Tony Bennett disrupted the football news cycle in dramatic fashion on Thursday when the University of Virginia confirmed he was resigning as the program's basketball coach, effective immediately.

The news was particularly shocking considering Bennett participated in the ACC Media Tipoff earlier this month and recently signed a contract extension through 2030.

The news comes less than three weeks before the start of the 2024-25 season, and there was no immediate word on who will take his place, at least temporarily. If there is a planned successor, the name has not yet been publicly announced.

Who will take the helm of the prestigious program permanently may be a question for next season, but here are the top three candidates who will at least lead the Cavaliers through the upcoming season.

RON SANCHEZ

Sanchez came to Virginia with Bennett from Washington State before leaving to take the head coaching position of the Charlotte 49ers from 2018 to 2023. He compiled a 72-78 record, which included winning a CBI championship last year. He returned to the Cavaliers as associate head coach this offseason and would be at least the best candidate to take over on a temporary basis. Sanchez began his college coaching career as an assistant at SUNY Oneonta in 1996.

JASON WILLIFORD

Williford was promoted to associate head coach when Sanchez moved to Charlotte, and the Cavaliers won the national title in his first season in the role. His roots run deep in the program, as Williford played four years for the Cavaliers, including on the 1992 NIT championship team. He returned to Virginia in 2009 and joined Bennett's staff after serving as an assistant at American University and Boston University.

BRAD SÖDERBERG

Soderberg currently serves as the Cavaliers' director of scouting after head coaching stints at Lindenwood, St. Louis, South Dakota State and Loras College. Yes, these are all much smaller programs, but Soderberg also served as interim head coach at Wisconsin in 2000-2001. He joined Bennett as an assistant in 2015 and took on the role of director of scouting in 2021.

Virginia, which went 23-11 and made the NCAA Tournament last season, lost 67-42 to Colorado State in the first round. The Cavaliers open the 2024-25 season on November 6 at home against Campbell.

–Field level media