To Coach Bennett
Photography by Matt Riley for UVAToday
Coach Bennett, if you’re reading this, thank you.
On behalf of IfYoureReadingThis and everyone who cares deeply about mental health and well-being in the University of Virginia community, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your years of integrity and dedication. Your decision to step away from coaching wasn’t just about basketball; it was a testament to living authentically and prioritizing mental well-being — values you’ve long championed, even in moments of great personal and professional triumph.
After winning the NCAA championship in 2019, you took a moment to share your thoughts in an IfYoureReadingThis letter, writing directly to all UVA students on Grounds. That gesture spoke volumes, especially to students navigating the highs and lows of college life. You taught us to view challenges as opportunities, encouraged us to find our “team” on Grounds, and reminded us we are all valued members of this community. Your openness then, and the continued emphasis on staying true to your values now, reminds our community that strength lies in being authentic and supportive of one another. Your example has shown us all that resilience, humility, and compassion are crucial in times of hardship, but also in times of great success.
Your legacy at UVA will live on, not just in the banners hanging in the stadium, but in the hearts of those you've inspired to stay grounded and empathetic. We thank you for the unwavering strength you’ve shown, both on and off the court, and for the incredible example you’ve set for us all. We wish you fulfillment and peace in this next chapter, knowing you leave behind a program and a university forever grateful for your impact.
With gratitude,
Alexandra Pentel Lawlor
IfYoureReadingThis Founder & President, UVA Class of 2018
Thank you for establishing a long-lasting legacy for UVA’s basketball team. It has been a pleasure seeing you on the courts and we, the executive team at IYRT, wish you well in your new chapter.
- IfYoureReadingThis UVA Exec Team
Thank you for sharing your story and teaching UVA students to never give up.
- John N., IfYoureReadingThis Vice President, UVA Class of 2019
Coach Bennett, I’ve followed your coaching since I was a young girl playing basketball for the very first time. Your coaching developed my understanding of the game and helped me apply it to my life and my faith. Thank you for being OUR coach and role model. You have changed us for the better. I hope you carry your decision and career with confidence—you have done your job, Coach. We’re better because of you.
- Anna T., UVA Class of 2025
Thank you for showing us how to lose with grace, and to win with class. Through the highs and the lows, thank you for making Virginia Basketball something we could all be proud of on and off the court each and every day.
- Connor, UVA Class of 2023
You have done good for so many more than you realize. There are many stories similar to mine - but you changed my life. My best friend (who is now attending uva) was made in school after the 2019 championship run and I probably wouldn’t be where I am today without him. You have an incredible sense of humility, and that is reflected in everything you do and a good role model for everyone who watches you. After the 2024 March madness loss, you came to the band and cheer team with a smile on your face to thank us for everything and applauding us - something we didn’t expect but told all our friends afterwards, creating more proof of the special person you are. You have changed lives, and it is impossible to recognize the huge scope of it. Thank you, from my family screaming and jumping up and down after beating Texas Tech, from my closest friend who has been there for all my struggles, from me as a student being able to love the game through you, and from everyone who is a uva fan. You mean the world.
- Anonymous, UVA Class of 2026
Coach, I started watch UVA basketball when I was 6, that was in 2013, from that point I saw some really rough things, you know what I’m talking about, but also some of the best times, ACC Championship, multiple great wins over Duke, UNC and most importantly, tech, and everyone knows about the natty. From everything, thank you, thank you for the memories, thank you for inspiring me and everyone else around you, either in or out of the program. Thank you for being the influential figure I would look to, thank you for being a Cavalier. Enjoy your retirement.
- Anonymous, Future UVA Student
Thank you for your tireless dedication to making the UVA basketball program something we can all be proud of. I was at the UMBC game in 2018 and the Final 4 in 2019 - thank you for giving all HOOS an enduring memory of perseverance and VICTORY that can never be taken away. Best of luck to you and your family wherever your career goes from here. You are the definition of a Virginia Gentleman.
- Andy S., UVA Class of 2010
Thank you coach for giving my joy when I turned on the tv to watch college basketball, That offense wasn’t the most electric thing to watch but boy did it get the job done. Thank you for bringing us a national championship that I was in attendance for. Thank you coach, For everything.
