[ad_1]
The University of Virginia announced on Tuesday that head basketball coach Tony Bennett has signed a contract extension that will keep him with the team through the 2029-30 season. The new deal includes a one-year automatic renewal through 2030-31 if Bennett is still coaching in April 2026. Bennett will continue to be paid $4,020,287 for the upcoming year with annual 5% raises. The buyout remains at $250,000 for the remainder of the contract if Bennett were to leave.

Bennett’s previous extension, signed in 2019 after a national title run, was set to expire after the 2025-26 season. The extension also includes longevity bonuses of $400,000 in 2025, $1 million in 2027, $400,000 in 2029, and $1 million in 2031 if the deal is automatically renewed. Bennett, who has been with UVA since 2009 and led the team to its first national championship in 2019, has maintained a successful coaching tenure, with 14 straight winning seasons, multiple ACC titles, and NCAA tournament appearances.

While Bennett’s coaching success has been impressive, the team’s recent NCAA tournament performances have been less than stellar, with early exits and failures to advance past the early rounds. Despite this, the contract extension signals the university’s confidence in Bennett’s leadership and coaching abilities. Bennett’s defense-oriented style of play and emphasis on teamwork have been credited with producing successful results for the Cavaliers over the years.

Source
Photo credit fredericksburg.com