Virginia head coach Tony Bennett suddenly retiring, just weeks before season starts --[Reported by Umva mag]

The Virginia basketball team, less than a month before the start to its season, will have to find a new coach.

The school announced Thursday that Tony Bennett will retire, effective Friday.

Bennett, 55, joined the Cavaliers ahead of the 2009-10 season, and he was .500 in his first two seasons. But he built Virginia into a college basketball powerhouse.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

After missing the March Madness tournament in three of his first four seasons, the Cavaliers have gone dancing in nine of the last 10 tournaments.

Bennett drew scrutiny when his team became the first No. 1 seed to ever lose to a 16th seed, when UMBC dominated them in the first round of the 2018 tournament.

Bennett and his Cavaliers came back with a vengeance, though, running the table to win it all the next year.

NEVADA WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CAPTAIN SLAMS TRANS ATHLETES IN HER SPORT AS TEAM DECIDES AGAINST PLAYERS’ REFUSAL

Recent years, though, have not been kind to Virginia. The Cavaliers have lost each of their last three games in the tournament. They were upset as a No. 4 seed in 2021 and 2023 and failed to get out of the First Four in March. In 2022, they were in the NIT.

Prior to joining Virginia, Bennett coached Washington State for three seasons, making the tournament in two of those campaigns.

If this is indeed a career for Bennett, he hangs up the clipboard with a 433-169 overall record, including 364-136 with Virginia. In all, Bennett has made the tournament in 12 of his 18 seasons. There was no tournament held in 2020 due to the pandemic.

The Cavaliers begin their season Nov. 6.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

The following news has been carefully analyzed, curated, and compiled by Umva Mag from a diverse range of people, sources, and reputable platforms. Our editorial team strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information we provide. By combining insights from multiple perspectives, we aim to offer a well-rounded and comprehensive understanding of the events and stories that shape our world. Umva Mag values transparency, accountability, and journalistic integrity, ensuring that each piece of content is delivered with the utmost professionalism.