Tony Bennett, the basketball coach at Virginia, was never one to seek attention. Before his arrival, the team suffered a devastating loss to a 16-seed in the tournament, marking the lowest point in the tournament’s history. However, under his guidance, they won the national title in 2019. Now, this inspiring coach is retiring from basketball.
The legendary head coach of Virginia men’s basketball has announced his sudden retirement just before the season starts. The school has scheduled a news conference for Friday to discuss the decision, but they have not yet named an interim coach or a successor.
Bennett, who joined Virginia in 2009, led the team to two ACC Tournament titles, six ACC regular-season championships, and 10 NCAA tournament appearances. Additionally, AP named him the national coach of the year twice.
Though he had recently agreed to an extension through 2030 in June, the reason for his retirement at age 55 remains unknown. However, as the Cavaliers prepare for their season opener against Campbell on November 6, the search for Bennett’s successor is underway.
College basketball world reacts to Tony Bennett’s sudden retirement
The sudden retirement announcement of the long-time head coach of the University of Virginia men’s basketball team has stirred the college basketball community. Fans and players alike are shocked by Bennett’s retirement, as they expected him to continue leading the team until 2030.
@saltytopside tweeted, “I’ve always considered Virginia basketball coach Tony Bennett to be a class act but for him to retire, and it not be health related to him or his family, at this time of the year is pitiful. If he had retirement thoughts, he should have retired immediately after last season.”
@drosssports shared, “Good luck UVA…. You can do much worse than Tony Bennett… you have before…. Feels like a very odd time to “retire”…. Hope this is the end of the story but something doesn’t add up.”
@CardChronicle honoring his retirement, noting, “I had this GIF lined up so many times before Tony Bennett ruined it all by breaking our hearts. Happy retirement.”
