Virginia head coach Tony Bennett, one of the most successful college basketball coaches in ACC history and across the sport, has announced his retirement, the school revealed on Thursday afternoon. Bennett, who led the Cavaliers to their first and only national championship in 2019, is stepping down immediately, with a press conference scheduled for Friday. The announcement did not specify the reasons behind his decision to retire.

Ron Sanchez, the associate head coach who returned to Virginia after leading Charlotte’s program last season, is the likely candidate to serve as interim head coach, though the school has not made any formal announcement yet. The Cavaliers’ season opener is just 20 days away.

“Tony Bennett is not only an outstanding coach but also a man of incredible character, integrity, and values,” said ACC commissioner Jim Phillips. “He’s a fierce competitor who has shaped many young athletes both on and off the court. We’ll miss his presence deeply, but we’re grateful for all he’s done to elevate the game of college basketball.”

At 55, Bennett retires as Virginia’s all-time wins leader, boasting a 364-136 record over his 15 years in Charlottesville. A three-time National Coach of the Year (once at Washington State and twice at Virginia), Bennett also stands among the ACC’s most legendary coaches. He is just the third coach in conference history, joining the ranks of Hall of Famers Dean Smith and Mike Krzyzewski, to lead his team to ten straight winning seasons in ACC play.

Under Bennett’s leadership, Virginia transformed from an ACC underdog to a national powerhouse, largely built around his renowned packline defense, a system he learned from his father, Dick Bennett. Although Virginia had moments of success before Bennett’s arrival, most notably in the Ralph Sampson era, he took the program to new heights. Between 2014 and 2023, the Cavaliers won or shared six ACC regular-season titles and claimed the conference tournament twice, in 2014 and 2018.

Bennett’s legacy was cemented in 2019 when he led Virginia to a national championship just a year after suffering a historic upset loss to No. 16 seed UMBC in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. The following season, Bennett guided Virginia to an 85-77 overtime victory over Texas Tech in the championship game, redeeming the program and solidifying his status as one of the game’s greats.

Despite his remarkable career, Bennett faced challenges in the ever-evolving world of college sports, particularly with the rise of name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals and the transfer portal. These changes tested Bennett’s long-term approach to player development, which focused on nurturing lower-ranked recruits into top-tier college players and NBA prospects, like Ty Jerome, DeAndre Hunter, and Malcolm Brogdon.

While there had been rumors of Bennett considering retirement, especially after a tough 2023 season, those speculations were thought to be put to rest after he signed a contract extension through 2030 over the summer. His surprise decision mirrors that of other coaching legends, including his own father, who stepped away from Wisconsin’s program early in the 2000-01 season due to burnout.

Bennett will provide more details on his decision during Friday’s press conference. His departure leaves a gap in the ACC’s coaching ranks, with only six active coaches remaining who have won a national title, a testament to Bennett’s unique impact on the sport.