- Eastyn, UVA Class of 2027
Thank you for all you have done for our program, our school, and our community. You have made us all very proud.
- Jen T., UVA Class of 1993
I grew up watching UVA basketball, and what always stuck out to me was the class with which UVA players treated others. Thank you Coach Bennett for showing that class and humility are the most important qualities an athlete and a coach can possess.
- Bennett O., UVA Class of 2028
Coach, thank you for the past 15 years at UVA. You have developed the program into one of the best in the NCAA. Most importantly, you helped coach the Hoos to one of the best championship runs in college basketball history in 2019! Players like DeAndre Hunter, Malcom Brogdan, Anthony Gill, Jay Huff, and Ryan Dunn blossomed into great NBA players and are great individuals beyond basketball. I hope Coach Sanchez succeeds in continuing your legacy and traditions at UVA. I wish you and your family the best of luck with your future endeavors!
- Alex B.
Your game winner at Duke in 2022 is what got me into sports. Your level of success in sticking to your ways, even when others doubted it is inspiring. Thank you for all the great nights at JPJ and thank you for making UVA a better place! We’re excited for you as you enter your next chapter!
- Anonymous, Class of 2025
Coach Bennett, I just want to thank you for the greatest 15 years of basketball of my life. My dad and I would bond over UVA basketball and our love for the program and you were the leading cause for it. I remember watching the championship game back in 2019 and being there with my dad as UVA won their first ring. Thank you for all you have done for the program and giving us some great memories of college basketball. Have a wonderful retirement CTB !
- Colin N., UVA Class of 2028
Thank you for everything you’ve done for this program and for the university. Not only have you brought a tremendous amount of success to UVA basketball, you’ve done it the right way, stayed true to yourself, and made a positive impact on those you’ve coached. Best of luck with whatever you choose to do next!
- Anonymous, UVA Class of 2012
As a kid, I grew up watching UVA basketball. Once I got to that point in life where I could dream of things, my dream was to always play basketball at the University of Virginia, and to be coached by you. Although my dreams didn’t pan out, you had such an impact on not just me, but so many others around the world. Thank you for bringing glory back to UVA basketball, enjoy retirement!
- Dylan
Dear Coach Bennett, Thank you for the joy you brought to so many of us through years of coaching with grace, compassion, and love. Your position at the helm of the men's basketball team brought me into the fold of devotedly watching ACC basketball through good times and bad. It's too bad that the nature of college sports has changed so much that building a team into a family is increasingly more difficult to attain, because that is what brings so much enjoyment to fans like me...getting to "know" the players for a few years and really feeling connected to the group. Although we will greatly miss your style and your presence on the court, I respect you for making a decision that prioritizes your family and your principles.
- Anne G., UVA Class of 1991
Coach Bennett, Congratulations on your outstanding career and deserved retirement! I know it may not have been when we were all expecting, it is hard to disagree with the greatest coach this program has ever seen. You have done more for the university, the players, and fans, and the students than we ever could've imagined, and we humble thank you for that. I don't know if you remember, but I ran into one of your assistant coaches in Bodos a couple of years ago with my roommates. Honestly, I didn't know who he was, but he had a large order and I was waiting for mine so I offered to help carry the trays out to his table. To my surprise was you, the goat himself, waiting at the table for your breakfast. I got to meet you and take a pic with you for the first time. That instantly became a highlight of my UVA career. I just graduated in May 2024 and am a working man now, but I will never forget the message you embodied as a coach and person: stay humble and true to yourself, and hard work will bring you to your goals. I will continue to pass down those values to the future generation as they are the same ones I was raised with. My family and I loved coming to your games and watching you in your element, it was my parents favorite thing about visiting UVA. Thank you again, enjoy your retirement, and don't ever forget us.
