Printer-Friendly Format     E-mail this article     Tony Bennett is one of four finalists for the Naismith Coach of the Year award.
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Cougar mentor among four in consideration for prestigious honor.

March 20, 2007

ATLANTA - Washington State Men's Basketball Head Coach Tony Bennett has been named a finalist for the Naismith Men's College Basketball Coach of the Year.

The award is presented annually by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. The other finalists this season are Billy Gillispie (Texas A&M), Bo Ryan (Wisconsin) and John Thompson III (Georgetown).

Bennett led the Cougars to 26 wins this season, tying WSU's 1941 national runner-up squad for the most in school history. The Cougars posted their first NCAA Tournament win in 24 years with a first round defeat of Oral Roberts last Thursday in Sacramento, Calif.

This season, Bennett has been named Pacific-10 Conference, United States Basketball Writers Association District 9, National Association of Basketball Coaches District 14, Collegeinsider.com Pacific-10 and Basketball Times National Coach of the Year.

The Naismith winner will be determined March 31. For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.