Dick Bennett Bio - from Wisconsin Sports Information Office

Dick Bennett resigned as the head men's basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin on Nov. 30, 2000, after leading the Badgers to one of the most successful periods in the school's history.

Bennett's retirement came three games into his sixth season with the Badgers and his 25th overall as a collegiate head coach. His record with the Badgers was 93-69 (.574) and his career mark was 453-258 (.637). Bennett coached the Badgers to a school-record 22 wins in both the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons.

In the1999-2000 season, he guided the Badgers to the school's first Final Four appearance since 1941. Wisconsin won 24 games over nationally ranked opponents during Bennett's tenure, the last coming in his final game (78-75 OT vs. 13th-ranked Maryland on Nov. 29, 2000).

Wisconsin led the Big Ten in scoring defense four times during the Bennett era and finished in the top five nationally in that category three times. Bennett is the only coach in school history to have guided the Badgers to three NCAA Tournament appearances.

Bennett came to Wisconsin from UW-Green Bay, where he coached from 1986-95 and guided the Phoenix to a 187-109 (.632) record, three NCAA Tournament appearances and two NITs. Bennett's son, Tony, now a Wisconsin assistant coach, was his father's top player at UWGB.

Dick Bennett got his college coaching start at UW-Stevens Point in 1976-77. He compiled a 173-80 (.684) record in nine seasons with the Pointers and guided that school to three NAIA Tournaments, including a runner-up finish in 1983-84. The NAIA runner-up team featured guards Terry Porter and current UW acting head coach Brad Soderberg.

Bennett began coaching in 1965-66 as the freshman coach at West Bend (Wis.) High. He spent 11 seasons coaching various Wisconsin prep teams to a combined 168-60 record prior to taking over at UW-Stevens Point. Bennett and his wife, Anne, are the parents of three grown children: daughters Kathi (presently the head women's basketball coach at Indiana) and Amy, and son, Tony (currently an assistant at UW).