Indiana University Athletics
Kathi Bennett Press Conference (3-1-05)
3/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
On how her decision came about:
KB: " It was definitely my decision. I think that the losing does take its toll and I definitely have a desire to get closer to my family. Personally for me, I feel like the timing is right and I think we have some good young players. We are knocking on the door. It's a good opportunity for someone to come in and have some success and a good opportunity for me at this time for personal reasons to take a step away."
On whether she thinks she will coach college basketball in the near future:
KB: " I can't answer that right now. Everyone tells me that I am going to want to get back in to it. Right now I am just going to take a step back and see what happens. I don't have any plans. I don't know what I am going to be doing. I trust the Lord that I will be led. I have tremendous faith."
On whether her decision would have been different if Jenny DeMuth did not get injured:
KB: "That is hard to speculate. That is hard to say. If Jenny had not gotten hurt, would we be playing for an NCAA or NIT berth? I think that is hard to say. I really think I would feel the same way I do right now. This team has stayed together and played tremendously hard. There is no question about that. But for me, I just feel the timing is right for me."
On whether she will miss coaching:
KB: "There is no question I will miss it. But like the press release says, I feel like this is the right time. I see success down the road for this program. I see players really coming into their own. I really believe that next year's team is going to be really successful and has great potential. This is a decision of mine. I made this decision and it wasn't anything else but that. I want to make sure people know that for me, Rick Greenspan taking this job was a godsend. My relationship with him was great and he supported me a great deal. I think he is going to do great things here. The short amount of time here with him has been wonderful."
On positive moments being at IU:
KB: "In my first year here, we had a great deal of success. We did some really good things. I felt like after that the Big Ten escalated and became the number one rated conference in the country for the last three years. I take responsibility for the losses without a doubt. I wish that we could have won more ball games. I feel like the quality of play, especially on the defensive end has been there. We have just had some key injuries at inopportune times, every single year but my first year. That has definitely had an effect on our wins and losses, especially in the last three years."
On how much communication she has had with family in this decision:
KB: My family has been incredible this season. They always are, but especially this season, they have been at my beckoned call. My mom flew in and spent a good chunk of time with me. My brother even took a recruiting trip so he could touch base with me. My family has stepped up in a big way. I was stubborn when I was growing up. I moved out the summer of my senior year in high school and haven't been back since. I always wanted to do everything on my own. That is one thing that I am really looking forward to, is being close to my family."
On what her dad (Dick Bennett-head coach at Washington State Univeristy) said:
KB: "He definitely thinks I will be back coaching in a short period of time. He wanted to make sure that I was doing this for the right reasons. Not because of silly things, he wanted to make sure my reasons were the right reasons. That was the main advice he gave me."
On the talk through the community:
KB: "It's been hard but I have had great support. I appreciate this community. I think that they have been great. I mentioned after the Ohio State game, I have never felt a crowd pull for a team more than what they did that game. I will forever remember that. People have been generous with their comments and e-mails. I appreciate the support that I have gotten."
On if her car accident in 2000 changed her life:
KB: "I haven't taken a breath since that happened. I was in the hospital for 10 days and was back in practice four or five days later. Since that time, each summer I have been involved with USA Basketball and with the Big Ten Foreign Tour in Australia I have had absolutely no time off since then, so that has been part of the equation too."
On telling the players the news:
KB: "It was difficult telling the players for me and it was emotional for them too. We did it at this time because there was a lot of speculation. Some people kind of knew, but didn't. I wanted to get it out now so they can deal with it and then just concentrate on the tournament. I think they played their hearts out this whole year. I can only think of one game where they have not. They are capable of anything on any given day. That is definitely the tone going into the tournament."
On whether she will coach until the end of the season:
KB: "Yes, without a doubt."
KB: " It was definitely my decision. I think that the losing does take its toll and I definitely have a desire to get closer to my family. Personally for me, I feel like the timing is right and I think we have some good young players. We are knocking on the door. It's a good opportunity for someone to come in and have some success and a good opportunity for me at this time for personal reasons to take a step away."
On whether she thinks she will coach college basketball in the near future:
KB: " I can't answer that right now. Everyone tells me that I am going to want to get back in to it. Right now I am just going to take a step back and see what happens. I don't have any plans. I don't know what I am going to be doing. I trust the Lord that I will be led. I have tremendous faith."
On whether her decision would have been different if Jenny DeMuth did not get injured:
KB: "That is hard to speculate. That is hard to say. If Jenny had not gotten hurt, would we be playing for an NCAA or NIT berth? I think that is hard to say. I really think I would feel the same way I do right now. This team has stayed together and played tremendously hard. There is no question about that. But for me, I just feel the timing is right for me."
On whether she will miss coaching:
KB: "There is no question I will miss it. But like the press release says, I feel like this is the right time. I see success down the road for this program. I see players really coming into their own. I really believe that next year's team is going to be really successful and has great potential. This is a decision of mine. I made this decision and it wasn't anything else but that. I want to make sure people know that for me, Rick Greenspan taking this job was a godsend. My relationship with him was great and he supported me a great deal. I think he is going to do great things here. The short amount of time here with him has been wonderful."
On positive moments being at IU:
KB: "In my first year here, we had a great deal of success. We did some really good things. I felt like after that the Big Ten escalated and became the number one rated conference in the country for the last three years. I take responsibility for the losses without a doubt. I wish that we could have won more ball games. I feel like the quality of play, especially on the defensive end has been there. We have just had some key injuries at inopportune times, every single year but my first year. That has definitely had an effect on our wins and losses, especially in the last three years."
On how much communication she has had with family in this decision:
KB: My family has been incredible this season. They always are, but especially this season, they have been at my beckoned call. My mom flew in and spent a good chunk of time with me. My brother even took a recruiting trip so he could touch base with me. My family has stepped up in a big way. I was stubborn when I was growing up. I moved out the summer of my senior year in high school and haven't been back since. I always wanted to do everything on my own. That is one thing that I am really looking forward to, is being close to my family."
On what her dad (Dick Bennett-head coach at Washington State Univeristy) said:
KB: "He definitely thinks I will be back coaching in a short period of time. He wanted to make sure that I was doing this for the right reasons. Not because of silly things, he wanted to make sure my reasons were the right reasons. That was the main advice he gave me."
On the talk through the community:
KB: "It's been hard but I have had great support. I appreciate this community. I think that they have been great. I mentioned after the Ohio State game, I have never felt a crowd pull for a team more than what they did that game. I will forever remember that. People have been generous with their comments and e-mails. I appreciate the support that I have gotten."
On if her car accident in 2000 changed her life:
KB: "I haven't taken a breath since that happened. I was in the hospital for 10 days and was back in practice four or five days later. Since that time, each summer I have been involved with USA Basketball and with the Big Ten Foreign Tour in Australia I have had absolutely no time off since then, so that has been part of the equation too."
On telling the players the news:
KB: "It was difficult telling the players for me and it was emotional for them too. We did it at this time because there was a lot of speculation. Some people kind of knew, but didn't. I wanted to get it out now so they can deal with it and then just concentrate on the tournament. I think they played their hearts out this whole year. I can only think of one game where they have not. They are capable of anything on any given day. That is definitely the tone going into the tournament."
On whether she will coach until the end of the season:
KB: "Yes, without a doubt."
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG/F
/ Women's BasketballMonday, August 17
Thursday, August 13
Thursday, August 13
Wednesday, August 12