According to multiple reports, including one from CBS Sports, Virginia is finalizing a deal to hire VCU’s Ryan Odom as their new head men’s basketball coach. Odom, best known for leading 16-seed UMBC to a historic upset over 1-seed Virginia in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, has guided three different programs to March Madness. He spent five seasons at UMBC, followed by two at Utah State, before taking over at VCU in 2022. In two seasons with the Rams, he compiled a 52-21 record, winning the Atlantic 10 regular-season and tournament championships this year before falling to BYU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Odom brings ACC experience, having spent seven seasons as an assistant at Virginia Tech, and has deep coaching roots—his father, Dave Odom, was a longtime head coach at Wake Forest, South Carolina, and East Carolina.

Odom replaces Tony Bennett, who abruptly retired in October after 15 seasons at Virginia, citing the changing landscape of college sports as a key factor. Bennett’s tenure included a national championship in 2019, six ACC regular-season titles, and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances. The Cavaliers struggled this past season under interim coach Ron Sanchez, finishing 15-17 and missing the postseason.

More on this move once it becomes official.