BREAKING: Badgers announce his immediate retirement
Highly respected head coach has announced his retirement, marking the end of an illustrious 15-year tenure with the Cavaliers. A Clintonville, Wisconsin native, Bennett has long been connected to his home state and the Wisconsin Badgers program, where he began his coaching career as an assistant under his father, Dick Bennett, in 1999. He also assisted during the start of Bo Ryan’s era before moving on to his own head coaching career.
Bennett, 55, started as a head coach at Washington State from 2006 to 2009 before taking over at Virginia, where he built a powerhouse program. His time with the Cavaliers was highlighted by a national championship in the 2018-19 season and six ACC regular-season titles. Bennett’s defensive-minded approach and consistent success made him one of college basketball’s elite coaches.
Despite rumors over the years linking him to the Wisconsin Badgers head coaching position, he remained committed to Virginia. Bennett’s sudden decision to retire just before the upcoming season has raised questions, and no specific reasons have been provided yet. However, a press conference is scheduled for Friday morning at 10 a.m. CT, where more details may be revealed.
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 now joins the likes of Jay Wright as another Hall of Fame-caliber coach stepping down while still at the height of his career. His impact on Virginia and college basketball as a whole has been tremendous, and his legacy is secured with a national title and numerous accolades.