Winston Bennett
Personal information | |
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Born | Kentucky State | February 9, 1965
2007–2013 | Mid-Continent |
Career highlights and awards | |
As player:
As coach:
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Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Winston George Bennett III (born February 9, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player and coach.
High school and college career
A star at
Bennett played collegiately at the
The following season, he averaged 7.2 points in nearly 20 minutes per game to help UK to the West Regional Semi-Finals. In 1985–86, his junior season, Bennett was named to the All-
After red-shirting in 1986–87 to rehab a serious knee injury, Bennett served as team captain and averaged 15.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game as a senior during the following season, again earning All-SEC honors. Along with teammate and future NBA player
Professional career
The 6-foot, 7-inch Bennett was selected by the
Coaching career
This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (May 2009) |
After his professional playing career ended, Bennett served as an assistant coach under Rick Pitino at the University of Kentucky from 1995 to 1997 and, later, under Pitino, with the Boston Celtics, during the 1997–98 NBA season.
In 1996, while an assistant at Kentucky, the Wildcats won the NCAA Championship, defeating Syracuse, 76–67. The following season, UK finished as the runner-up, losing to Arizona in the championship game, 84–79.
In May 2000, he was named head men's basketball coach at Kentucky State University, a Division II university in Frankfort, Kentucky. In his first season with the Thorobreds, he led the team to a conference championship.
But on November 6, 2003, less than a week before the 2003–04 season was scheduled to begin, Kentucky State fired Bennett for allegedly hitting a player. According to an Associated Press report, "senior guard Ricky Green filed a complaint with the Franklin County attorney's office, accusing Bennett of striking him in the face during practice." According to the AP story, Bennett expressed regret about the incident, saying "If there was ever a time when I wish the hands of time could be turned back, it is right now." Bennett was 44–43 in three seasons at Kentucky State.
In May 2007, Bennett was named the head men's basketball coach at Mid-Continent University, an NAIA school in Mayfield, Kentucky. In 2007–08, the Cougars went 11–21, finishing ninth in the TranSouth Athletic Conference.
On June 17, 2013, Bennett resigned his position as head coach at Mid-Continent. His record at six seasons at MCU was 91–103.[6][7]
In 2014 Mid-Continent University laid off all its employees and made plans to close following the end of the school year.[8]
Personal life
Bennett and his wife Peggy reside in Louisville. After his coaching career, he joined Louisville-based insurance agency Van Zandt, Emrich & Cary Inc.[9]
References
- ^ "UK Needs a Killer 'Bee' to Tame Miami". Lexington Herald-Leader. December 19, 1987. p. D3. Retrieved March 28, 2009.
- ^ Scott, Jon. "Statistics for 1987–88". bigbluehistory.net: Kentucky Wildcats Basketball Page. Retrieved July 2, 2008.
- ^ a b Scott, Jon. "Kentucky Teams of the Past". bigbluehistory.net: Kentucky Wildcats Basketball Page. Retrieved July 3, 2008.
- ^ "Legabasket: Winston Bennett" (in Italian). Lega Basket Serie A. Retrieved February 21, 2010.
- Schenectady Gazette. January 21, 1989. p. 20. Retrieved February 21, 2010.
- ^ Hancock, Jon. "Winston Bennett Resigns As Head Coach At Mid-Continent University". KentuckySports.co. Retrieved August 15, 2014.
- ^ "Bennett Resigns as Men's Basketball Coach". Mid-Continent University. Retrieved August 15, 2014.
- ^ "Financially troubled Mid-Continent University to close on June 30". The Republic (Columbus, Indiana). April 16, 2014. Archived from the original on April 16, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
- ^ "Winston Bennett – Producer". Van Zandt, Emrich & Cary Inc. Archived from the original on January 23, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2017.