Virginia coaching search: Georgetown coach Ed Cooley states 'zero truth' to job rumors, commits to retire with Hoyas

Ed Cooley will not be the next Virginia basketball coach. That comes straight from the horse’s mouth, as the Georgetown coach denied rumors linking him to the open Cavaliers job.

It was reported earlier this week that Cooley was the frontrunner to replace Tony Bennett, who unexpectedly retired less than a month before the start of the season. He not only shut that idea down, but also made a promise that he would not be leaving Georgetown until the day he decides to retire.

“Zero truth to that,” Cooley told FOX Sports of the Virginia rumors. “…I’m where I need to be. I’m where I want to be. This will be my last college job I have. My goal is to make Georgetown basketball powerful, inspire other people. That’s all false news.”

FOX SPORTS EXCLUSIVE: @GeorgetownHoops head coach Ed Cooley is not leaving for the Virginia job.

The Hoyas HC addresses the UVA rumors at Big East media days and says he is exactly where he wants to be ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/WoTZI0SQb3

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) October 23, 2024

Cooley has been the coach of the Hoyas for only one season, leading them to a 9-23 record in 2023-24. Prior to that, he spent 12 seasons as the coach at Providence, taking the Friars to seven NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Sweet Sixteen in 2022.

It seems his focus is on returning the Georgetown program to the days when it was a perennial threat to make the tournament. The Hoyas have a rich history but have not had a winning season in the past five years.

With Ed Cooley now out of the running, Virginia will turn its attention elsewhere in its search for its next head coach. Ron Sanchez has taken on the role of interim coach in the meantime.

The Cavaliers are coming off of a 23-11 season and lost in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament. They are only six years removed from claiming a national championship in 2019 and we’ll see how things play out this year under Sanchez

Virginia tips off the 2024-25 season on Nov. 6 against Campbell.

Jeff Goodman suggests Virginia alum Dawn Staley should replace Tony Bennett as UVA men’s coach

Should Sanchez not get the full time job and the Cavaliers turn to a national search, Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman has heard one potential, surprising name get floated: Dawn Staley.

It would be both a surprising and sensible hire for Virginia, plucking away Staley, a Virginia alum who starred on the hardwood there, from her perch atop women’s college hoops at South Carolina. It’s also not clear that Staley would entertain a jump to the men’s game, given her success leading the Gamecocks.

Either way, Goodman’s revelation that Staley could be a contender for the job had co-host Robbie Hummel clearly taken aback.

“Oh wow, that would be,” Hummel said, before pausing, “that would be definitely very interesting. She’s won at the highest level in her sport.”

Goodman did reinforce that this was mostly a hypothetical at this point, but also expressed confidence that Staley could be the person to break this glass ceiling as the first woman head coach for a men’s college basketball program.

“If there’s somebody that could do it, Rob, if there’s one person that could do it, it would be Dawn Staley,” Goodman said.

On3’s Andrew Graham contributed to this report.