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Is Ron Sanchez the Heir Apparent to Tony Bennett for UVA Basketball?

Matt Newton

Virginia Athletic
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The second-most pressing question surrounding Tony Bennett's sudden retirement - second only to "why now?" - is who will succeed Bennett as head coach of the Virginia basketball program, both on an interim basis and permanently moving forward. The answer could very well be the same person, as there have been reports (and ample rumors) that UVA associate head coach Ron Sanchez will be named the team's interim head coach, with the upcoming 2024-2025 season serving as an opportunity for the former Charlotte head coach to earn his way to becoming Virginia's full-time head coach next year and beyond.

Update: Ron Sanchez has been named the interim head coach of the Virginia men's basketball team for the 2024-2025 season. Read more here: Ron Sanchez Named Interim Head Coach of UVA Basketball

Jeff Goodman, who broke the news of Tony Bennett's retirement just a few minutes before UVA made it official, said that "Ron Sanchez will likely be the interim" on his Field of 68 live show Thursday evening from the West Coast Conference's basketball media day.

Other reports have since emerged that it is indeed the plan for Sanchez to take over for Bennett at Virginia on an interim basis, though that will not be confirmed until Bennett's press conference on Friday morning.

When Sanchez rejoined the program in the summer of 2023 after spending five years as the head coach at Charlotte, Tony Bennett had this to say about bringing back his old assistant:

“We are thrilled to welcome Ron and his family back to the University of Virginia. Ron played an integral part in building this program and was a pillar in the community. He is an outstanding recruiter and coach, and really connects with student-athletes. Ron’s last five years as a head coach enhances what he will bring back to our basketball program.”

Why Did Tony Bennett Retire? UVA Basketball Coach Explains Decision

Sanchez spent 12 years on Tony Bennett's coaching staff, including three years at Washington State and then the first nine years of Bennett's tenure at UVA. He was promoted to associate head coach in 2015, served in that role for his last three seasons in Charlottesville, and then returned to that position in 2023.

In five years at Charlotte, Sanchez turned in a 72-78 overall record and coached the 49ers to records above .500 in three of his five seasons. In his final season in Charlotte in 2022-2023, Sanchez led the program to its first-ever postseason tournament title as the 49ers captured the 2023 College Basketball Invitational (CBI).

It remains to be seen why Tony Bennett has decided to retire at this time, with the start of the 2024-2025 UVA men's basketball season less than three weeks away, but the timing of his immediate retirement does create the circumstances for Ron Sanchez to have an opportunity for a "prove it year", wherein Sanchez can coach the Cavaliers with the roster still intact and make his case to become the program's head coach on a full-time basis. Had Bennett waited until the end of this season or retired earlier this offseason, it would have likely resulted in significant roster upheaval, not to mention an immediate national coaching search by Carla Williams. Now, that coaching search will likely wait until the end of the season.

UVA Basketball: Tony Bennett's Retirement Opens Transfer Portal for 30 Days

Friday's press conference with Tony Bennett will hopefully bring clarity as to the circumstances of his retirement and concrete details about the plan for the Virginia men's basketball head coach position moving forward.

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Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.