Women's basketball coach to leave after 5 seasons

After three straight losing seasons, IU women's basketball coach Kathi Bennett will step down at the end of the season.\nBennett will remain coach through the Big Ten Tournament. The Hoosiers play Wisconsin at 3 p.m. Thursday at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis against Wisconsin.\nBennett, in her fifth season in Bloomington, has compiled a 72-74 record while coaching the Hoosiers.\nAfter struggling through this season, Bennett felt it was time for her to leave the program, she said in statement.\n"First of all, I would like to thank the administration and the University for the opportunity to be a part of such a great program for five years," Bennett said. "It has been truly rewarding, and I appreciate being a part of such a great tradition. While I have found this experience very rewarding, at this time I also feel that it is mutually best for myself and for the women's basketball program to go in a different direction."\nEven though the Hoosiers suffered through a 12-17 record during the 2003-2004 season, optimism was high with the entire roster returning.\nThat optimism was quickly dashed when the returning leader in scoring and rebounding, senior Jenny DeMuth, tore her anterior cruciate ligament, forcing her to miss the entire season.\nPlayers learned of Bennett's decision to step down at a meeting before practice Tuesday, said junior guard Cyndi Valentin.\n"We were all shocked and disappointed," Valentin said. "It is sad to see coach Bennett leave -- she has done a lot to develop us as players."\nBennett's departure marks the second coaching change since Athletics Director Rick Greenspan was hired in September.\nThe first was former football coach Gerry DiNardo.\nGreenspan plans to use similar methods to find the next women's basketball coach as he did for football, he said in statement.\n"We will form a search committee that will represent a broad cross section of constituents involved," Greenspan said. "We'll use the search committee as we have in the past -- to provide wisdom, guidance and support in determining the characteristics and attributes that will be ideal in our next head coach."\nThe team will get together with Greenspan after the conclusion of the season for a more in-depth meeting about the program, Valentin said.\n"I'm sure (Greenspan) will do a great job in finding a new coach and he'll keep us in touch," she said. "I haven't even thought about (the new coach), I was so caught off-guard today. I just want a coach to come in here and work hard and believe in us and help us develop more as players."\nAfter arriving at IU, Bennett had immediate success during her first two seasons, advancing to the postseason both years. \nIn her first season, the Hoosiers made it to the National Invitational Tournament with a 20-11 record in 2001.\n2002 marked more success for IU as the team made it to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1995. In making it to the NCAAs, the Hoosiers became the lowest-seeded team, No. 5, to win the Big Ten Tournament. \nWhile at IU, Bennett guided the Hoosiers to wins against two top-10 teams and six wins against top-25 opponents. \nThough there is no timetable set on when a new coach will be announced, Greenspan plans to work quickly to fill the vacancy.\n"We're looking for a coach with proven success, a great academic profile and unquestioned integrity," Greenspan said. "We want someone with a passion for recruiting and building a highly successful program in the classroom and on the court."\nEven though Bennett will be gone next season, all but two players will return to the team, and the Hoosiers have a chance to do well under the new coach, Valentin said.\n"I definitely think (we'll have a chance to be good) with more of our players getting more Big Ten experience this season coming back and only three new players coming in," Valentin said. "We really need to work hard over the summer and great things are bound to happen."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.