Forddy Anderson
Hired to be the head coach at Drake in 1956, going 21-28 in two seasons with the Bulldogs
Left Drake for Saint Louis in 1958, coaching the Billikens for the next seven seasons
- Went 118-71 overall, reaching four NITs and finishing runner-up in 1961
- Finished every season but one above .500 and 4th place or higher in the Missouri Valley
- Also served as the school’s athletic director from 1964-65
- Later inducted into the Billikens Hall of Fame (c/o 1994)
Returned to Michigan State in 1965, spending the next four years as the Spartans’ head coach
- Went 31-14 over his first two seasons, winning a share of the Big Ten title in 1967
- Tragically passed away in 1969 after suffering a massive heart attack while jogging on campus at Jenison Fieldhouse
- MSU awards the John E. Benington Defensive POY Award annually to that year’s best Sparty defender