A New Chapter in a Storied Rivalry
Arizona State University announced that Randy Bennett will bring Joe Few onto his coaching staff as a graduate assistant for the 2026‑27 season. The move comes after a long‑standing rivalry between Bennett and Mark Few, the longtime head coach of Gonzaga, who is also Joe Few’s father.
Joe Few spent four seasons playing for Gonzaga from 2021‑22 through 2024‑25, during which he faced Bennett’s Saint Mary’s teams in the West Coast Conference. That experience gave him an intimate understanding of Bennett’s systems and the strategies his father employed against Bennett’s squads.
Bennett, who has led Saint Mary’s since the 2001‑02 season, compiled a record of dominance against Gonzaga, including three outright conference titles and four shared WCC tournament championships. The hiring is seen as a strategic addition for Arizona State as it prepares for the upcoming exhibition schedule, which opens on October 12.
The addition of Few reflects a broader trend of leveraging former players and rivals’ insights to enrich coaching philosophies. As the Sun Devils gear up for the new season, the program hopes to translate that insider knowledge into on‑court success.
A Legacy of Competition
The rivalry between Bennett and Mark Few dates back to the early 2000s, when Bennett’s Saint Mary’s and Mark Few’s Gonzaga first met in the WCC. Over 25 seasons, Gonzaga captured 19 tournament titles, while Saint Mary’s emerged victorious in four of the six tournaments that Gonzaga did not win.
Saint Mary’s was the only program to beat Gonzaga for an outright conference title three times, underscoring the competitive balance that defined the conference during that era. Those moments have left a lasting imprint on both coaches and their families.