UVA hires former Richmond coach Roussell as its women's basketball coach

Boston College guard Donald Hand Jr., a former Landstown High star, has decided to enter the transfer portal.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 10:18pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented, multi-angled view of a women's basketball game, with sharp planes of color and form representing the dynamic action on the court.The hiring of a new coach and the departure of a star player signal a shift in the landscape of women's college basketball in Virginia.University of Virginia Today

The University of Virginia announced that Aaron Roussell will be its new women's basketball coach. Roussell spent the past seven seasons at Richmond, guiding the Spiders to a 148-72 record and three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. In other news, Boston College guard Donald Hand Jr., a former Landstown High star, has decided to enter the transfer portal.

Why it matters

The hiring of Roussell as the new UVA women's basketball coach is significant as the Cavaliers look to build on their recent success, including reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2000. Meanwhile, the decision by Hand to enter the transfer portal could impact Boston College's basketball program as they lose a key player.

The details

Roussell has been a college head coach for 22 seasons, including stops at Bucknell (2012-19) and Division III Chicago (2004-12). His overall record is 460-194. The Cavaliers fired previous head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton on Sunday despite the team reaching the Sweet 16. As for Hand, the junior from Virginia Beach averaged 12.4 points and 4.4 rebounds this season for Boston College. He was the ACC's Most Improved Player in 2024-25, when he led BC with 15.7 points and 6.1 rebounds a game.

  • On Tuesday, the University of Virginia announced that Aaron Roussell will be its new women's basketball coach.
  • On Sunday, the Cavaliers fired previous head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton.

The players

Aaron Roussell

The new women's basketball coach at the University of Virginia. He spent the past seven seasons at Richmond, guiding the Spiders to a 148-72 record and three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.

Donald Hand Jr.

A junior guard at Boston College and a former Landstown High star. He has decided to enter the transfer portal after averaging 12.4 points and 4.4 rebounds this season.

Amaka Agugua-Hamilton

The previous women's basketball coach at the University of Virginia, who was fired on Sunday despite the team reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2000.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

The takeaway

The hiring of Roussell as the new UVA women's basketball coach and Hand's decision to enter the transfer portal both have the potential to significantly impact their respective programs. UVA is looking to build on its recent success, while Boston College will need to find a way to replace a key contributor. These moves will be closely watched in the college basketball world.