Virginia Hires Richmond's Aaron Roussell as New Women's Basketball Coach

The Cavaliers moved quickly to fill their head coaching vacancy after the departure of Amaka Agugua-Hamilton.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 9:51pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented women's basketball game, with sharp planes of blue, orange, and green intersecting to create a dynamic, abstract visual representation of the sport.The University of Virginia's new women's basketball coach brings a fresh geometric energy to the program, aiming to reshape the team's fortunes through an innovative strategic vision.Fredericksburg Today

The University of Virginia has hired Richmond Spiders women's basketball coach Aaron Roussell to be their new head coach. Roussell spent the last seven seasons leading the Spiders, guiding them to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances and back-to-back Atlantic-10 regular season championships in 2023 and 2024.

Why it matters

Roussell is considered a rising star in the coaching ranks, and his hiring represents a significant investment by Virginia in their women's basketball program. The Cavaliers are hoping Roussell can help revive the program and return it to national prominence after several down seasons.

The details

Roussell, 45, has climbed the coaching ranks over the past two decades. He served as the head coach at Division III Chicago from 2005 to 2012 before taking the Richmond job in 2015. During his time with the Spiders, he compiled a 159-73 record and led the team to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2022-2024, including back-to-back Atlantic-10 regular season titles in 2023 and 2024.

  • Virginia fired former head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton on April 4, 2026.
  • The Cavaliers announced the hiring of Roussell on April 7, 2026.

The players

Aaron Roussell

The new head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers women's basketball team, who spent the last seven seasons as the head coach of the Richmond Spiders.

Amaka Agugua-Hamilton

The former head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers women's basketball team, who was fired on April 4, 2026 after several down seasons.

Carla Williams

The athletic director at the University of Virginia, who praised Roussell's integrity, leadership, and commitment to academic excellence in a statement announcing his hiring.

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What they’re saying

“Aaron is a proven winner, who embodies the University's values of integrity, leadership, academic excellence and student-athlete development.”

— Carla Williams, Athletic Director, University of Virginia

What’s next

Roussell will now begin the process of assembling his coaching staff and recruiting players to join the Cavaliers program.

The takeaway

Roussell's hiring represents a significant investment by Virginia in their women's basketball program, as they look to him to help revive the team and return it to national prominence after several down seasons. His track record of success at Richmond, including three straight NCAA Tournament appearances and back-to-back conference titles, suggests he has the potential to do just that.