Virginia men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett has announced his immediate retirement, a surprising decision just before the start of the season. The announcement was made Thursday, and a press conference is scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m. EDT, where Bennett is expected to provide further insights into his decision. No specific reasons were provided, especially notable as he had recently signed a contract extension to stay with the program until at least 2030.
Virginia is set to begin its season on November 6 with a home game against Campbell. Bennett, who has been at the helm for 15 seasons, led the Cavaliers to their only national championship in 2019 and made 10 NCAA Tournament appearances during his tenure. His overall record at Virginia stands at 364 wins and 136 losses, including two ACC Tournament titles and six regular-season championships. He has also been honored as national coach of the year three times.
Bennett joined Virginia from Washington State before the 2009-10 season, tasked with reviving a struggling program. Under his leadership, the Cavaliers returned to the NCAA Tournament by his third season, adopting a defensive-focused strategy that captivated fans. From 2014 to 2019, the team enjoyed a remarkable six-year stretch of consecutive tournament appearances, including four as a top seed.
However, that period was marked by a poignant contrast, starting with the Cavaliers making history in 2018 as the first No. 1 seed to lose to a 16 seed, suffering a shocking defeat to UMBC. Despite this, Bennett was named the AP national coach of the year that season due to their strong regular-season performance. He skillfully guided his team through that disappointment, leading them to victory the following year against Texas Tech for the national title in an unforgettable moment.
Despite this triumph, Bennett’s recent seasons have raised questions about the effectiveness of his cautious playing style amid changes in college basketball, particularly due to the impact of player transfers. In March, the Cavaliers struggled in a tournament loss to Colorado State. Nevertheless, Bennett was present at the ACC preseason media days last week, discussing plans for the season ahead. This story is still developing.