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Randy Bennett |
The 2008 Co-West Coast Conference Coach of the Year, Randy Bennett, took over as the head men's basketball coach prior to the 2001-02 season and in seven years as the head coach at Saint Mary's College, he's brought the excitement back to the program. In seven seasons, he has become the school's all-time wins leader with 127 coaching victories and is the only coach in the 100-years of the program to lead two teams to the NCAA Tournament.
The 2007-08 season marked a memorable year for Saint Mary's as Bennett guided the team to a record tying 25 wins with a 25-7 overall record. The Gaels were ranked in the top-25 in both the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll and the Associated Press Polls for numerous weeks. Bennett's squad set a school record for consecutive weeks in the top-25 poll, as SMC was nationally ranked by the coaches for six straight weeks, while the writers recognized the Gaels at a national power for five consecutive weeks. In total, Saint Mary's earned votes in both national polls for 17 consecutive weeks.
Bennett's 2007-08 team earned the school's fifth NCAA Tournament appearance, and second at-large berth in his tenure in Moraga. Junior forward Diamon Simpson became the school's all-time leader in blocked shots, en route to being named the WCC Defensive Player of the Year, as well as earning First Team All-WCC honors. Patrick Mills made a big impact for Saint Mary's in his freshman season, as he set a freshman record for points scored in a season and in a game, and was named the WCC's Newcomer of the Year and garnered first team all-conference accolades.
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| News | Roster | Stats | Schedule | Media Guide |
Paul Thomas |
Head coach Paul Thomas enters his third season at the helm of the Saint Mary's women's basketball program. Last season Thomas' Gaels advanced to the second round of the West Coast Conference tournament for the first time in four season, as they defeated Loyola Marymount in their opening game. In two seasons Thomas has accumulated a 14-14 record in West Coast Conference play, and has an overall career record of 265-189 in 16 seasons of coaching.
The 2007-08 season was an important year for the women's basketball program, as they made great strides and improved their RPI by 56 spots from the year before. In addition to lowering their RPI, the Gaels participated in a much stronger West Coast Conference, as the WCC finished as the eighth strongest Division I conference.
Thomas helped the Gaels gain spots in the RPI by compiling a tough 2007-08 schedule, facing 10 teams that made the postseason, including six in the NCAA tournament and four in the WNIT. Behind Thomas' scheduling Saint Mary's strength of schedule ranking improved from No. 202 to No. 68, as they improved an impressive 134 spots in just one season. Saint Mary's posted wins against four of the 10 postseason teams, including eventual WCC tournament champions, San Diego.
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