Tony Bennett, longtime Virginia men’s basketball coach, unexpectedly announces retirement

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WTVD) — The national champion winning head basketball coach of the Virginia Cavaliers abruptly announced his retirement weeks before the season.

Tony Bennett has lead Virginia’s men’s basketball team since 2009. He has won 364 games while losing just 136.

The program said Thursday that Bennett will announce his retirement at a news conference Friday. No reasons were given for Bennett’s abrupt departure.

His program has been one of the most consistently successful programs in the country over the last 15 years.

The Cavaliers have finished atop the regular season ACC standings six times in that span. The team has won the ACC title twice, and lifted the NCAA championship trophy at the end of the 2018-2019 season. He was voted national coach of the year three times.