Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett (born June 1, 1969)
Teams coached: Washington State Cougars, Virginia Cavaliers
Washington State record: 69-33 (.676)
Virginia record: 364-136 (.728)
Overall record: 433-169 (.719)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 1 (2019)
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 12 (2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024)
- NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen: 4 (2008, 2014, 2016, 2019)
- NCAA Tournament Final Four: 1 (2019)
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 3 (2009, 2013, 2022)
- ACC Regular Season Champion: 6 (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023)
- ACC Tournament Champion: 2 (2014, 2018)
Awards:
- AP Coach of the Year: 2 (2007, 2018)
- Naismith Coach of the Year: 2 (2007, 2018)
- NABC Coach of the Year: 1 (2018)
- Sporting News Coach of the Year: 1 (2007)
- Henry Iba Award: 3 (2007, 2015, 2018)
- Jim Phelan Award: 1 (2007)
- ACC Coach of the Year: 4 (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019)
- Pac-12 Coach of the Year: 1 (2007)
- Summit League Player of the Year: 2 (1991, 1992)
- Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award: 1 (1992)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 2009-2024 | Virginia |
| 2006-2009 | Washington State |
| 2004-2006 | Washington State (assoc. HC) |
| 2003-2004 | Washington State (asst) |
| 1999-2003 | Wisconsin (asst) |
Tony Bennett Facts
- Anthony Guy Bennett
- Born June 1, 1969
- Hometown: Clintonville, Wisconsin
- Alma Mater: UW-Green Bay (1992)
- Father is Dick Bennett, former head coach at Washington State, Wisconsin and Green Bay
- Uncle is Jack Bennett, the long-time coach at Wisconsin-Stevens Point who won two D-III National Championships
- Standing a flat 6’0″ tall, Bennett won the 1992 Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award
- Played four seasons for the Green Bay Phoenix while his father was the head coach
- Spent three years in the NBA playing with the Charlotte Hornets, then two more years playing internationally
- Became a player/coach of the North Harbour Vikings (New Zealand) in 1996, then just a coach for the 1998-99 season
- After returning to the States, spent ten seasons on his father‘s coaching staff – four at Wisconsin and six at Washington State
- Promoted in 2004 to associate head coach at Washington State before taking over the team in 2006 with his father‘s retirement
- Lead the Cougars to two NCAA Tournaments and one NIT in his three years as head coach
- Took over the helm at Virginia in 2009, building the Cavaliers into one of the best programs in the ACC and the country
- Has been to nine NCAA Tournaments with UVA and won six ACC titles and two ACC Tournaments
- Made NCAA Tournament history by becoming the first 1-seed to ever lose to a 16-seed, falling to UMBC in 2018
- Earned a 1-seed again in 2019, reaching his first NCAA Final Four and winning the program’s first National Championship
- In October 2024, Bennett announced his retirement from coaching just weeks prior to the start of the 2024-25 season
Tony Bennett Coaching Tree
- Ritchie McKay (Liberty)
- Ron Sanchez (Virginia, Charlotte)