On Oct. 18, 2024—just 18 days before the start of the college basketball season—Tony Bennett stepped down as head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers.
Bennett explained that he no longer felt he was the right coach to guide the program in the NIL era. While he supported players being compensated, he emphasized the need for structure, such as a salary cap.
“I’m no longer the best coach to lead this program in this current environment,” Bennett said at the time. “If you’re going to do it, you’ve got to be fully committed. Doing it halfway isn’t fair to the university or to the players. That’s when I realized I couldn’t continue—it wouldn’t be right to these young men or to the institution I love.”
Bennett added that his timing was intentional: “I always hoped one of my staff members would take over. I didn’t want to delay the transition, so I stepped aside in time for them to have a few scrimmages and some weeks to prepare before the season started.”
Nearly a year later, Bennett was honored with induction into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, recognizing his distinguished high school and college playing career. After the announcement, congratulations poured in, including a message from the Virginia basketball program: “Congratulations to Tony Bennett for being inducted into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame!”
“Congrats to all the coaches and award winners being celebrated by the WBCA! Great to see Wisconsin basketball legends getting their recognition,” one message read.
Another added: “Congrats to my friends @JoseWinston03, Tony Bennett, Wes Matthews and Erin Monfre on their @WisBCA Hall of Fame induction today — four of the all-time greats!”
Bennett, of course, guided Virginia to a national championship in 2019.
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