Arizona State basketball hires Randy Bennett, longtime Saint Mary's coach
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Arizona State basketball hires Randy Bennett, longtime Saint Mary's coach
Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY·USA TODAY Sports
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3 min read
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A significant college basketball coaching shift is happening on the West Coast.
Randy Bennett will be the newArizona Statecoach, leaving Saint Mary's after spending 25 seasons turning the Gaels into a respectable mid-major program. His final game was a63-50 lossto No. 10 seed Texas A&M in the first round of the2026 Men's NCAA Tournament.
The Saint Mary's job was Bennett's first head coaching role when he took it in 2001, taking over a program that had had little success. After just three NCAA Tournaments prior to his arrival, Bennett took the Gaels to the Big Dance 12 times during his tenure, including each of the past five seasons with at least 26 wins in each campaign during the run. The most successful run of Bennett's tenure was the trip to the Sweet 16 in 2010 as a 10th seed.
During his time, Saint Mary's elevated itself as one of the most successful mid-majors, competing with fellow West Coast Conference member Gonzaga and often taking down the powerful Bulldogs. By putting out quality teams for most of his tenure, the conference was able to send two teams to March Madness consistently, a rarity for mid-majors.
Saint Mary's head coach Randy Bennett walks in front of the bench in the first half during a first round men's basketball game of the NCAA Tournament between St. Mary's and Texas A&M, at Paycom in Oklahoma City on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
Bennett's overall record is 589-228 and he won more than 75% of his conference games. The Gaels won seven West Coast Conference regular season titles and four tournament titles. He also developed future NBA championship players inPatty MillsandMatthew Dellavedova.
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While it is a shock to see Bennett leave a role where he spent a quarter of a century, the 63-year-old coach is from Mesa, Arizona, just east of theArizona Statecampus in the Phoenix metro area.
"It was going to take a special situation for us to leave Saint Mary's, and I am energized, driven, and focused on taking over Sun Devil Basketball, a program I am very familiar with and grew up watching,"Bennett said in a statement.
He will be tasked with trying to revive the Sun Devils, who were unable to sustain success in the 11 seasons underBobby Hurley. During Hurley's time, Arizona State made the NCAA Tournament just three times — all as a No. 11 seed — and won two First Four games, with the program's last major achievement being a Sweet 16 run in 1995.
North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar reacts after losing to the VCU Rams in overtime of a first round game of the men's2026 NCAA Tournamentat Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)
Brendan Coyle #21 of the Siena Saints reacts after the game against the Duke Blue Devils in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC. The Duke Blue Devils defeated the Siena Saints 71-65.
(Jared C. Tilton, Getty Images)
Head coach Kelvin Sampson of the Houston Cougars shakes hands with members of the Idaho Vandals following the first round game of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
(Stacy Revere, Getty Images)
McNeese Cowboys guard Tyshawn Archie (8) walks off the court after losing to the Vanderbilt Commodores during a first round game of the men's2026 NCAA Tournamentat Paycom Centeron March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
(William Purnell, Imagn Images)
Riley Saunders #13 and Andy Stefonowicz #5 of the North Dakota State Bison high five after being defeated by the Michigan State Spartans in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at KeyBank Center on March 19, 2026 in Buffalo, New York.
(Ishika Samant, Getty Images)
Wisconsin Badgersguard Braeden Carrington (0) and guard John Blackwell (25) react during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)
Thomas Dowd of the Troy Trojansreactsafter coming out of the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Okla.
(Stacy Revere, Getty Images)
Ohio State Buckeyes forward Amare Bynum (1) and Ohio State Buckeyes forward Brandon Noel (14) react after losing to Texas Christian University Horned Frogs during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)
Texas Christian University Horned Frogs forward Xavier Edmonds (24) reacts after defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)
Lehigh Mountain Hawks huddle together after being defeated by the Prairie View A&M Panthers during a first four game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at University of Dayton Arena on March 18, 2026.
(Rick Osentoski, Imagn Images)
SMU Mustangs guard Boopie Miller (2) and SMU Mustangs center Jaden Toombs (10) leave the court after being defeated by the Miami (OH) RedHawks during a first four game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at University of Dayton Arena on March 18, 2026.
(Rick Osentoski, Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images)
Trevon Blassingame #1 and Seth Joba #21 of the Idaho Vandals react after the defeat against the Houston Cougars in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
(Stacy Revere, Getty Images)
1/12
March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar reacts after losing to the VCU Rams in overtime of a first round game of the men's2026 NCAA Tournamentat Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)
1/12
March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar reacts after losing to the VCU Rams in overtime of a first round game of the men's2026 NCAA Tournamentat Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)
2/12
March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
Brendan Coyle #21 of the Siena Saints reacts after the game against the Duke Blue Devils in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC. The Duke Blue Devils defeated the Siena Saints 71-65.
(Jared C. Tilton, Getty Images)
3/12
March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
Head coach Kelvin Sampson of the Houston Cougars shakes hands with members of the Idaho Vandals following the first round game of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
(Stacy Revere, Getty Images)
4/12
March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
McNeese Cowboys guard Tyshawn Archie (8) walks off the court after losing to the Vanderbilt Commodores during a first round game of the men's2026 NCAA Tournamentat Paycom Centeron March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
(William Purnell, Imagn Images)
5/12
March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
Riley Saunders #13 and Andy Stefonowicz #5 of the North Dakota State Bison high five after being defeated by the Michigan State Spartans in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at KeyBank Center on March 19, 2026 in Buffalo, New York.
(Ishika Samant, Getty Images)
6/12
March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
Wisconsin Badgersguard Braeden Carrington (0) and guard John Blackwell (25) react during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
(Troy Wayrynen, Imagn Images)
7/12
March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
Thomas Dowd of the Troy Trojansreactsafter coming out of the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Okla.
(Stacy Revere, Getty Images)
8/12
March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
Ohio State Buckeyes forward Amare Bynum (1) and Ohio State Buckeyes forward Brandon Noel (14) react after losing to Texas Christian University Horned Frogs during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)
9/12
March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
Texas Christian University Horned Frogs forward Xavier Edmonds (24) reacts after defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
(Bob Donnan, Imagn Images)
10/12
March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
Lehigh Mountain Hawks huddle together after being defeated by the Prairie View A&M Panthers during a first four game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at University of Dayton Arena on March 18, 2026.
(Rick Osentoski, Imagn Images)
11/12
March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
SMU Mustangs guard Boopie Miller (2) and SMU Mustangs center Jaden Toombs (10) leave the court after being defeated by the Miami (OH) RedHawks during a first four game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at University of Dayton Arena on March 18, 2026.
(Rick Osentoski, Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images)
12/12
March Sadness hits hard in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
Trevon Blassingame #1 and Seth Joba #21 of the Idaho Vandals react after the defeat against the Houston Cougars in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
(Stacy Revere, Getty Images)
The task will only be more challenging with Arizona State in a crowded and loaded Big 12, with a losing conference record in its two seasons in the league.
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"We are in the best basketball conference in the nation and I look forward to the opportunity and am excited to meet everyone who wants to help this program reach our goals in the new landscape. My staff and I will be ready for the challenge," Bennett said.
Bennett's departure also comes as Saint Mary's enters a new era of the West Coast Conference, which will be greatly affected by Gonzaga leaving for the Pac-12 next season.
