Terry Holland, who retired as the winningest men’s basketball coach of all time in University of Virginia story, died Sunday at age 80, the school announced Monday.
Holland coached the Cavaliers from 1974 to 1990, going 326-173 in his time in Charlottesville, Virginia. He took Virginia to nine NCAA tournament appearances and two places for the Final Four.
College basketball: Virginia coach Terry Holland, center, on the bench during the game against Duke at University Hall in Charlottesville, Virginia on January 31, 1981. (Manny Millan/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)
Holland was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2019.
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Under the legendary head coach, the Cavaliers became a featured programwinning three straight ACC championships between 1981 and 1983.
«He was a visionary and positive coach,» said Bobby Stokes, captain of his UVa team from 1978-79, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. «He made it his mission to be like family. He cared for you off the basketball court and helped you grow along the way.»
Holland coached one of the greatest college basketball players of all time, convincing 7-4 center Ralph Sampson to join Virginia in 1979.
Ralph Sampson accompanies Virginia Cavaliers No. 2 Braxton Key during a senior ceremony before the start of a game against the Louisville Cardinals at John Paul Jones Arena on March 7, 2020 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
«Terry Holland,» Sampson told The Associated Press in an interview earlier this month when asked what made him choose upstart Virginia over more established suitors. «He was mostly the deal breaker. Good school, good teammates, good education, ACC. I mean, you had Dean Smith and all those people around, but he understood my behavior and he fit what I wanted in a coach. He was the perfect fit for me.»
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Holland was a standout player at Davidson from 1961 to 1964 and coached the Wildcats for five seasons before taking over as head coach at Charlottesville.
After retiring from coaching in 1990, Holland returned to Davidson as director of athletics, later becoming director of athletics at Virginia and East Carolina.
Holland has an impressive coaching tree that includes Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle and Miami Hurricanes head coach Jim Larrañaga..
Terry Holland, former basketball player, Davidson coach and athletic director, and former Virginia coach, smiles during a ceremony to retire his number 42 jersey after an NCAA college basketball game between LaSalle and Davidson on Sunday, January 30. 2022, in Davidson, North Carolina. Holland, who elevated Virginia basketball to national prominence over 16 seasons as a coach and then had a distinguished career as an athletic administrator, has died, the school announced Monday, February 27, 2023. He was 80 years old. (AP Photo/Brian Westerholt)
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«Everything I’ve been able to do as a coach is really due to the example he set for me,» Larrañaga said. «The way he built his family. My wife became part of his family. His players at Davidson and Virginia became part of his family. I’ve tried to emulate that.»
Holland finished his coaching career with a record of 418-216.
Associated Press contributed to this report