Randy Bennett Poised to Become ASU Basketball's New Head Coach

The longtime St. Mary's coach is in advanced negotiations to replace Bobby Hurley and lead the Sun Devils program.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 10:26pm

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According to sources, Mesa-native Randy Bennett is the leading candidate to become the new head basketball coach at Arizona State University. Bennett has spent the past 25 years as the highly successful head coach at St. Mary's College in California, where he has led the Gaels to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances. The 63-year-old Bennett has deep ties to the Phoenix area, having played at Mesa Community College, and is seen as an ideal fit to take over the Sun Devils program.

Why it matters

Bennett's potential hiring would bring an experienced and accomplished coach to ASU, which is looking to rebuild its basketball program after the departure of Bobby Hurley. Bennett's strong recruiting ties in the West and history of success could help the Sun Devils become more competitive in the Pac-12 Conference.

The details

In 21 seasons as St. Mary's head coach, Bennett has compiled a 589-228 record, including a 304-99 mark in West Coast Conference play. He has been named WCC Coach of the Year seven times and led the Gaels to seven regular-season titles, including the last four years. Bennett has guided St. Mary's to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching the Round of 32 three times in the last five years.

  • Bennett has been the head coach at St. Mary's since 2001.
  • ASU declined to extend the contract of previous head coach Bobby Hurley in March 2026.

The players

Randy Bennett

A 63-year-old basketball coach who has spent the past 21 seasons as the highly successful head coach at St. Mary's College in California, leading the Gaels to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances.

Bobby Hurley

The previous head basketball coach at Arizona State University, whose contract was not extended after the 2025-26 season.

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What’s next

ASU is expected to officially announce Bennett's hiring as the new head basketball coach in the coming days.

The takeaway

Randy Bennett's potential move to Arizona State would bring an experienced and successful coach with deep local ties to the Phoenix area, which could help revitalize the Sun Devils' basketball program and make them more competitive in the Pac-12.