Benny Dees

Benny Dees (December 29, 1934 – March 23, 2021) was an American college basketball coach. He was head coach of the University of New Orleans Privateers team from 1985 to 1987, the University of Wyoming team from 1987 to 1993 and Western Carolina University from 1993 to 1995. Additionally, Dees served as assistant coach at Georgia Tech, Alabama, and Western Kentucky. In 1987, he led the University of New Orleans to their first NCAA Championship tournament, where they defeated BYU in the first round 83–79.^[1]

Benny Dees

Biographical details
Born	(1934-12-29)December 29, 1934 Mount Vernon, Georgia, U.S.
Died	March 23, 2021(2021-03-23) (aged 86)
Playing career
Basketball
1957–1958	Wyoming
Baseball
c. 1958	Wyoming
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Basketball
1962–1967	Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
1968–1970	VCU
1970–1973	Western Kentucky (assistant)
1977–1979	Georgia Tech (assistant)
1979–1980	Georgia Tech {Women's HC}
1980–1985	Alabama (assistant)
1985–1987	New Orleans
1987–1993	Wyoming
1993–1995	Western Carolina
Head coaching record
Overall	197–144 (college)
Tournaments	1–2 (NCAA Division I) 1–1 (NIT)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
WAC tournament (1988)

While attending college at the University of Wyoming, Dees lettered in basketball and baseball.^[2] He began his coaching career as head coach of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College from 1962 to 1967. Dees subsequently became the first coach of VCU.^[3] Upon retirement, Dees returned to his native Georgia, where he coached high school basketball. He retired as head coach of the Toombs County High School boys' basketball team in 2010. Dees was married to Nancy Dees, who coached women's basketball at the University of West Georgia. Benny and Nancy Dees have one son, Josh Dees, who played basketball for the University of Wyoming and Western Carolina University and now serves as assistant coach at the College of Southern Idaho.

Dees died on March 23, 2021, at the age of 86.^[2]

Head coaching record

College

Statistics overview

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
VCU Rams (Independent) (1968–1970)
1968–69	VCU	12–11
1969–70	VCU	13–10
VCU:		25–21 (.543)
New Orleans Privateers (NCAA Division I independent) (1985–1987)
1985–86	New Orleans	16–12
1986–87	New Orleans	26–4			NCAA Division I Second Round
New Orleans:		42–16 (.724)
Wyoming Cowboys (Western Athletic Conference) (1987–1993)
1987–88	Wyoming	26–6	11–5	2nd	NCAA Division I First Round
1988–89	Wyoming	14–17	6–10	7th
1989–90	Wyoming	15–14	7–9	7th
1990–91	Wyoming	20–12	8–8	4th	NIT Second Round
1991–92	Wyoming	16–13	8–8	6th
1992–93	Wyoming	13–15	7–11	8th
Wyoming:		104–77 (.575)	47–51 (.480)
Western Carolina Catamounts (Southern Conference) (1993–1995)
1993–94	Western Carolina	12–16	8–10	5th
1994–95	Western Carolina	14–14	8–6	2nd
Western Carolina:		26–30 (.464)	16–16 (.500)
Total:		197–144 (.578)
National champion         Postseason invitational champion         Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion       Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion       Conference tournament champion

References

1. Roach, John (March 13, 2017). "UNO's only NCAA Tournament win was one for the ages". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
2. "Benny Dees Passes Away at 86". New Orleans Privateers. March 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
3. "Legendary ABAC basketball coach Benny Dees dies at 86". The Moultrie Observer. March 24, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.