Randy Bennett is officially out at Saint Mary’s after 25 seasons and on his way to Tempe, taking over as Arizona State’s men’s basketball coach in a move announced yesterday. With one decision, the 63-year-old ends one of the steadiest runs in mid-major college hoops and instantly reshapes the offseason outlook for both the Gaels and the Sun Devils.
"This was a difficult decision after calling St. Mary’s home for so long and building this program into a national contender each year," Bennett said in a Saint Mary’s news release. He has deep Arizona ties: he grew up in the Phoenix suburbs, and his father, Tom, spent years coaching at Mesa Community College, details reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Bennett took over the Gaels in 2001 and exited with a 589-228 (.721) record. His tenure includes 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, seven West Coast Conference coach-of-the-year awards and a Sweet 16 run in 2010. Along the way, he helped develop future NBA players Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova and Jock Landale, according to Wikipedia.
Inside the program, all eyes naturally turn to Mickey McConnell. The former Saint Mary’s standout returned to Moraga as an assistant in 2019 and was promoted to associate head coach in 2022, making him a logical internal candidate to guide the Gaels through the transition. His playing background and coaching rise are detailed on Saint Mary’s Athletics.
What this means in Tempe
Bennett’s move sends him back to his home state and into the Big 12, a step up in both resources and recruiting expectations. Sports Illustrated and other outlets had long pointed to Bennett as a natural fit at Arizona State, citing his Arizona roots and long-running success at Saint Mary’s as context for the Sun Devils’ interest in a veteran program builder.
Reaction and next steps in Moraga
Saint Mary’s wrapped its season with a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Texas A&M, then was hit almost immediately with the departure of the coach who built the Gaels into a perennial tournament presence. Saint Mary’s vice president for intercollegiate athletics, Mike Matoso, said, "We can't thank Randy enough for everything he has done for this program and the college," expressing the school’s public gratitude as Bennett exits, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Players, alumni, and fans now head into an offseason where continuity and a quick decision on leadership will dominate the conversation in Moraga.
