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Jeff Borzello, ESPN Staff Writer
Virginia men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett, who led the Cavaliers to a national championship in 2019, has signed a contract extension through the end of 2029-30 season, the school announced Thursday.
An extra year will be automatically added to the end of the deal if Bennett is still Virginia’s coach on April 30, 2026.
“I love UVA, and it has always been a special place for me and my family,” Bennett said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with Carla Williams and Jim Ryan and to represent the University of Virginia. My staff and I look forward to adapting to the new landscape of college athletics. We will continue to build one of the best basketball programs on and off the court without compromising the values of our university. Go Hoos!”
Bennett has been at Virginia since 2009, when he replaced Dave Leitao after three seasons at Washington State. Since taking charge in Charlottesville, Bennett has led the Cavaliers to 10 NCAA tournament appearances and six ACC regular-season championships. He was named AP National Coach of the Year on two occasions, in 2007 and 2018, and has won a pair of conference tournament titles.
Through 16 seasons at Virginia, Bennett is 364-136 overall.
“Tony Bennett is foundational to our efforts to compete for championships in this new model of college athletics,” athletic director Carla Williams said. “He embodies everything important to the University of Virginia and Virginia athletics. It’s an honor to work with him, and we’re thrilled about the future of men’s basketball under his leadership.”
Virginia struggled down the stretch of last season, losing five of its last nine games before falling to Colorado State in the NCAA tournament. But the Cavaliers have rebuilt their roster via the transfer portal and recruiting trail, adding ESPN 100 forward Jacob Cofie and potential impact transfers TJ Power (Duke), Elijah Saunders (San Diego State), Dai Dai Ames (Kansas State) and Jalen Warley (Florida State).