Louis Bennett Last College: Crewe & Alsagar, 1982 Position: Head Coach Experience: Fifth Year

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Head Coach Louis Bennett enters his fifth season as head men's soccer coach at Marquette University in 2010, a season removed from leading the Golden Eagles to their first ever appearance in the BIG EAST men's soccer postseason tournament.

A lifelong ambassador of the "beautiful game" and beloved in the Milwaukee soccer community, Bennett has boasted a 145-112-29 career record in 14 seasons as a collegiate head coach.

During that span, Bennett has helped develop 26 collegiate players who have gone on to play in the professional ranks. He has also coached six all-America selections and 61 all-conference performers.

In the classroom, in the community, on the soccer field -- there is a synergy about what we do at Marquette. -Louis Bennett

Bennett's squads have improved every year since he took over at Marquette in 2006. It's a testament to the drive that Bennett instills in his young players and the leadership the he helps to foster among his team captains, coupled with sound technical and tactical training MU players receive.

Bennett has brought a wealth of success to Marquette, coming to MU after 10 successful seasons at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Widely regarded as one of the top head coaches in college soccer, Bennett is a five-time winner of the Horizon League's Coach of the Year Award and twice was named Great Lakes Coach of the Year.

At UWM, Bennett led the Panthers to five straight NCAA Tournament berths, including four consecutive appearances in the second round of the tournament. The most successful coach in the history of UWM men's soccer, Bennett compiled a 136-63-17 record in 10 seasons.

UWM had dominated the Horizon League posting a 41-4-2 record in conference play and earning five league titles from 2001 to 2005. Over the same time, UWM was 14-1 in the conference tournament, reached five conference championship games, and won four tournament titles. Bennett also guided his squad to a 25-game league unbeaten streak (23-0-2) that stretched into the 2004 season.

In 2005, Bennett led UWM to its fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, winning the regular season crown for the fifth consecutive year and the conference tournament for fourth straight time. Bennett had UWM poised to upset top-seeded New Mexico in the second round of the 2005 national tournament before falling in penalty kicks.

The 2004 campaign included a fourth-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, winning the regular season crown for the fourth-straight season and the league tournament for the third consecutive year. That same year, Bennett surpassed Dan Harris in the UWM coaching ranks, becoming the school's all-time winningest coach in a Sept. 25 victory over Detroit. The Panthers' run in the NCAA Tournament included a 3-2 win at No. 16 San Francisco in the first round and an overtime loss at UC-Santa Barbara in the second round. UCSB made it the NCAA Championship game.

In 2003, Bennett earned a third consecutive Horizon League Coach of the Year award while leading UWM to its fifth-straight winning season. Milwaukee defeated Western Michigan, 4-1, to advance to the second round of the tourney for the second-straight year.

All of this came on the heels of a record-breaking season in 2002 which included a school-record 19-2-1 record, a no. 8 national ranking -- the highest in school history, an NCAA-best 19 consecutive wins and the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament win. Bennett also earned NSCAA Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year honors as well as League Coach of the Year accolades.

In the 2001 season, UWM posted an 18-5 overall record, including a perfect 7-0 mark in Horizon League play. Under Bennett's direction, the Panthers advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1990 and for the fourth time in school history.

Prior to taking over the head coaching position in 1996, Bennett served as an assistant coach at Wis.-Milwaukee from 1993 to 1995.

A tireless worker off the field, Bennett helped transform the UWM program by helping upgrade facilities and equipment. He oversaw the renovation of the playing surface at Engelmann Field and the locker room to reflect a more inspiring pre-game atmosphere. Bennett acquired and furnished the Panther Room to hold meetings, "chalk talks" and watch video on the 60-inch TV screen.

A native of Great Britain, Bennett has made the Milwaukee area his home since 1985. Two years later, he started the British-American Soccer Program in Milwaukee. He is now the owner and director of the organization that operates as a camp and touring program for soccer players ages 6-18. Prior to his assistant position at UWM, Bennett coached the boys' and girls' varsity soccer teams at Nicolet High School for five years. He also has coaching experience at the adult club level in Wisconsin with F.C. Victoria, the Bavarian Soccer Club and the ODP.

Bennett played collegiate soccer at Crewe & Alsager College in England, helping win the British Colleges National Championship in 1982. He was also honored as a Great Britain Colleges International Player for three years. Bennett played professional soccer for seven years in the U.S., including three seasons with the Milwaukee Wave of the NPSL (1985-87).
Bennett is married to the former Julie Harper of Yorkshire, England. The couple has three children -- Eston, Yve and Louis -- and resides in Shorewood.