Virginia Basketball Coach Tony Bennett Steps Down, Cites ‘Current Environment’ Challenges

Head coach Tony Bennett of the Virginia Cavaliers speaks during a press conference announcing his retirement in Charlottesville, Va., on Oct. 18, 2024. Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images

Virginia basketball coach Tony Bennett announced that he would retire effective immediately at a press conference on Friday.

Bennett told the press event that he realized he could no longer do the job effectively.

“I am no longer the best coach to lead this program in this current environment,” Bennett said. “And if you’re going to do it, you got to be all in. You got to have everything. And if you do it half-heartedly, it’s not fair to the university and those young men. And looking at it, that’s what made me step down.”

The 55-year-old will now focus on being closer to his family and will be available to help the Virginia basketball program on a part-time basis.

Over his 15 seasons at Virginia, Bennett finished with a 364-136 record. He led the Cavaliers to the 2019 NCAA Championship, two ACC Tournament titles, six ACC regular-season championships, and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances.

Bennett was named ACC Coach of the Year in 2014, 2015, 2018, and 2019. He also spent three seasons as the head coach at Washington State and finished with a 69-33 record.

“The University of Virginia is an amazing place because of people like Tony,” athletic director Carla Williams said at the press conference.

“Tony is a Hall of Fame coach and a world-class human being. He poured his heart and soul into this program and the UVA community.

“For 15 years, he elevated the UVA men’s basketball program back to national prominence and to our first NCAA championship. Tony has led the program with his guiding pillars of humility, passion, unity, servanthood, and thankfulness.

“We’re all better because of the way he has represented college basketball and college athletics, the accolades are numerous.”

After the announcement, several coaches expressed their admiration for Bennett.

“College basketball just lost a man with incredible class, humility, and dignity,” St. John’s coach and two-time national champion Rick Pitino wrote on social media. “Tony Bennett is an awesome teacher of our game. You will be deeply missed!”

Some of the pundits said they understood why Bennett decided to step away from the college game.

“I firmly believe college hoops lost another super leader of young people in Tony Bennett due to the chaos caused by the transfer portal and the NIL,” basketball commentator and former college coach Dick Vitale wrote on social media. “Just my opinion!”

Bennett’s decision was announced just before the start of the season. Virginia opens the regular season on Nov. 6 against Campbell University in Charlottesville.

His long-time assistant, Ron Sanchez, will be the interim coach.

Sanchez has experience as a Division I head basketball coach at Charlotte, amassing a 72–78 record in five seasons. Sanchez also served as an assistant coach on Bennett’s staff for three seasons at Washington State from 2006–2009.

Virginia was selected fifth in the ACC Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll behind Duke, North Carolina, Wake Forest, and Clemson.