Richard A. Bennett (born April 20, 1943) is an American former college basketball coach who is best known for building the Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix men's basketball program into a mid-major power and revitalizing the Wisconsin Badgers basketball program. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he is the father of current Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Bennett and former Northern Illinois women's basketball head coach Kathi Bennett. Early life Bennett was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and raised in Clintonville, Wisconsin. He graduated from Ripon College in 1965 with a B.A. in education. At Ripon, Bennett played basketball (guard), football (halfback and return specialist), and baseball (third baseman) four years each. Coaching career Bennett had enormous success at each level of collegiate coaching in Wisconsin. In the mid-1970s, he led Eau Claire Memorial High School to the state title game. In the mid-1980s, he led the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to an NAIA title game. In the early 1990s he brought the Green Bay Phoenix of UW–Green Bay to its first three NCAA tournament appearances. And in 2000, after five years in Madison, he took the Badgers to the Final Four. High school Prior to collegiate coaching, Bennett coached at the high school level. In 1965, he became freshman basketball coach at West Bend High School in West Bend, Wisconsin. He coached at Mineral Point High in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, during the 1966–67 season. He then was varsity head coach at Marion High School in Marion, Wisconsin for two seasons from (1967–1969), New London High School in New London, Wisconsin (1969–1972), and Memorial High School in Eau Claire, Wisconsin (1972–1976). Bennett led Memorial to a runner-up finish to South Milwaukee at the WIAA State Tournament during the 1975–76 season. Wisconsin–Stevens Point Bennett began his collegiate coaching career at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point in 1976, where he won 173 games in nine seasons. While head coach, Bennett completed a master's degree in education with an emphasis in professional development in August 1979. He was named NAIA Coach of the Year after leading the 1983–84 squad to a 28–4 record and national runner-up finish. That team featured future NBA All-Star Terry Porter and future Saint Louis University head coach Brad Soderberg. In 2009, the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point renamed its basketball court Bennett Court to honor both Dick Bennett and his brother Jack Bennett. Green Bay In 1985, Bennett moved to the University of Wisconsin–Green