UVA's Bennett cited state of play for retirement

Former Virginia men's basketball coach Tony Bennett, who officially announced his retirement Friday morning, pointed to the “current climate” of college sports as a driving force behind his sudden decision to resign with the Cavaliers.

“The hardest thing was when I looked at myself and I realized that I'm no longer the best coach to lead this program in this current environment,” Bennett said at his retirement press conference. “If you're going to do it, you have to be all-in. If you do it half-heartedly, it's not fair to the university and those young people. So looking at it, that's what made me resign.”

Bennett, 55, has long lamented the direction of college athletics and its emphasis on transfer portals and names, images and likenesses.

“I think it's right for student-athletes to have revenue. Please don't get me wrong,” he said Friday. “Sports and college athletics are not in a healthy place. It's not. And there needs to be change, and it's not going to go back. I think I was equipped to work here in the old way. I'm that person.

“It's going to be closer to a professional model. There's got to be collective bargaining. There's got to be a cap on the salary pool. There's got to be transfer control restrictions. There's got to be some limit on agents being involved with these youngsters.” Guys … and I'm very concerned about the mental health of student-athletes because all these things come down to it.”

Bennett said he initially thought about moving on at the end of the 2023-24 season, but he and his staff immediately began the rebuilding process, and he signed a contract extension in June that could keep him in Charlottesville through 2030.

But last weekend, when the university was on fall break and Bennett and his wife, Laurel, left, thoughts of retirement solidified.

“Just processing what the future holds,” Bennett said. “And that's when I realized I couldn't do it. It's not fair to these people and this institution that I love so much to continue when you know you're not the right person for the job.”

Associate head coach Ron Sanchez will take over the program for the season. Sanchez was on Bennett's staff for five seasons before becoming Charlotte's head coach from 2009 to 2018. In June 2023, Sanchez abruptly resigned as head coach of the 49ers to return to Virginia and become Bennett's associate head coach.

“I always hoped that when my time was up, it would be Ron or Jason [Williford]Two associate head coaches, whoever takes that responsibility,” Bennett said, “because that means it's in a better place.”

During Bennett's 15 seasons at the helm, he led the Cavaliers to unprecedented and consistent success. He is a two-time Coach of the Year who led Virginia to a national championship in 2019, also won six ACC regular-season titles and two league tournament titles.

“I wish I could go more. I really do,” Bennett said. “But it was time, and I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think we had the right group of young guys and the right staff to push them that way. I think I'd have more regrets staying longer and with a little more energy in the tank. Not being sure to give these guys everything rather than walking away and that would be my biggest regret.”

Although Virginia has often found itself in the national conversation under Bennett, the Cavaliers have not won an NCAA Tournament game since their national title run in 2019. They are ranked fifth in the ACC preseason poll released Wednesday.

“I know you get to a point sometimes when winning is more of a relief than a celebration and losing sticks with you, and that's a pain,” Bennett said. “That thing is starting to take over.”

Before taking over at Virginia in 2009, Bennett led Washington State to two NCAA Tournament appearances in three seasons as the coach at Pullman. The Cougars reached the Sweet 16 in 2008 after 26-win seasons in 2006-07 and 2007-08.

He spent the previous three seasons as an assistant coach at Washington State after four seasons coaching Wisconsin under his father, Dick Bennett and Bo Ryan.

Bennett played for his father in Green Bay, finishing his career as the Mid-Continent Conference's leading career scorer and the NCAA's leading career 3-point shooter. He was selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1992 NBA draft and spent three seasons with the franchise.

Bennett's retirement followed a similar pattern to that of his two mentors. After Bennett's father retired from Wisconsin three games into the 2000–01 season, assistant coach Brad Soderberg, who was on Bennett's staff at Virginia, replaced him on an interim basis. Wisconsin ultimately hired Ryan instead of giving Soderberg the job. When Ryan retired from the Badgers, he had played 12 games in the 2015–16 campaign.

During Friday's press conference, Bennett said he can be an advocate for student-athletes and coaches in today's ever-changing college sports landscape.

“I made some adjustments,” Bennett said. “But you can't fight against yourself.”