Aaron Roussell Named Virginia Head Women's Basketball Coach

Roussell brings extensive head coaching experience to Cavaliers program

Apr. 8, 2026 at 3:04am

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A cubist, geometric painting featuring overlapping planes of navy blue and orange, representing the dynamic energy and movement of a women's basketball game, without any recognizable figures or branding.The hiring of a new, proven head coach signals a new era of Virginia women's basketball and a chance to rebuild the program into a national contender.Charlottesville Today

The University of Virginia has hired Aaron Roussell as the new head coach of the women's basketball team. Roussell, who spent the last seven seasons as the head coach at Richmond, has over 22 years of head coaching experience at the collegiate level, including successful stints at Bucknell and Division III Chicago.

Why it matters

Roussell is taking over a Virginia program that has struggled in recent years, having not made the NCAA Tournament since 2010. His proven track record of building winning programs and leading teams to the postseason should provide a much-needed boost for the Cavaliers as they look to return to national prominence in women's basketball.

The details

Roussell led Richmond to a 148-72 record over the last seven seasons, including three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. He guided the Spiders to Atlantic-10 Tournament and regular-season championships in 2024 and 2025. Prior to Richmond, Roussell had successful head coaching tenures at Bucknell and Division III Chicago, compiling a career record of 460-194 over 22 seasons.

  • Roussell was announced as Virginia's new head coach on April 7, 2026.
  • He spent the last seven seasons as the head coach at Richmond from 2019-2026.

The players

Carla Williams

University of Virginia Director of Athletics who announced the hiring of Aaron Roussell.

Aaron Roussell

The new head women's basketball coach at the University of Virginia, bringing over 22 years of head coaching experience to the program.

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What they’re saying

“We are excited to name Aaron Roussell as our new head women's basketball coach. Aaron is a proven winner who embodies the University's values of integrity, leadership, academic excellence and student-athlete development. We look forward to welcoming Aaron, his wife Molly, and their three children to Grounds for a new era of Virginia Women's Basketball.”

— Carla Williams, University of Virginia Director of Athletics

“My family and I are beyond excited to lead the UVA Women's Basketball program into a bright and prosperous future. We are well aware of the rich history and tradition of this program, and we look forward to putting the UVA program into the nation's elite on a consistent basis. I would like to thank President Scott Beardsley, Carla Williams and her staff who have been amazing during this search. I am eager to get to work with them as we look to pack JPJ on our way to creating amazing memories with the UVA faithful.”

— Aaron Roussell, New Virginia Women's Basketball Head Coach

What’s next

Roussell will begin his tenure as Virginia's head coach immediately, with the goal of rebuilding the program and leading the Cavaliers back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in over a decade.

The takeaway

The hiring of Aaron Roussell as the new Virginia women's basketball head coach represents a significant investment in the program's future. Roussell's proven track record of success at the mid-major level suggests he has the experience and coaching acumen to turn the Cavaliers into a consistent contender in the ACC and nationally.