Tony Bennett, the University of Virginia men’s basketball coach who guided his team to a 2019 national championship, two Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament titles and six ACC regular-season championships, has retired effective immediately, Virginia Athletics announced Thursday afternoon. Bennett is scheduled to appear Friday at an 11 a.m. news conference at John Paul Jones Arena.
Bennett, Virginia’s winningest basketball coach with a career record of 364-136 in Charlottesville, did not immediately give a reason for his decision. His press conference comes less than three weeks before the Cavaliers’ season opener.
Bennett headed the Cavalier program for 15 seasons and in 2023, surpassed his predecessor and friend, the late Terry Holland, as the program’s all-time wins leader.
UVA Today’s Weekend edition on Saturday will have full coverage of Bennett’s press conference and will celebrate the legacy he built on and off the court.