NCAA Basketball: Top 10 impact head coaching hires from 2006
By Joey Loose
4. Tony Bennett (Washington State)
Washington State lost the national championship game in 1941, but that wasn’t the precursor to success. The next six decades produced just three more NCAA Tournament appearances, and this shell of a program still wasn’t getting the job done by 2006. Former Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett had spent three years trying to fix the Cougars before making the brilliant decision of turning things over to his son.
Tony Bennett grew up in Wisconsin and starred under his father at Green Bay. After a brief playing career, he joined his father’s coaching staff and was retained by successor Bo Ryan at Wisconsin. Bennett had spent the last three years on staff at Washington State, but inheriting the Cougars’ top post was his first shot at running a college program.
Simply put, Bennett’s success with Washington State is unlike anything the program has seen. In his first season, he led the Cougars back to the NCAA Tournament and won their opening round game. 2008’s squad made the Sweet Sixteen. The success in these three seasons led Bennett to departing for Virginia, and the Cougars haven’t made the Tourney since his departure. Considering what he’s done with the Cavaliers ever since, it’s clear that Bennett is one of basketball’s best coaches.