- K. P., UVA Class of 2024
Hey Coach, I've been a UVA fan since I was a little kid. College hoops has always been my favorite sport. My dad went to Georgetown so those early & mid 80s Hoya teams hooked me and UVA kept me. I stayed up late watching PAC10 & WAC games through all hours of the night from high school into my 30s. I never thought I'd see my favorite team win the national title in my favorite sport. I saw the promise of Jeff Jones fade away, Pete Gillen try but never fit & Dave Leitao alienate everyone. When you signed I was excited, but apprehensive after the last 2 hires crashed and burned. I remembered you at UWGB (I picked the Fighting Phoenix with Jeff Norgard over Cal with Jason Kidd. Told you I watched a ton of college hoops) and saw what you did at Washington State. From the first few years, there was a different energy with you. I loved it. I loved the system. I loved the buy in. I loved how under recruited guys were beating the 5 star factories. I still didn't dare to dream Natty. But then we put a beat down on Duke and won the ACC championship. I was in a bar in National Airport going insane with my fellow Hoos. I almost missed my flight CTB! And I didn't care. The disappointments of the losses to MSU ("TEVIN WAS FOULED!"), the loss to Syracuse when Malaki Richardson became an NBA superstar for 20 minutes, and of course UMBC. Even over the title your quotes after the two biggest losses of your lifetime will always stick with me. "Joy comes in the morning" and "adversity, if you learn to use it right, will take you to a place you never could have gotten." They live in my heart forever. And of course the title I NEVER thought I'd see. What a moment. All the years of watching every minute of every UVA basketball game and I got to see that. I remember everything about every game. It's a movie I can return to in my head whenever I need joy for the rest of my life. Thank you coach. Wahoowa.
- Mark B., UVA Class of 2003
You made us want to be at the games and be a part of the team. We will always cherish your legacy that we named our son’s middle name Bennett after you. We wish you and your family all of the best in retirement!
- Alice H., UVA Class of 2003
Coach, Thank you for all you have done for the Virginia Basketball program. Thank you for making it a program that we as fans and alumni can be proud of and be proud to be involved with. Your class and integrity through the ups and downs has been inspirational and has set such a positive example for athletes and supporters alike. I am sorry to see you go, but wish you and your family all the best for the next stage of your journey. We were lucky to have you these past 15 years. Wahoowa Coach!
- Jane S., UVA Class of 2006
Thank you Coach Bennett for all you’ve done for this university, we are so grateful for the greatness you have shown!
- Natasjha S., UVA Class of 2026
Coach Bennett,
My dad and I got to go to Minneapolis and see you guys win it all in 2019. We always said if Uva made it to a final four we would go. My dad raised me to love Uva sports from a young age, and I became an alumni myself. Going to games became our father daughter bonding time. My dad passed away several years ago and the National title game was the last game we attended together. It means everything to me to have those memories with him. We got to live out one of our all time sports dreams because of you and what you brought to UVa bball. I’m forever grateful to you for making that moment possible. Enjoy your retirement…and thank you for all the wonderful memories!
- Brooke L., UVA Class of 2003
Coach Bennett: thank you for everything you have done for the University of Virginia. You have given us moments we never thought possible and have given us a legacy that we will remember forever. (My dog, born in 2019 is named for you). God bless you and your family.
- Chrystie K., UVA Class of 1998
Good luck on your future endeavors! We will miss you greatly and the spirit you provide to our athletics program.
- Annabel B., UVA Class of 2027
Thank you for all you have done for UVA basketball! I'm honored that you were the coach and person leasing our program. We will forever be grateful for your coaching, your character, and what you instilled in the program, our players, and our university. Thank you, TB!
- Rachel S., UVA Class of 2011
I miss you Tony Bennett. You made a great Christmas album and an even better 2019 basketball team.
- Simon S.
As a fan and alum, I have reveled in joy as you led Virginia basketball to wins, records, and a championship I never dreamed possible. As a high school teacher, I watched you mold and help prepare the lives of young people for their futures in a way that I aspire to— by focusing on character and service to others, never about oneself or money alone. I sat in awe as you inspired young men to maintain perspective, regain confidence, and improve after 2018. In doing so, you encouraged us all to embrace and accept our losses, not only our successes, and never be ashamed they are part of our stories. And finally, and most importantly, as a mother of two sons, I want to say thank you for making it easier to raise boys in modern society. You are a role model for all the right values and you truly live by them. Thank you for allowing me to ask them the question, “WWTBD?,” and know that their answering it would help them to make a more humble and selfless choice. You have helped give my family so many positive memories and you have done it admirably, in a way that I will continue to tear up with pride at the thought of all that UVA basketball has embodied for the past 15 years. Wahoowa.
