Randy Bennett
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Bennett coaching his team at the Jenny Craig Pavilion in 2012 | |
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | Arizona State |
| Conference | Big 12 |
| Record | 0–0 (–) |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | June 9, 1962 Mesa, Arizona, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1980–1982 | Mesa CC |
| 1983–1985 | UC San Diego |
| Position | Guard |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1985–1986 | San Diego (volunteer assistant) |
| 1986–1988 | Idaho (graduate assistant) |
| 1988–1996 | San Diego (assistant) |
| 1996–1999 | Pepperdine (assistant) |
| 1999–2001 | Saint Louis (assistant) |
| 2001–2026 | Saint Mary's |
| 2026–present | Arizona State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 589–228 (.721) |
| Tournaments | 7–12 (NCAA Division I) 7–7 (NIT) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Awards | |
| |
Randall William Bennett (born June 9, 1962) is an American college basketball coach and former guard who is the head coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils men's basketball team. He previously served as the head coach at Saint Mary's Gaels men's basketball from 2001 to 2026.
Bennett led Saint Mary's to multiple NCAA tournament appearances and established the program as a consistent contender in the WCC, winning seven regular season championships and four conference tournament titles.
Born in Mesa, Arizona, Bennett graduated from Westwood High School in Mesa and began his collegiate career at Mesa Community College, playing under his father Tom from 1980 to 1982. Bennett then transferred to the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego).[1][2] As a senior in the 1984–85 season, Bennett averaged 7.0 points and 1.5 rebounds.[3] Bennett graduated from UC San Diego in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in biology.[2]
Coaching career
Assistant coach (1985–2001)
While completing his degree at UC San Diego, Bennett began his coaching career in the 1985–86 season as an assistant coach at the University of San Diego under Hank Egan.[2] Bennett then coached at Idaho under Tim Floyd from 1986 to 1988.[1] After two seasons at Idaho, Bennett returned to the University of San Diego and rejoined Egan's staff as an assistant coach. In 1994, Brad Holland replaced Egan and retained Bennett, until Bennett left in 1996 to be assistant at Pepperdine under Lorenzo Romar.[2]
In 1999, Bennett followed Romar to Saint Louis.[4]
Saint Mary's (2001–26)
Bennett became a head coach for the first time in 2001 when Saint Mary's College of California hired him. Inheriting a team that won only two games the previous season, Bennett improved his team's win–loss totals every season until 2004–05, when Saint Mary's went 25–9 with a berth in the NCAA tournament.[2][1] Bennett has led Saint Mary's to the NCAA Tournament in 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2026 and the National Invitation Tournament in 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2021.[2]
Given this success, Bennett was often linked to several coaching jobs in higher profile conferences, including at California, Oregon State, Oregon, Utah and Arizona State.[5][6][1]
In 2017, Bennett signed a ten-year extension to remain at Saint Mary's through 2026–27.[7]
Arizona State (2026–present)
On March 23rd, 2026, Arizona State University announced that Bennett would be the next head coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils men's basketball team. The move served as a homecoming for Bennett, who grew up in Mesa, Arizona, part of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area.[8]