UVA introduces new women’s basketball coach

Aaron Roussell was not ready for his first college head coaching job. Just 24 years old and in his first year as an assistant women’s basketball coach at the University of Chicago, he was named interim coach two weeks before the start of the 2004-05 season after the head coach resigned unexpectedly.

“At that point, I wanted nothing to do with being thrown into being a head coach,” he said. “I didn’t feel like I was prepared. … I didn’t get to learn from folks.”

Twenty-two years, three schools and 460 coaching victories later, Roussell feels vastly more prepared for his new job as UVA’s women’s basketball coach. Roussell was hired April 7 and introduced at a press conference April 13.

Roussell comes from the University of Richmond, where he coached for seven seasons. His teams there made the NCAA Tournament the past three seasons while compiling a record of 83-21. He was named Atlantic 10 Conference coach of the year in 2024 and 2025.

Roussell also coached for seven seasons at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania after eight seasons at the University of Chicago.

His track record of winning at strong academic institutions makes him a natural fit at UVA, Director of Athletics Carla Williams said.

“He checks every box that we needed checking,” she said.

Roussell replaces Amaka Agugua-Hamilton, who was fired April 4 despite leading the Cavaliers to their first NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance since 2000.

Williams declined to comment on why Agugua-Hamilton was dismissed. Citing sources, USA Today reported that Agugua-Hamilton was the subject of an internal investigation, and there were allegations of staff mistreatment.

Roussell said he was not in the market for a new job when UVA reached out. In fact, he and his family were on vacation in Jamaica, he said.

“We were not looking to leave Richmond,” Roussell said at his press conference. “Richmond is a great place. But this place is really special.”

One of Roussell’s first calls was to former Virginia great Dawn Staley (Col class of ’92), he said. A two-time national player of the year, Staley has won three national championships as head coach at the University of South Carolina.

Roussell said he also spoke to former UVA coach Debbie Ryan (Educ class of ’77), who won 739 games in 34 seasons from 1977 to 2011 and led the Cavaliers to three consecutive Final Four appearances from 1990 to 1992.

Roussell said he aims to bring that sort of sustained success back to UVA.

“This is a place that should win at the highest levels on the national stage,” he said.