John E. Benington was an American basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 coach.

The Findlay, Ohio

Findlay, Ohio

As of the census of 2000, there were 38,967 people, 15,905 households, and 10,004 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,266.3 people per square mile . There were 17,152 housing units at an average density of 997.6 per square mile...

 native played college basketball for two seasons at the University of San Francisco

University of San Francisco

The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...

, where he captained the squad that won the 1949 National Invitation Tournament

1949 National Invitation Tournament

The 1949 National Invitation Tournament was the 1949 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 12 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket....

 under Pete Newell

Pete Newell

Peter Francis Newell was an American college men's basketball coach and basketball instructional coach. He coached for 15 years at the University of San Francisco, Michigan State University and the University of California, Berkeley, compiling an overall record of 234 wins and 123 losses...

. He then became assistant basketball coach at Michigan State University

Michigan State University

Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...

 (1950-1956) under Newell and Forddy Anderson

Forddy Anderson

Forrest "Forddy" Anderson was an American basketball coach.The Gary, Indiana native served a combined 24 seasons as head men's basketball coach at Drake University , Bradley University , Michigan State University and Hiram Scott College...

. He served a combined 14 seasons as head men's basketball coach at Drake University

Drake University

Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....

 (1956-1958), St. Louis University

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis University is a private, co-educational Jesuit university located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1818 by the Most Reverend Louis Guillaume Valentin Dubourg SLU is the oldest university west of the Mississippi River. It is one of 28 member institutions of the...

 (1958-1966) and Michigan State (1966-1969). Benington died of a massive heart attack at age 47. He was found after hours in Jenison Fieldhouse

Jenison Fieldhouse

Jenison Fieldhouse is a 10,004 seat, later reduced to 6,000 seat multi-purpose arena in East Lansing, Michigan. The arena opened in 1940 and was named for alumnus Frederick Cowles Jenison, whose estate, along with PWAP funds, funded the building...

by his wife and assistant coach.