Randy Bennett walks in front of the bench in the first half during a first-round men’s basketball game of the NCAA Tournament between St. Mary's and Texas A&M, at Paycom in Oklahoma City on Thursday, March 19, 2026. NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Randy Bennett is a great hire for Arizona State Sun Devils

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Mar 23, 2026 6:17 PM ET

The Arizona State Sun Devils men's basketball program is entering a new era.

Bobby Hurley had been the head coach in Tempe for 11 seasons, but the Sun Devils decided not to renew his contract.

That left a big-time job opening on the market, and it has not taken long for the Sun Devils to fill it.

According to ESPN's Pete Thamel and Jeff Borzello, Arizona State is hiring Randy Bennett from St. Mary's as its next head coach.

It's a five-year deal, and Bennett is a tremendous fit for the Sun Devils.

BREAKING: Arizona State is finalizing a five-year deal with Saint Mary's Randy Bennett to make him the Sun Devils' next head coach, sources told me and @PeteThamel. Bennett is an Arizona native who has led Saint Mary's to 12 NCAA tournament appearances since taking over in 2001. pic.twitter.com/BUkgItfJ14
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) March 23, 2026

Bennett, 63, was born in Mesa, Arizona, and he had a stint as a college basketball guard that started at Mesa Community College in 1980.

He's been at St. Mary's since 2001 and has become one of the most accomplished head basketball coaches in West Coast Conference history.

Randy Bennett was a winner for St. Mary's Gaels

He'll leave the Gaels with a 589-228 overall record, which is good for a winning percentage of .721%.

Bennett has taken St. Mary's to the NCAA Tournament 12 times. He's won the WCC regular season seven times and the WCC tournament four times.

St. Mary's has made the NCAA Tournament for the past five seasons in a row, and Bennett has had the Gaels ranked as high as No. 15 in the AP Poll in this recent stretch.

Big 12 basketball is a different animal from the WCC, but Bennett is a proven winner, and his ties to Arizona could really benefit the Sun Devils when all is said and done.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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