REMARKABLE RIPON

Liberal arts opened up the world for coaching legend Dick Bennett ’65

Dick Bennett ’65 of Nekoosa, Wisconsin, was a first-generation student and a star student-athlete at Ripon College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education. He played four years each in basketball (guard), football (halfback, returner) and baseball (third baseman).

Dick Bennett ’65 as a basketball player at Ripon College

Ripon College Archives

As a coach, he built the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix men’s basketball program into a powerful program and revitalized the University of Wisconsin Badgers basketball program, guiding Wisconsin to the Final Four in 2000 – a first for the school in more than 50 years. He amassed an overall coaching record of 489-307.

Having the opportunity to be a first-generation student has meant more to him as he gets older. “I really wanted to go to college,” Bennett says. “I went there as an athlete because I knew I wanted to coach basketball. But I was recruited to play football and baseball by John Storzer and (Kermit) ‘Doc’ Weiske ’50 — who are still two of my heroes. My athletic dreams overshadowed my educational dreams, but it didn’t take long for me to really appreciate the liberal arts approach. It enabled me to study literature and associated kinds of courses, and it opened up a whole new area in life for me.”

He says he fell in love with his courses in literature and drama at Ripon. “I got to sample the real liberal arts strength of the College,” he says. “It opened my eyes to a whole other kind of education, and that has stayed with me. I still love to read all the time.”

After Ripon, he earned a master’s degree in education from UW-Stevens Point and a teaching certificate in English. Before turning to full-time coaching, he taught physical education for two years and literature for nine years.

Bennett says two of his brothers attended public universities. He and his brother, John “Jack” Bennett ’71, both attended Ripon. They have discussed the differences in their education and Bennett says, “I still think my brother, Jack, and I did the right thing in coming to Ripon!”

Dick Bennett ’65 in a more recent visit to the Ripon College campus, Sept. 2017.

Ric Damm

Bennett’s coaching legacy continues through two of his children. His son, Tony Bennett, is head coach of the University of Virginia’s Cavaliers men’s basketball team, which won the NCAA Div. 1 National Championship in 2019.

His daughter, Kathi Bennett; served as head women’s basketball coach at Marycrest College; UW-Oshkosh, where her team won the 1996 National Championship and she was named Coach of the Year; University of Evansville; Indiana University; and Northern Illinois University. She served as an assistant coach at UW-Madison and is currently in an assistant position at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin.