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2008-09 Men's Basketball Coaches

Winston Bennett Image
Winston Bennett - Head Coach
 
     Mid-Continent University men's basketball coach Winston Bennett truly can look his players right in the eye, since he stands tall at 6-7.  He was named Mid-Continent's coach in May, 2007, and now begins his third season in Mayfield.  In his first season, Mid-Continent posted an overall record of 11-22 and placed ninth among 11 teams in the TransSouth Athletic Conference with a 5-15 record.  Last season, MCU took a major stride forward with a .500 season (15-15) and won five more TSAC games than the season before (10-6).  MCU finished fourth in the conference, its highest finish ever.
 
     Including three seasons as head coach at Kentucky State (2000-03; 44-43) and his first two seasons as MCU's head coach (2007-09, 26-37), Bennett's overall coaching record is 70-80.
 
     Bennett came out of Louisville's Male High School in 1984, and moved on to the University of Kentucky, where he played four seasons (1984-88) for legendary coaches Joe B. Hall and Eddie Sutton.  Bennett was a member of the Wildcats' Final Four squad in 1984. In 133 games, he averaged 10.5 points and ranks 20th in UK history with 1399 points and averaged 7.8 rebounds per game as a senior in 1987-88. He still ranks fifth in career free throws made with 368 and seventh in career free throw attempts with 516. The Wildcats won 93 and lost 33 during his playing career, and won 69 and lost just 7 during his two seasons as an assistant coach. Among his former UK teammates are James Blackmon, Sam Bowie, Rex Chapman, Ed Davender, Roger Harden, Richard Madison, Derrick Miller, Rob Walk, and Kenny Walker.
 
     Bennett was drafted in the third round (64th overall) by the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA and played for three seasons for the winningest coach in NBA history, Lenny Wilkens. He averaged 4.8 points in 134 games for the Cavs from 1989-92, and averaged 10.0 points and 4.2 rebounds in 5 playoff starts in the 1989-90 season. He later joined the Miami Heat for 2 games in 1991-92. In 136 career NBA games, including 92 starts, he averaged 4.8 points and 3 rebounds per game.
 
     Coach Bennett began his coaching career as an assistant at his collegiate alma mater in 1995, under Rick Pitino, one of the most successful collegiate coaches in history.  While coaching with Pitino, the Wildcats won the 1996 NCAA Championship and were runners up in 1997.  After the 1996-97 season, Bennett followed Coach Pitino to the NBA as an assistant for the Boston Celtics.
 
     In 2000, Bennett received his first college head coaching opportunity when he was hired by Kentucky State University and immediately led the Thorobreds to the 2000-2001 SIAC championship and a berth in the NCAA Division II South Regional.  KSU posted a 17-13 record in his first season and then went 14-14 in 2001-02 and 13-16 in 2002-03.
 
     Coach Bennett does not believe in predicting outcomes but can guarantee a Cougar squad deeply committed to excellence.  The team plays extremely hard and represents Mid-Continent University with character and class.
 
     He has been married to Peggy Bennett since 1990, and they have a son, Leontay, and three daughters, Princess, Jasmine, and Stephanie, and a granddaughter. The Bennett family resides in Paducah, Kentucky.
 

Howard Dillard Image
Howard Dillard - Assistant Coach
 
     Howard Dillard, Jr. returns for a second season as Mid-Continent University's assistant men's basketball coach.  Dillard also coaches the Cougars' junior varsity squad and will be a primary assistant varsity coach this season as well.  While MCU offers Dillard his first collegiate coaching experience, he has been coaching high school and junior high school basketball in Kentucky for the past eight seasons.
 
    He got his first taste of coaching at Graves County High School in 2000, as an assistant coach. After two years at Graves he became assistant coach at Murray High School for one season. The following year Howard began coaching at Hickman County High School, his hometown high school. He served as junior high head coach and assistant coach of Hickman County's high school boys' basketball team for two years before putting in two years at Fulton City High School as assistant coach of the high school boys' team and head coach of the junior high boys' basketball.
 
     During his eight-year career, Howard helped bring five league championships to four schools. Harboring lofty goals for his new MCU team, Howard describes his main strength as "a sincere love of the game."
 
     Dillard was born in Clinton, Kentucky, September 1, 1979, and is the son of Howard and Frances Dillard, Sr., who still reside in Clinton with his three sisters Wynita, Christina, and Tamra. Dillard is engaged to Crystal Palmisano of Murray, Kentucky, and the couple plans to be married in November, 2009.
 

Ryan Smith Image
Ryan Smith - Assistant Coach
 
     Ryan Smith has been promoted from student assistant coach to assistant coach this season.  Smith is a 2009 MCU graduate with a degree in Business Administration whose primary role is assisting MCU head men's basketball coach Winston Bennett with the varsity team and has a significant hand in recruiting.  Smith played for the JV team at Mid-Continent in 2007-08, and served as Mid-Continent University student government president as a senior in 2008-09.
 
    Smith attended Portland Christian School in Louisville, Kentucky, where he set school records in career three-point field goals, most consecutive free throws made, and most free throws made in a game without a miss.  In high school, Ryan was active in student government, serving as junior class vice president.  After graduating from Portland Christian, Smith attended the University of Louisville and University of Indiana-Southeast before transferring to Mid-Continent.