((HT: WVIR NBC29))
Dave Leitao resigned on Monday as head coach of the University of Virginia's basketball team.
UVA Athletic Director Craig Littlepage and Leitao met on Monday and decided it was in the best interest of the program for Leitao to step down.
Littlepage said, "Dave has been a respected colleague and a fine University representative in the local community during his tenure here. He brought a great deal of leadership, discipline and integrity to his coaching responsibilities. I appreciate his hard work and dedication to athletics at the University of Virginia."
The Cavaliers finished their worst season since the late 1960s this year, going 4-12 in the ACC and 10-18 overall. Leitao, who began coaching at UVA in April 2005, took his teams to three post-season tournaments, including the 2007 NCAA tournament. He finished his career in Charlottesville with a record of 63-60.
The university will pay Leitao approximately $2.1 million as part of an agreement.
UVA says it will immediately begin a national search for a new coach.
"We expect to attract a strong pool of candidates interested in becoming a part of our University community," Littlepage said.
According to CBSSports.com, Leitao could be replaced by Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel. FoxSports.com's Jeff Goodman also lists Oklahoma's Sean Miller as a possible candidate for the job.
Here's WVIR's team coverage...
An interview with Mac McDonald is in black as well...
Those of us at OSG HQ, while we agree with some of the above-mentioned names, we have our ears tuned to VCU's Anthony Grant. He's local, he's in the tournament, and he's a good coach.
That also means that UGA Director of Athletics Damon Evans will really play the "friend" card to get Grant to Athens instead of Charlottesville.
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