- Tracey R., UVA Class of 1998 and 1999
Thank you for your incredible contributions to UVA basketball and the Charlottesville community! You are an incredible example of composure and leadership for students to follow and we will miss you!
- Adair R., UVA Class of 2027
Congratulations on your retirement!! We already miss you! You have been my all time favorite coach! God Bless you and your family and I hope that we will still see you and that there will be another opening for you at UVA!!!
- Joan
I have grown up watching UVA basketball and your classiness has always been an example to me. I will never forget all the emotions along the way. Love you.
- Anonymous
There are no words to express how much you have impacted my life as you have led my beloved alma mater over the past 15 years. I live in Seattle but had the privilege of watching the Hoos in 5 states over your tenure, all wins - including the ACC championship in NYC in 2018 and the Natty, which was truly one of the greatest experiences of my adult life. We named our youngest son Bennett, since my husband went to WSU and I went to UVA and we share our admiration of you. I am incredibly sad about your retirement but am grateful for all the memories. Joy comes in the morning…
- Cricket, UVA Class of 1998
Tony, Thank you! Thank you for being a part of an answered prayer. I was born in Roanoke in 1976, and grew up a UVA fan in all sports. I graduated from Liberty University, and in 2002 moved to Bristol Connecticut.I will always bleed orange and blue no matter what school I attended and where I live.. I prayed for years that UVA would win a Championship in basketball, and He answered my prayer (As well as many other fans prayers). It took a lot of heartbreak to get there, but God said in His time. I'm glad I was alive to see it. May God bless you in your future, and again thank you for what He allowed you to do at UVA. This lifetime UVA fan will forever be grateful. Wahoos forever!
- Dan W.
I remember attending your basketball camp when I was younger and my dad snapped a photo of the two of us. You are one of the greatest coaches of all time and having the privilege to watch you coach is something I’ll never forget. You’ve had such a great impact on my life and I’ll always be grateful for what you’ve done here at UVA. Go Hoos!
- Alex M., UVA Class of 2028
I don’t really have a question just wanna say thanks.
- William F., UVA Class of 1999
Hello Coach Bennett, This is Mike S. from Macau. I met you in October 2019 at the school, where I got the opportunity to visit the basketball team through the introduction of Jack Salt. We had a brief interaction on the court, and I had the chance to take a photo with you while holding the 2019 FINAL 4 courtside tickets —a truly unforgettable experience for a lifetime. As a fellow coach, your character has deeply influenced me, and I really wish to meet you again to seek advice on basketball and life. Your retirement makes me feel quite sad, but I understand that family should always come first. I wish you good health and I hope one day you and your family can visit Macau, and I will do my utmost to host you.
- Mike S.
Coach Bennett! The impact you’ve made and the legacy you leave behind will never be replaced. Thank you for your commitment to being great and good. Your program was a beautiful representation of what it means to be a part of the University of Virginia.
- Camden Y., UVA Class of 2027
Thank you, Coach Bennett, for showing us how to be resilient when facing both the highs and the lows. You will be greatly missed here on Grounds!
- Claire N., UVA Class of 2025
Thank you for the work you put in and the community you grew with UVA basketball. You will be missed!
- Sophie H., UVA Class of 2027
“As you face the highs and lows of your time on-Grounds, I encourage you to find your “team,” whether that be your roommates, classmates, or one of the many resources that UVA offers students. The community here cares about you and values you, regardless of any historic losses you may weather.”
- Coach Tony Bennett, via IfYoureReadingThis
Connect With Us
To follow IfYoureReadingThis at UVA on Instagram, get in touch with our chapter, and learn about more resources available to University of Virginia students, visit our chapter’s homepage.