Bennett Promotes Carpenter and Wilkins; Adds Coleman to Staff

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Dean and Markel Families Men’s Head Basketball Coach Tony Bennett has promoted Johnny Carpenter and Isaiah Wilkins to assistant coaches and has added Chase Coleman as a graduate assistant, announced Wednesday (July 12).

Carpenter, who enters his ninth season at Virginia, has been elevated to an assistant coach after serving as UVA’s director of player personnel the past five seasons. The 2013 UVA grad has been instrumental in player development, opponent and self-scouting, recruiting and video analysis. Carpenter earned his master’s degree in higher education administration from UVA in 2014 and MBA from UVA’s Darden School of Business in 2023.

Wilkins is promoted to assistant coach after serving the past two seasons as a graduate assistant. The former UVA standout has played a significant role in player development, scouting, recruiting and video analysis. Wilkins returned to Grounds in 2021 after a successful three-year professional career. Wilkins, who earned his UVA undergraduate degree in 2018, completed his master’s degree in higher education at UVA in 2023.

Coleman joins the staff as a graduate assistant after a successful four-year playing career for the Cavaliers from 2020-23. Coleman, who appeared in 33 games, was a four-time ACC Honor Roll member and two-time Sidney Young Memorial Award for Excellence recipient.

“We are thrilled to promote Johnny and Isaiah, and add Chase to our coaching staff,” Bennett said. “Johnny and Isaiah have done an outstanding job working with our guys and are worthy of these promotions. We’re fortunate to keep Chase in our program as a graduate assistant. All three of these guys are outstanding coaches and have impacted our program in many ways.”