Local Coach Randy Bennett Returns to ASU

0:00On March 24, Arizona State University has a new men's basketball coach. Athletic Director Graham Rossini announced that Randy Bennett, a Mesa native, is taking over the program. Bennett grew up in the area, played in Mesa Community College under his father, and he's the first Arizona-born coach for the Sun Devil since. 1957. Bennett spent the last 25 years building a powerhouse at St. Mary's College. There, he became the winningest coach in school history with 589 victories and a 72.1% win rate. His teams made the NCAA tournament 12 times, reaching the sweet 16 once, and dominated the West Coast Conference with multiple titles. Local basketball families are thrilled about the higher. Bennett's replacement at St. Mary's is Mickey McConnell, whose dad is a long-time coach at Mesa Dopson High. Rick McConnell praised Bennett's solid program and said the valley has always felt like a perfect fit. Bennett's own family roots run deep, with his father coaching around Arizona for 33 years.

1:03Bennett's success includes strong rivalries, like beating Gonzaga, 18 times over two decades, and developing stars like former Sun Devil Jock. Landel. He's earned West Coast Conference Coach of the Year seven times and excels at recruiting West Coast in international talent. Now back home in the Big 12 Conference, Bennett says he's energized to lead the Sun Devils with his staff, tapping into his lifelong passion for. The program and the chance to chase national goals.