Tony Bennett is retiring at 55 years old.
Virginia's men's basketball page confirmed Bennett is stepping down from his position as Virginia's head basketball coach weeks before the 2024-25 season is set to begin.
BREAKING: Tony Bennett to announce his immediate retirement in a press conference on Friday at 11 a.m. pic.twitter.com/jw9HYtyYaq
— Virginia Men's Basketball (@UVAMensHoops) October 17, 2024
Bennett has been wildly successful during his 18-year stint as a head coach in college basketball and has transformed Virginia into a national power since he arrived in 2009. During his time coaching the Cavaliers, Bennett has posted a 364-136 record (.728) and is 189-82 (.697) in the ACC. He has led the program to six ACC regular season titles, two ACC tournament championships and a national title in 2019. He was named the Naismith College Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2018.
He is the son of longtime head coach Dick Bennett and played under him at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. During his time as a player, the younger Bennett set the NCAA record for career three-point percentage (49.7%). He spent three seasons in the NBA with the Charlotte Hornets.
Bennett coached under his father as an assistant at Wisconsin from 1999 to 2003, then followed him to Washington State as one of his assistants and took over head coaching duties from him in 2006. In three seasons with the Cougars, he went 69-33 (.676) and 32-22 (.593) in the Pac-10. Washington State reached the NCAA tournament twice on his watch.
This is a shocking development that will leave many in college basketball scratching their heads.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Virginia Coach Tony Bennett Announces Retirement After Decorated 18-Year Career.
