The UW Athletic Department and head coach Lisa Stone announced the addition of a new but familiar women's basketball assistant coach Thursday.
Stone, who will be entering her sixth year at the reins of the women's basketball program, named Kathi Bennett as one of her assistants for the 2008-'09 season.
I am pleased to announce the addition of Kathi Bennett to my coaching staff,"" Stone said. ""I have admired Kathi and her programs as an opposing coach for almost 20 years, and now it's great to be on the same team.""
Stone and Bennett have sat on opposing benches on two different levels. From 1989-1996, the two battled against one another in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletics Conference at UW-Eau Claire and UW-Oshkosh, respectively.
Bennett recorded a 155-32 career record with the Titans, including six NCAA Division III Tournaments, two Final Fours and an undefeated national championship in 1996.
As reigning Division III Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year, Bennett assumed the head coaching position at Evansville, where she brought the team from a 3-23 record in her first year to 23-7 in her fourth season with the Purple Aces.
In 2000, Bennett took the head coaching job at Indiana. In 2002, just one year before Stone took over at Wisconsin, Bennett's fifth-seeded Hoosiers won the Big Ten Tournament and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1995.
In all, Bennett amassed a 17-year coaching record of 296-177.
Stone detailed Bennett's role on the coaching staff as what the Badgers have been lacking in recent years - defense.
""She is one of the best defensive coaches and basketball minds in the country and comes from an outstanding coaching family,"" Stone said.
""Kathi will serve as my defensive coordinator and assist with recruiting, game and practice preparation and all aspects of player development,"" Stone said. ""As a longtime friend and colleague, I look forward to working with her on a daily basis.""
Bennett is no stranger to Badger basketball as her father, Dick, coached the UW men's team from 1995-2000. Her brother, Tony, was an assistant coach of the Wisconsin men's team and is now head coach at Washington State University.
UWBadgers.com also listed UW-Stout alum Oties Epps as a new assistant coach at Wisconsin. Epps played college ball at Mount Scenario College in Ladysmith, Wis., before assisting the men's program as a student at UW-Stout for three years.
Epps spent the past four seasons as a women's assistant coach at Cleveland State University, where he worked primarily with guard and perimeter play while assisting with recruiting, opponent scouting and game strategy.
- uwbadgers.com contributed to this report.
