The most successful coach in Virginia Cavaliers men’s basketball history is calling it a career, with Tony Bennett exiting Charlottesville with stunning timing for fans and observers at Virginia sports betting sites. His retirement comes on the heels of a 364-136 (.728) run in that included a national championship in 2019 and 10 trips to the NCAA Tournament.
Bennett and the Cavaliers had won 20-plus games in each of the last three seasons, but UVA had not won a game in the Big Dance since they won it all five years ago, perhaps setting the stage for the 55-year-old Wisconsin native’s decision.
BetVirginia.com, where you’ll find the best Virginia sportsbook promos, developed exclusive head coach odds on who will be named his replacement. The Cavaliers are about three weeks away from the start of their regular season against Campbell on Nov. 6.
Next Virginia Cavaliers Head Coach Odds
Coach | Odds | Percent Chance |
Ron Sanchez | -200 | 66.7% |
Jason Williford | +250 | 28.6% |
The Field | +2050 | 4.7% |
Check out our Virginia college basketball betting guide at BetVirginia.com – but note that you cannot wager legally on in-state teams in the commonwealth. You can bet on any game not involving a Virginia college basketball team.
This year, UVA faces +1200 odds of winning the ACC at bet365 (again, you cannot bet on this prop within state lines, but Virginians can bet on teams outside of the state to win the league). That ranks in a tie with Miami for fourth overall, adding additional intrigue to the timing of the college basketball veteran’s decision.
Who Replaces Bennett At UVA?
These odds were developed exclusively for BetVirginia.com and are not available at Virginia sportsbook apps. As of this article’s publication, Bennett was scheduled to have a press conference at 11 a.m. on Oct. 18 to formally announce that he’s stepping down.
Our favorite to replace Bennett in Charlottesville is his longtime right-hand man, UVA associate head coach Ron Sanchez. We give Sanchez -200 odds (a 66.7% implied probability), which is of little surprise given the Dominican Republic native’s longstanding connection with the program.
Sanchez was an assistant under Bennett at Washington State from 2003 to 2009 before following him to UVA, where he served until 2018. He left to take over as the head coach at Charlotte, starting with the 2018-19 season, and he went 72-78 (.480) in five seasons with the program before rejoining Bennett’s staff last season.
His return to Virginia coincided with his promotion to associate head coach in 2023, potentially paving the way for him to take over for his former boss when the 2024-25 season tips off this fall.
If Sanchez doesn’t get the nod at UVA, keep an eye on longtime assistant coach Jason Williford, who has been with UVA for 16 years with stops at Boston University and American University along the way.
Williford is listed at +250 odds (a 28.6% implied probability) to replace Bennett at UVA and “the field” comes in at +2050 to cap off the potential candidates (for now) to replace the coach with the most victories in school history.
To look back on some of the best players Bennett has brought to Charlottesville in recent years, BetVirginia.com assembled the Virginia men’s basketball team of the past decade this year.
USA Today photo by Jim Dedmon
