NORFOLK (WINA) – Former UVa basketball player and head coach Jeff Jones announces he’s stepping down after 11 years as head coach at Old Dominion… 32 as head coach overall including 8 at UVa. December 20th is when he suffered a heart attack in Hawaii where the Monarchs were for a holiday tournament, and he took a leave of absence for the rest of the season. At a noon Monday press conference in Norfolk, he said “it’s time” for his retirement.
He also has battled prostate cancer on-and-off since 2013, but says he feels great and is not retiring because of health… but there are other priorities. He says part of the reason he feels great is he’s no longer under the stress he’s been under in his 41 years of coaching. The Monarchs finished with a 7-22 record, and having to bow out because of health and the result of this season had him thinking of another season. But he thought it would be disingenuous returning when he would likely step down after the next season.
Jones played at UVa from 1978 to 1982 where he played in a Final Four, was an assistant coach under Terry Holland from 1982 to 1990, then became head coach from 1990-to-1998 with the Hoos making a Sweet 16 and Elite 8 under his tutelage.
