He’s turning over the role to his longtime assistant.
And that’s what Tony Bennett, who retired from his 15-year post as Virginia men’s basketball coach on Friday, said he envisioned would happen at UVa whenever he decided to walk away from the gig.
“I’ve always wanted this to be taken over by one of my staff members. I always have,” Bennett, who guided the Hoos to their 2019 national title, told reporters during his retirement-announcement press conference at John Paul Jones Arena.
Moments later, Bennett revealed associate head coach Ron Sanchez would be elevated to interim coach this coming season to lead the Cavaliers, who open their new campaign on Nov. 6 at home against Campbell.
Former Virginia associate coach Ron Sanchez is the new head coach at UNC-Charlotte. (Photo/Andrew Shurtleff)
“They’ve got a very tough schedule coming up,” Bennett said about the team he’s leaving behind, “but they have a chance to be good. And the staff with …