Tony Bennett blames NIL for retirement and calls for “change” in college sports in emotional conference

The University of Virginia shockingly announced that head men's basketball coach Tony Bennett is retiring, effective immediately.

The season begins in less than three weeks, but in his retirement conference Friday, Bennett said he wasn't fit for the current state of college athletics.

“I realized that I was no longer the best coach to lead this program in the current environment. If you want to make it, you have to give it your all. You have to give everything. If you only get halfway there – “It’s not fair to the university and these young men,” Bennett said.

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Virginia Cavaliers head basketball coach Tony Bennett wipes his eyes as he announces his retirement at a news conference at John Paul Jones Arena. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)

“I think it's right that student-athletes receive income, but the sport in college athletics is not in a healthy state. I work here the old way – that's who I am and that's how it was – and my staff helped me get to this point, but something has to change. It will be closer to a professional model.

“Will I miss the game? Do I love the game? Absolutely,” he added. “But I don’t think I’m equipped for this new type of coaching and it’s a disservice to continue like this. I am very sure that this is the right step. I wish I could have stayed longer. I really do. But it was time.

Virginia Cavaliers head basketball coach Tony Bennett reacts at a press conference announcing his retirement at John Paul Jones Arena. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)

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Bennett, 55, joined the Cavaliers before the 2009-10 season and hit .500 in his first two seasons. But eventually he succeeded. After missing the March Madness tournament in three of his first four seasons, the Cavaliers have danced in nine of the last 10 tournaments.

Bennett drew attention when his team became the first No. 1 team ever to lose to a No. 16 seed, as UMBC dominated the Cavaliers in the first round of the 2018 tournament. However, Bennett and his Cavaliers came back with a vengeance and topped the table to win the next year.

However, the last few years have not been kind to Virginia. The Cavaliers have lost their last three games in the tournament. They were seeded No. 4 in 2021 and 2023 and failed to get out of the top four in March. In 2022 they were in the NIT.

Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Bennett after a win against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at McCamish Pavilion. (Brett Davis/USA Today Sports)

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Before joining Virginia, Bennett coached Washington State for three seasons, reaching the tournament in two of those seasons. He posts the clipboard with an overall record of 433-169, including 364-136 with Virginia.

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