Virginia Coach Tony Bennett Retires on the Eve of College Basketball Season

Bennett, 55, led UVA to its lone NCAA Tournament championship in 2019 and is a three-time National Coach of the Year.

Head coach Tony Bennett of the Virginia Cavaliers looks on during the second half against the Colorado State Rams in the First Four game during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio, on March 19, 2024. Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Tony Bennett, one of the winningest college basketball coaches of his era and a 2019 NCAA champion with the Virginia Cavaliers, will announce his retirement on Friday.

Bennett’s decision comes as a shock across the college basketball landscape and on the eve of Virginia’s 2024–25 season opener. The program’s first game is less than three weeks away on Nov. 6, as the team will host Campbell University in the matchup.