Tony Bennett (basketball)

College coach infobox


Name = Tony Bennett
Sport = Basketball
| ImageWidth =
Caption =
DateOfBirth = birth date and age|1969|6|1
Birthplace = Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States
DateOfDeath =
Deathplace =
College = Washington State
Title = Head coach
Awards = Naismith College Coach of the Year (2007)
Henry Iba Award (2007)
AP Men's Basketball Coach of the Year (2007)
Championships =
CurrentRecord = 26-9
OverallRecord = 52-17
Player = *
Years = 1988-1992
1992–1995
Team = Wisconsin-Green Bay
Charlotte Hornets
Position = guard
Coach = *
CoachYears = 1999–2003
2003–2006
2006–present
CoachTeams = Wisconsin (asst.)
Washington State (asst.)
Washington State
CollegeHOFID =
BBallHOF =

Anthony (Tony) Guy Bennett (born June 1 1969 in Green Bay, Wisconsin) is a retired American professional basketball player and currently the men's basketball coach at Washington State University.

Bennett, a point guard, played for his father Dick Bennett at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay following his high school career at Preble High School. While there, the Bennetts led the Phoenix to an NCAA Tournament berth and two appearances in the NIT. During his time there, the Phoenix had record of 87–34 (.719) en route to Tony being named conference player of the year twice. Tony won the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award given to the nation's most outstanding senior under six feet tall and was named the 1992 GTE Academic All-American of the year. He also started for a bronze-medal winning 1991 Pan-American Games team led by Gene Keady. He finished his collegiate career as the Mid-Continent Conference's all-time leader in points (2,285) and assists (601). He still ranks as the NCAA's all-time leader in 3-point percentage (.497).

Bennett went on to be picked 35th overall in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets. He spent three seasons (1992–1995) with the Hornets before a foot injury abruptly ended his NBA career.He also played 10 games for the Sydney Kings in the Australian National Basketball League season in 1997. [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/01/09/1041990049201.html Retrieved December 6, 2006]

Bennett inherited the position of Head Coach at Washington State University when his father retired after the 2005–06 NCAA season.

Tony Bennett led the 2006–07 Cougar Basketball team to a 26–8 (13–5 Pac-10, second place) record and the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Cougars earned a #4 seed and defeated Oral Roberts in the opening round before falling to Vanderbilt in double overtime in the 2nd round. Bennett tied the WSU school record for wins. The NCAA tournament appearance was the first for the Cougars since 1994.

On March 28, 2007, Bennett agreed to a three-year extension to his current five-year deal, taking his contract with WSU until at least the 2013–2014 season.

On March 30, 2007, Bennett was named the AP college basketball Coach of the Year . [http://sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/10097793 Retrieved March 30,2007]

During the 2007-2008 basketball season, Tony Bennett finished with a 26-9 record (11-7 in the Pac-10). He also went on to lead the Cougars to the first Sweet Sixteen in the school's history after beating Winthrop in the first round and Notre Dame in the second, before losing to North Carolina 68-47.

Head coaching record

CBB Yearly Record Start
type=coach
conference=
postseason=
poll=CBB Yearly Record Subhead
name=Washington State
startyear=2006
conference=Pacific Ten Conference
endyear=|CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2006–07
name = Washington State
overall = 26-8
conference = 13-5
confstanding = 2nd
postseason = NCAA 2nd Round
ranking = 13CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2007–08
name = Washington State
overall = 26-9
conference = 11-7
confstanding = 3rd
postseason = NCAA Sweet Sixteen
ranking = 21CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = Washington State
overall = 52–17 (.753)
confrecord = 24–12 (.667)CBB Yearly Record End
overall=52–17 (.753)

External links

* [http://wsucougars.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/bennett_tony00.html Tony Bennett's Biography WSUCougars.com]
*NBA/College career playing stats [http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/benneto01.html]

Notes