Arizona State Hiring Randy Bennett to Replace Bobby Hurley

Arizona State Hires Randy Bennett to Replace Bobby Hurley as Head Coach

Arizona State is making a bold move to reshape its men's basketball program. On March 23, 2026, reports emerged that the Sun Devils have reportedly agreed to hire Saint Mary's longtime head coach Randy Bennett as their new head coach, replacing Bobby Hurley, who was let go after 11 seasons. The hire brings one of college basketball's most respected program-builders to the Pac-12's desert foothold — and marks the end of a complicated era for ASU hoops.

According to Bleacher Report, citing Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68, Bennett and Arizona State have agreed to terms on a head coaching contract. The news comes just days after Hurley was officially moved on from the program following a 17-16 finish in the 2025-26 season.

Bobby Hurley's 11-Year Run at Arizona State Comes to an End

Bobby Hurley's tenure at Arizona State was marked by moments of promise that never quite crystallized into sustained success. Hired in 2015, Hurley — the son of legendary coach Bob Hurley Sr. and a standout guard at Duke in the early 1990s — brought name recognition and a pedigree that energized Sun Devil fans at the outset.

Over 11 seasons, Hurley led Arizona State to the NCAA Tournament three times, but the program never advanced past the first round. That first-round ceiling, combined with an underwhelming 17-16 finish in 2025-26, ultimately sealed his fate. Arizona State's administration decided the program needed a new direction — and turned to one of the most proven coaches in the West.

Hurley's legacy at ASU will be debated for some time. His program developed NBA-caliber talent and occasionally made noise in the Pac-12, but consistency eluded him. His time in Tempe also intersected with the record books in an unexpected way: Purdue's Braden Smith recently broke Bobby Hurley's NCAA all-time assists record, a mark Hurley set during his playing days at Duke in the early 1990s — a reminder of just how accomplished Hurley was as a player, even as his coaching career ended on a quiet note.

Who Is Randy Bennett? A Look at His Remarkable Résumé

If Arizona State was looking for a proven winner, they found one. Randy Bennett has been the head coach at Saint Mary's since 2001 — making him the fifth-longest tenured head coach in college basketball entering the 2025-26 season. Over that quarter-century run in Moraga, California, he transformed a mid-major program into one of the most reliably excellent teams in the country.

Here's what Bennett built at Saint Mary's:

12 NCAA Tournament appearances, including five consecutive trips from 2021 through 2026
A Sweet 16 appearance in 2010 — the program's best-ever tournament finish
Seven WCC regular-season titles and four conference tournament championships
Seven WCC Coach of the Year awards, including four consecutive from 2022 to 2025

Perhaps most impressively, Bennett accomplished all of this at a small private school in the West Coast Conference — not exactly a recruiting powerhouse by Power 4 standards. His ability to develop players, build a cohesive system, and win consistently with limited resources is precisely why Arizona State came calling.

Bennett is also a native of Mesa, Arizona, adding a homecoming element to the hire. This will be his first Power 4 head coaching job, and the jump from Saint Mary's to Arizona State represents the biggest stage of his coaching career.

What Bennett's Hire Means for Arizona State Basketball

Arizona State has long been an underperformer relative to its conference peers and the size of its market. Located in the Phoenix metropolitan area — one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States — the program has the infrastructure, recruiting territory, and financial resources to compete at a high level. What it has lacked is consistent direction at the top.

Bennett's track record suggests he can change that. His Saint Mary's teams were known for disciplined, deliberate offense, suffocating defense, and a culture of toughness that translated year after year. Bringing that culture to a Power 4 program with access to better recruits, larger facilities, and a bigger budget could produce significant results.

The transition also comes at an interesting moment for college basketball, with the transfer portal reshaping roster construction. Bennett navigated these waters successfully at Saint Mary's, and his experience with program continuity and development should serve him well as he builds in Tempe.

Mickey McConnell Set to Take Over at Saint Mary's

Bennett won't be leaving Saint Mary's in disarray. Per ESPN's Jeff Borzello, associate head coach Mickey McConnell is expected to be named the new head coach of the Gaels — a natural succession plan that keeps institutional knowledge intact.

McConnell has deep roots at the program. He played for Saint Mary's from 2007 to 2011, becoming one of the most decorated players in school history, and has been a member of the coaching staff since 2019. His promotion ensures continuity for a Saint Mary's program that has built a consistent winner under Bennett's framework.

It's a clean handoff: the mentor moves on to a new challenge, and his trusted lieutenant steps into the role. For Saint Mary's fans, it softens the blow of losing a coach who defined the program for 25 years.

Timeline of the Coaching Change

2001: Randy Bennett begins his tenure as Saint Mary's head coach
2010: Saint Mary's reaches the Sweet 16 — Bennett's best tournament finish
2015: Bobby Hurley is hired as Arizona State's head coach
2022-2025: Bennett wins WCC Coach of the Year four consecutive times
2025-26 season: Arizona State finishes 17-16; Saint Mary's loses in the first round to Texas A&M
Mid-March 2026: Arizona State parts ways with Bobby Hurley after 11 seasons
March 23, 2026: Arizona State and Randy Bennett reportedly agree to a head coaching contract
March 23, 2026: Mickey McConnell expected to be named Saint Mary's new head coach

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Bobby Hurley fired from Arizona State?

Bobby Hurley was let go after 11 seasons at Arizona State following a 17-16 finish in the 2025-26 season. During his tenure, the Sun Devils reached the NCAA Tournament three times but never advanced past the first round. The combination of a losing record in his final season and a lack of deep tournament runs ultimately led to the program moving in a new direction.

Who is replacing Bobby Hurley at Arizona State?

Randy Bennett, the longtime head coach of Saint Mary's, is reportedly set to become Arizona State's new head coach. Bennett spent 25 years at Saint Mary's, leading the Gaels to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances and building one of the most respected mid-major programs in the country.

Has Randy Bennett ever coached at a Power 4 school before?

No. Arizona State will be Bennett's first Power 4 head coaching position. His entire head coaching career has been spent at Saint Mary's in the West Coast Conference, though his consistent success there made him a highly sought-after candidate.

What will happen to Saint Mary's basketball after Bennett leaves?

Associate head coach Mickey McConnell is expected to be named the new head coach of Saint Mary's, per ESPN. McConnell played for the Gaels from 2007 to 2011 and has been on Bennett's coaching staff since 2019, making him a natural choice to maintain the program's culture and success.

What record did Bobby Hurley hold in college basketball?

Bobby Hurley held the NCAA all-time assists record from his playing days at Duke in the early 1990s. That record was recently broken by Purdue's Braden Smith, closing another chapter on Hurley's basketball legacy.

Conclusion

The Bobby Hurley era at Arizona State is over, and the Sun Devils are betting big on Randy Bennett to take the program to new heights. It's a hire that makes immediate sense on paper: a proven winner with 25 years of sustained success, a deep familiarity with the Western recruiting landscape, and a personal connection to Arizona. Whether Bennett can translate his mid-major dominance into Power 4 success remains to be seen, but few coaches in the country have a stronger case for being able to do exactly that. For Arizona State fans, there's genuine reason for optimism — and for Saint Mary's, a trusted successor in Mickey McConnell ensures the Gaels won't skip a beat.