Leitao out after Cavs’ worst showing since 1969-70

SLIDESHOW: A brief look back

Leitao’s total didn’t match the sum of the parts at U.Va.

Tech’s Greenberg disappointed Leitao is gone

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- The Dave Leitao era at the University of Virginia ended abruptly yesterday, little more than two years after he was named ACC men's basketball coach of the year.

As recently as a week ago, signs pointed toward Leitao's returning for a fifth season. But the Cavaliers' performance at the ACC tournament, coupled with concerns about Leitao's demeanor with his players, convinced school officials that an immediate change was warranted.

At a meeting with U.Va. Athletic Director Craig Littlepage yesterday, Leitao agreed to resign, effective immediately. The university, in a release, said Leitao "determined it was in the best interests of the program to step down."

In four seasons under Leitao, the Cavaliers posted a 63-60 overall record. They were 27-37 in ACC regular-season games and advanced to the NCAA tournament once, in 2006-07.

Virginia finished 10-18, stumbling through a first-round loss to Boston College in the ACC tournament Thursday night to bring the season to a close. Not since 1969-70, when the Cavaliers went 10-15, had they won so few games. U.Va.'s winning percentage was its worst since the 1966-67 team finished 9-17.

It didn't help Leitao, either, that U.Va. fans' enthusiasm for him and program fell off dramatically this season. Average announced attendance for games at 14,593-seat John Paul Jones Arena was 10,219, and the actual crowds often were much smaller.

U.Va.'s players learned of Leitao's fate yesterday afternoon. The father of freshman Sylven Landesberg, the ACC rookie of the year, said the family was upset by the news.

"We love Dave Leitao," Steve Landesberg said.

However, he added, coaches may come and go, "but Virginia is always going to be there. I love the school, and Sylven's not going anywhere. He's coming back to Virginia next year, just like we always planned. It's just that simple."

Leitao, who had four years left on a contract that paid him about $1 million annually, will receive about $2.1 million from the school. While Virginia's official statement called Leitao's departure a resignation, $2.1 million is the amount his contract called for if U.Va. fired him.

Virginia has launched a national search for Leitao's successor.

"We expect to attract a strong pool of candidates interested in becoming a part of our university community," Littlepage said in a release. He added that U.Va. "has a promising nucleus of young players who we expect will continue to develop."

They include the 6-6 Landesberg, 6-8 Mike Scott, 7-0 Assane Sene, 6-11 John Brandenburg, 6-4 Jeff Jones and 6-1 Sammy Zeglinski, all of whom have at least two seasons of eligibility left.

In its search for Leitao's successor, U.Va. is expected to focus on such coaches as Tubby Smith (Minnesota), Jeff Capel (Oklahoma), Lon Kruger (UNLV) and, perhaps, Sean Miller (Xavier). Capel, a former Duke standout, coached at Virginia Commonwealth University before taking the Oklahoma job.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch's attempts to reach Leitao and Littlepage were unsuccessful. The release issued by U.Va. yesterday afternoon included no comments from Leitao, but Littlepage said, "Dave has been a respected colleague and a fine university representative in the local community during his tenure here. He brought a great deal of leadership, discipline and integrity to his coaching responsibilities."

One of the first public signs that Leitao might be in trouble came Friday during the ACC tournament. Given two opportunities to state definitively that Leitao would be back as Virginia's coach in 2009-10, Littlepage declined to do so. In e-mails to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Littlepage said only that "Dave's our coach."

In November, when asked about his football coach's status for the 2009 season, Littlepage had left no wiggle room.

"Al Groh will be our head coach," Littlepage said then in an e-mail to the T-D.

Two high school seniors signed with U.Va. in November -- 6-7 forward Tristan Spurlock of Woodbridge and 5-11 point guard Jontel Evans of Hampton -- and each could ask to be released from his letter of intent.

Neither player could be reached last night. But Evans' coach at Bethel High, Craig Brehon, said Leitao and U.Va. assistant Steve Seymour called Evans yesterday before the official announcement. For now, at least, Evans' "focus is U.Va., and he's committed to the university and the community," Brehon said.

His advice to Evans, Brehon said, was to let U.Va. "go ahead and select a new coach. When that happens, you need to sit down with your family and meet the new coach and see his philosophy and where you fit in with that."

Leitao took over for Pete Gillen, who resigned under pressure in March 2005, and Leitao's tenure started in promising fashion. Picked to finish last in the ACC in 2005-06, Virginia tied for seventh and advanced to the NIT.

In 2006-07, led by guards Sean Singletary and J.R. Reynolds, U.Va. shared the ACC regular-season title with North Carolina. Leitao was named ACC coach of the year, and his team reached the NCAA tournament's second round.

In Leitao's third season, however, the Wahoos dipped to 5-11 in the ACC and 17-16 overall, and they had to settle for a trip to the less-than-prestigious College Basketball Invitational.

Contact Jeff White at (804) 649-6838 or .