Multiple officials, including members of the Virginia staff, said women’s basketball coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton is the subject of an internal investigation into allegations of staff abuse.
Dawn Staley talks about her heated battle with Geno Auriemma and defeating Collegiate Con in the Final Four
USA TODAY Sports’ Megan Hall asked Dawn Staley about her postgame exchange with Geno Auriemma and how her team destroyed the University in the Final Four.
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Virginia on Saturday fired Amaka Agugua-Hamilton, the women’s basketball coach who led the Cavaliers to their first Sweet 16 since 2000.
On the surface, the decision was puzzling. Agugua Hamilton, also known as “Coach Mox,” has one year left on his contract and Virginia is coming off its most successful season in nearly 30 years. All-ACC standout Kyimora Johnson also could return for his senior season in 2026-27.
However, four people familiar with the situation at the University of Virginia, including several within the program with direct knowledge, told USA TODAY Sports that Agua-Hamilton was the subject of an internal investigation. The NCAA women’s basketball head coach, two assistant coaches and an administrator spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic. There were also allegations of abuse by staff within the program.
Virginia State athletics director Carla Williams and two athletics department spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for comment from USA TODAY Sports. Representatives for Agua Hamilton also did not respond to requests for comment.
A three-sentence news release announcing Agugua-Hamilton’s firing posted on Virginia’s website reads: “Virginia Athletics announced today (April 4) that Amaka Agugua-Hamilton will not return as head coach of the women’s basketball program. Agugua-Hamilton finished her four-year tenure at UVA with a 70-58 record, including 29-42 in the ACC. A national search will begin immediately.”
Williams hired Agugua Hamilton in 2022 to rebuild the program. Former coach Tina Thompson, who was hired in 2018 over candidates like Cori Close and Neale Ivey, took over a team that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament the previous season but was unable to sustain that success. Thompson’s teams went 30-63 overall and won 15 games in the ACC in four seasons.
Prior to attending the University of Virginia, Agugua-Hamilton was the head coach at Missouri State University, where he compiled a record of 74-15 with two appearances in the NCAA Tournament. She then helped lead Virginia to three Final Four appearances in the early 1990s, once again becoming a contender, increasing the number of wins each season. This past year, the Cavaliers went 22-12 overall and 11-7 in ACC play, the most wins in the conference since 2000.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, who played in all of the Final Four with the Cavaliers, was surprised to hear Saturday that Agugua Hamilton had been fired.
“I don’t know what went wrong, but I think she got it on the right track,” Staley said. “I hope we can come together. There is a very rich tradition at UVA on this stage. We hope to get our team back there as soon as possible.”
Agugua Hamilton’s Virginia team defeated Arizona State and then top seeds Georgia and Iowa to advance to the Sweet 16 of this year’s tournament. No. 10 seeded University of Virginia became the first double-digit seed to advance to the regional semifinals in the women’s NCAA Tournament since 2022.
Agugua-Hamilton went 70-58 overall and 29-42 in ACC play in four seasons.
Now, Williams needs to hire a third women’s basketball coach, but it will have to be done quickly as the transfer portal opens on Monday. Virginia starter Samya Smith, who averaged 7.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, announced Saturday that she is entering the transfer portal “due to a coaching change and uncertainty.” Redshirt sophomore Olivia McGee announced last week that she would be entering the portal.
The University of Virginia’s head coaching vacancy is widely viewed among agents and coaches in the women’s basketball world as the best available vacancy this season. The Cavaliers have historically invested in women’s basketball, as USF poached an incumbent Power 4 head coach for Opening Day. The program is largely funded by Virginia native Alexis Ohanian. Alexis Ohanian founded Reddit and is married to tennis superstar Serena Williams.
