5 coaches who can replace Tony Bennett after unexpected retirement from Virginia ft. Ron Sanchez
The college basketball world was shocked by the abrupt retirement of Virginia coach Tony Bennett on Friday. Bennett, who guided the Cavaliers to their only national championship in 2019, announced his retirement from the sport after 15 seasons of calling the shots for the ACC-affiliated school.
Bennett's sudden announcement surprised everyone, as he signed a contract extension in June that would have kept him as Virginia's coach until 2030. However, the fall break vacation with his wife, Laurel, led to Bennett realizing that it was time for him to step away from coaching.
The retirement came more than two weeks before the Cavaliers' first game against Campbell on Nov. 6. Ron Sanchez was named interim coach following the announcement.
Sanchez's interim status could mean the university will look for a new coach unless he miraculously guides Virginia to the ACC championship and the national title. With this in mind, here are five coaches who are available for the Cavaliers' full-time vacancy.
5 coaches who can replace Tony Bennett
#1. Ron Sanchez
Ron Sanchez served as Tony Bennett's assistant coach in Virginia for 10 years (2009-2018 and 2023-24). Before becoming Virginia's interim coach, Sanchez had coaching experience, calling the shots for Charlotte from 2018-2023.
The Dominican resigned in 2023 after helping the 49ers win the College Basketball Invitational and rejoined Bennett's staff in the 2023-24 season. As a coach, he has a record of 72-78.
#2. Kyle Guy
Virginia special assistant/athlete development mentor Kyle Guy was a former player of Tony Bennett who led Virginia to the 2019 national championship. The 27-year-old guard was the hero in the team's Final Four and championship-clinching wins.
He nailed three straight free throws with 0.6 seconds left against Auburn to help the Cavaliers secure a national championship clash against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. In the final, Guy scored 24 points to spearhead Virginia's 85-77 win over Texas Tech and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
Along with Sanchez, Kyle Guy has an inside track of securing the full-time coaching job that Bennett left off.
#3. Bucky McMillan
The architect of the tempo-predicated "Bucky Ball," Bucky McMillan, could be the solution for Virginia's offensive struggles. Let's face it, Tony Bennett is a defensive wizard who guided the Cavaliers to become one of the best defensive teams in the nation. However, it's no secret that the team isn't great on offense.
Under McMillan, Samford dominated the Southern Conference with a 29-6 record and won the regular season and the conference tournament, leading to an automatic NCAA Tournament bid.
#4. Jerry Stackhouse
Jerry Stackhouse needs some redemption after having a roller-coaster coaching stint with Vanderbilt from 2019-2024. During his tenure as chief tactician, Stackhouse was 70-92, with only two winning seasons (2021-22 and 2022-23).
A 9-23 record in the 2023-24 season saw Stackhouse packing his bags for good as he was fired as coach on March 14. He now serves as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors under multi-titled coach Steve Kerr.
#5. Rick Carlisle
Rick Carlisle, who played for Virginia in 1982-84, was a good friend of Tony Bennett and attended the retirement press conference on Friday. The 64-year-old former NBA champion is coaching the Indiana Pacers, which makes him an unlikely choice to become Bennett's replacement as the Cavaliers' coach.
However, crazy things happen in basketball, and who knows, Carlisle (943-828 in the NBA) is talking with the top brass of Virginia the next season as they discuss the specifics of his coaching deal there.