Holland, who changed UVA hoops, passes away at 80

Terry Holland, who raised Virginia basketball to nationwide prominence throughout 16 seasons as coach and later on had a recognized profession as an athletic administrator, has actually passed away, the school announced Monday. He was 80.

Holland died Sunday night, according to the school, which confirmed the death with his household. His health had actually decreased because being identified with Alzheimer’s illness in 2019, and he had actually stopped taking his popular courtside seat at Virginia house games.Holland took over a flailing program in 1974. The Cavaliers had had simply 3 winning seasons in 21 years prior to Holland produced a culture that showed a formula for success: His Cavaliers played rugged defense.Two of his very first 3 groups ended up with losing records however just one more did as Holland compiled a 326-173 record and led Virginia to 9 NCAA competitions, two Final Fours and the 1980 NIT title. He also guided the Cavaliers to their first ACC tournament title in 1976 regardless of a modest 15-11 regular-season record.Including a five-year stint at Davidson, Holland’s record is 418-216. His greatest success, nevertheless, most likely was tempting the country

‘s most desired recruit, 7-foot-4 Ralph Sampson of Harrisonburg, to join the Cavaliers for the 1979-80 season, and it was then that the turnaround took off.”Terry Holland,”Sampson informed The Associated Press in an interview

previously this month when asked what made him pick upstart Virginia over more established suitors.”He was primarily the choosing factor. Excellent school, great colleagues, great education, ACC. I mean, you had Dean Smith and all those individuals around, but he comprehended my demeanor and fit what I desired in a coach. He was the best fit for me. “The Cavaliers won the NIT in Sampson’s freshman season and went to the NCAA tournament for his last 3 years, reaching

the Final Four in 1981 prior to losing to North Carolina in the national semifinals.Sampson, a future Hall of Famer, made nationwide player of the year honors in each of his last 3 seasons, and the profile his presence supplied certainly aided Holland in constructing his program. Virginia went back to the Last Four in its very first season without Sampson, losing in overtime to Houston in the nationwide semifinals, and appeared in the NCAA competition in four of Holland’s final 6 seasons as coach.Holland likewise developed a substantial training tree, with many assistants moving on to become effective head coaches themselves. Amongst them: Rick Carlisle of the Indiana Pacers, Jim Larrañaga at Miami, Jeff Jones at Old Rule, and previous long time college coaches Dave Odom and Seth Greenberg.Holland, who had two daughters, likewise had a gratitude for the women’s game, former Cavaliers coach Debbie Ryan said. “He knew that we had to go to Clemson and Georgia Tech, so he assisted us to get the league to schedule

both of us on the same days to play doubleheaders,” she stated.”We would fly down to Clemson, bus to Georgia Tech and after that fly back, the men’s and

the females’s team together, so that it would conserve all of us that wear and tear.” He likewise was constantly worried about doing the ideal thing, she stated.” He wasn’t impressed with himself at all, “she said, describing him as a Southern gentleman.”He was simply there to make sure these young boys ended up being men and they ended up being good guys.”

When he stepped down as coach at age 48, it was to return to his university, Davidson

, as athletic director, beginning an administrative tenure that would bring him back to Virginia 5 years later in the exact same position. In 2001, he relocated to special assistant to the president of the university, and in 2004, he began an eight-year stint as athletic director at East Carolina before retiring in 2012.