Tony Bennett
Former University of Virginia Head Men’s Basketball Coach
“A Conversation with Tony Bennett”
Tuesday, September 22, 2026 (7:30PM)
Harrison Opera House
Three-time National Coach of the Year Tony Bennett was a collegiate head coach for 18 seasons. He served three seasons at Washington State before 15 seasons at the University of Virginia. Bennett’s teams made 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, four Sweet 16’s, two Elite Eights, one Final Four and won the national championship in 2019. He posted a 433-169 (.719) career record, guiding Virginia to six ACC regular-season titles, two ACC Tournament championship and the school’s lone national championship. Bennett led UVA to a 364-136 record, including 30 or more wins in four seasons. Bennett ranks third in career ACC winning percentage (with a minimum of 15 years in the league) behind legendary coaches Dean Smith and Mike Krzyzewski, winning 69.7 percent of regular-season league contests. The four-time ACC Coach of the Year led the Cavaliers to ACC regular-season titles in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2023 and a pair of ACC Tournament championships in 2014 and 2018. He was named National Coach of the Year at Washington State in 2007 and Virginia in 2014 and 2018.
Bennett posted a 69-33 record in three seasons as head coach at Washington State from 2007-09, guiding the Cougars to a pair of NCAA Tournaments and one NIT appearance. Bennett guided the Cougars to 26 wins and first NCAA Sweet 16 berth in school history in 2008. Bennett also served as an assistant coach at Wisconsin and Washington State. He starred for his father, Dick Bennett, as a point guard at Green Bay from 1989-92. His 49.7 career 3-point field goal percentage is still an NCAA record. Bennett played three seasons in the NBA for the Charlotte Hornets. Bennett and his wife, Laurel, have two children – a daughter, Anna, and a son, Eli.