Virginia鈥檚 men鈥檚 basketball season has ended, and Cavaliers athletic director Carla Williams has serious decisions to make.
Williams had all winter to evaluate Hoos interim coach Ron Sanchez and she has decided to take the program in a different direction.
On Wednesday, just hours after the Cavaliers鈥 season ended with a loss to Georgia Tech in the ACC tournament, Williams announced that Sanchez would not be retained as head coach.
Sanchez was promoted from assistant to interim boss following the abrupt retirement of former Hoos coach Tony Bennett, who stepped down from his post in October less than three weeks before the 2024-25 season began.
UVa finished 15-17 under Sanchez鈥檚 watch. After Wednesday鈥檚 season-ending loss to Georgia Tech, Sanchez said he believed he deserved a chance at the job.
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鈥淎bsolutely. I鈥檓 a good basketball coach. I am,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 have confidence in that and I鈥檝e been tutored by the right people. I have enough experience with me.
鈥淲hatever job I get and I take, I鈥檓 going to do a good job,鈥 Sanchez continued. 鈥淧eople can measure it with wins and losses over 30 games that you play, but it鈥檚 how you treat people, how you manage and what kind of leader are you when things are hard.鈥
Sanchez will not get that opportunity at Virginia. Williams and the Cavaliers have chosen to find a new coach to lead the program, and there鈥檚 no shortage of intriguing candidates.
Here鈥檚 a closer look at potential permanent candidates for the job.
KNOWS THE COMMONWEALTH
Ryan Odom, VCU
HC record: 198-116 overall, 49-20 at VCU (2023-present), 44-25 at Utah State (2021-23), 97-60 at UMBC (2017-21), 21-10 Lenoir-Rhyne (2016-17), 8-11 as interim at Charlotte (2015)
Why he鈥檚 a fit: His climb through the coaching ranks has been a quick one since leading UMBC to the first-ever victory for a men鈥檚 16-seed over a No. 1-seed when the Retrievers topped Bennett鈥檚 Cavaliers seven years ago. Odom has won everywhere he鈥檚 been, helping UMBC and Utah State reach the NCAA tournament and VCU to consecutive years of 20-plus victories. The Rams are the top seed in the A-10 tournament and play on Friday.
Shaka Smart, Marquette
HC record: 369-181 overall, 97-39 at Marquette (2021-present), 109-86 at Texas (2015-21), 163-56 at VCU (2009-2015)
Why he鈥檚 a fit: Smart has experiences that would lend itself to finding success with UVa. He鈥檚 thrived in Virginia previously, having led guided VCU to five NCAA tournament appearances and a Final Four over six seasons there. He鈥檚 worked at a major program before, too, during his time at Texas. And he鈥檚 made the NCAA tournament in each of his seasons at Marquette, showing he knows how to handle NIL and the transfer portal at a strong Big East school.
Mark Byington, Vanderbilt
HC record: 233-144 overall, 20-11 at Vanderbilt (2024-present), 82-36 at James Madison (2020-24), 131-97 at Georgia Southern (2013-20), 7-4 as interim at College of Charleston (2012)
Why he鈥檚 a fit: Byington only got to Nashville last offseason after a stellar stint as JMU鈥檚 coach that finished with him guiding the Dukes to a Sun Belt Conference tournament title and the school鈥檚 first NCAA tournament appearance since 2013. JMU upended Wisconsin in the event. His teams were high scoring in Harrisonburg. He has a master鈥檚 degree from UVa and worked as a graduate assistant and then as the director of operations for the Hoos when Pete Gillen was the coach.
OUTSIDE THE STATE
Richard Pitino, New Mexico
HC record: 245-184 overall, 86-47 at New Mexico (2021-present), 141-123 at Minnesota (2013-21), 18-14 at FIU (2012-13)
Why he鈥檚 a fit: If the Cavaliers want a total change in offensive philosophy, the Hoos could look to Pitino. Currently, his New Mexico squad is second nationally in fast-break points (16.9 per game) and 17th in scoring offense (82.2 points per game). Pitino has led the Lobos to three straight seasons of at least 20 victories and they made the NCAA tournament a season ago. He鈥檚 familiar with the ACC as well, considering the three years he spent on his father鈥檚 staff at Louisville.
Bob Richey, Furman
HC record: 181-79 overall, 181 at Furman (2017-present)
Why he鈥檚 a fit: Odom isn鈥檛 the only coach with an NCAA tournament victory over UVa on this list. Richey鈥檚 Paladins knocked off the Cavaliers in the first round of the 2023 big dance in Orlando. He鈥檚 had eight straight winning years at Furman, and he had the Paladins on the brink of another NCAA appearance this year before falling in the SoCon title game.
Ben McCollum, Drake
HC record: 424-94 overall, 30-3 at Drake (2024-present), 394-91 at Northwest Missouri State
Why he鈥檚 a fit: Simply, he鈥檚 a winner. He has an 81.3% winning percentage across 15 seasons at Division II Northwest Missouri State and this year at Drake. He guided the Bulldogs to the Missouri Valley Conference title in his first season and they鈥檒l play in the NCAA tournament.
Niko Medved, Colorado State
HC record: 219-171 overall, 140-84 at Colorado State (2018-present), 17-17 at Drake (2017-18), 62-70 at Furman (2013-17)
Why he鈥檚 a fit: If UVa wanted to keep a tie to Bennett in place, the Cavaliers could look to Medved. Fans of the Hoos would be familiar with him, too, considering Colorado State beat UVa soundly in the First Four last year. But one of Medved鈥檚 mentors is Dick Bennett, Tony鈥檚 father. Dick, of course, was the former coach at Green Bay, Wisconsin and Washington State. The pair met while Medved was coaching at Furman, and they鈥檝e stayed connected since.
Bryce Drew, Grand Canyon
HC record: 283-147 overall, 119-39 at Grand Canyon (2020-present), 40-59 at Vanderbilt (2016-2019), 124-49 at Valparaiso (2011-16)
Why he鈥檚 a fit: He鈥檚 got a track record of guiding his teams to the NCAA tournament. Grand Canyon has made three of the last four NCAA tournaments, and the Antelopes upset Saint Mary鈥檚 in last year鈥檚 big dance. Drew led Vanderbilt to a bid in 2016 and Valparaiso to a pair of bids over five seasons there. Like Bennett, Drew comes from a basketball family. His father Homer was the former coach at Valpo where Bryce played and his brother, Scott, is the current coach at Baylor.
