<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1AWz4l_0wCQ9jDy00" style="display:none" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1AWz4l_0wCQ9jDy00" width="1173" height="800" ><figure><iframe height="360" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/JzcfkOT0-Gqa7hx4c.html" width="100%"></iframe><figcaption>Meet The Jeopardy Contestant Who Americans Have Fallen In Love With (1:18) </figcaption></figure> After 15 seasons, Tony Bennett retired as head coach of the University of Virginia men's basketball program on Thursday. Bennett held his official retirement press conference Friday morning. Besides detailing his reasons for stepping down, he also announced that associate head coach Ron Sanchez will be taking over as interim head coach for the 2024-25 season. Sanchez's elevation was expected, given his familiarity with the Cavalier program. "Tony Bennett confirms that associate head coach Ron Sanchez will take over Virginia's men's basketball program for the season," <a href="https://x.com/jeffborzello/status/1847297028969070606" rel="nofollow"> tweeted ESPN's Jeff Borzello </a> . "Sanchez was on Bennett's staff from 2009-18, then spent five seasons as the head coach at Charlotte -- before stepping down in 2023 to return to UVA." In his five seasons at Charlotte, Sanchez went 72-78, including a 22-14 mark and CBI Championship in 2022-23. <figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0L9n3O_0wCQ9jDy00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0L9n3O_0wCQ9jDy00" width="1200" height="800" ><figcaption>LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - MARCH 30: Head coach Tony Bennett of the Virginia Cavaliers celebrates after defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 80-75 in overtime of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament South Regional to advance to the Final Four at KFC YUM! Center on March 30, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) </figcaption></figure> As for Bennett's reason for retiring, he told reporters he no longer felt like he was the best person for the job in the current state of college basketball, citing NIL and the transfer portal as factors in his decision. "I realized I'm no longer the best coach to lead this program in the current environment," Bennett said, <a href="https://x.com/NicoleAuerbach/status/1847294709896532031" rel="nofollow"> via Nicole Auerbach </a> . "If you're going to do it, you've got to be all-in. You have to give everything. If you do it half-hearted, it's not fair to the university and those young men." Virginia will open up the 2024-25 season against Campbell on Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. ET. <a href="https://thespun.com/acc/virginia/tony-bennett-reveals-his-reason-for-retiring-from-virginia" rel="nofollow"> Related: Tony Bennett Reveals His Reason For Retiring From Virginia </a></div></body>

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Virginia Names New Head Coach After Tony Bennett's Stunning Retirement

After 15 seasons, Tony Bennett retired as head coach of the University of Virginia men's basketball program on Thursday. Bennett held his official retirement press conference Friday morning. Besides detailing his reasons for stepping down, he also announced that associate head coach Ron Sanchez ...