It was a whirlwind few hours for Ron Sanchez on Tuesday.

Sanchez stepped down as the head coach at Charlotte after five seasons via a school press release at 12:15 p.m. ET. He then was announced as associate head coach at Virginia in a release at 12:36 p.m. ET.

Sanchez returns to a position he held for nine years before taking the Charlotte post in 2018.

The Charlotte 49ers are coming off a 22-14 season in 2022-23 and the CBI Championship, the school’s first-ever postseason tournament title. The 22 wins marked the school’s most since 2001.

“This is a bittersweet day for me and my family as I step down to pursue other opportunities,” Sanchez first said in a Charlotte school press release. “It has been a tremendous privilege to lead the 49ers basketball program over the past five years and I want to thank Niner Nation for its support. I will be forever grateful to my staff, players and the University. I can only hope that the impact we made on our student-athletes is as strong as the impact they have made on us.”

Sanchez went 72-78 overall in five seasons.

Charlotte finished fifth this past regular season in Conference USA, nine games behind league winner FAU, which advanced to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. The 49ers are moving to the American Athletic Conference this season.

But the allure of reuniting with Virginia head coach Tony Bennett was apparently too strong for Sanchez to resist. Sanchez served nine seasons on Bennett’s staff at Virginia from 2009-18, the last three as associate head coach. Sanchez also served as an assistant to Bennett for three seasons at Washington State (2006-09).

“The University of Virginia is truly special to me and my family,” Sanchez said in Virginia release posted minutes after the Charlotte announcement. “It is the only institution I would vacate my head coaching position for. I’m thankful for the opportunity to return to Grounds with a new-found lens and perspective.”

Charlotte said it will begin a national search to replace Sanchez.

–Field Level Media