Ryan Odom’s emotional tribute to Bill Courtney

Virginia Cavaliers coach Ryan Odom delivered an emotional message Tuesday night following the Cavaliers’ 79-70 road win over the No. 20 Louisville Cardinalsas the basketball world mourned the sudden death of longtime assistant coach Bill Courtney.

I’m leaving visibly shaken and fighting back tearsreflected on Courtney’s death after the game, reflecting on his professional impact and personal friendship.

“Today we lost a dear friend in our coaching profession. Bill Courtney, who was an assistant coach at Temple University and an assistant coach at UVA,” Odom said, via VRIC’s Nolan Knight. “He and I worked together at Virginia Tech and a few years there, and he was just a dear friend to a lot of people in this business and, you know, it’s just a reminder to all of us about the wins, the losses, the things that happen in our game, sometimes we get caught up and lose sight of, you know, what’s most important and that our friends and family were better than our friends and family were. Courtney nobody.”

Courtney, who was 55, died unexpectedly, according to Temple University, where he had just joined the Owls staff in June. Temple described the loss as a “sudden passage” and did not give further details. Courtney’s death sent shockwaves through the college basketball community, especially among those who worked closely with him during his more than 30-year coaching career.

Temple University is deeply saddened to announce the sudden death of Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Bill Courtney.

🔗https://t.co/vuPSRgHZni pic.twitter.com/jlodv2PNFj

— Temple Men’s Basketball (@TUMBBHoops) January 13, 2026

Courtney’s influence extended far beyond the court. Known for his positivity and ability to connect with players and staff, he left lasting impressions wherever he coached.

“Every day he came into the office, he had a smile on his face and he made people happy. He made his players happy. He made his co-workers happy and, most importantly, his family. And that’s why he’s going to be sorely missed.” the UVA coach added.

UVA head coach Ryan Odom showed some raw emotion tonight when discussing the loss of former UVA and VT assistant Bill Courtney who he coached with in Blacksburg.

“Sometimes we lose sight of what is most important.

Video courtesy of Virginia Sports TV pic.tvitter.com/bFSIGjpPIt

— Nolan Knight 8Sports (@NolanKnightJr) January 14, 2026

Courtney had an extensive resume, serving as the head coach at Cornell from 2010-2016 and working on staffs at Virginia, Virginia Tech, Miami, Providence, George Mason, DePaul, Bowling Green and America. He also helped Miami reach the Final Four in 2023. He was appointed last season Interim coach of Miami after the retirement of Jim Larranaga.

While Virginia earned its first division win of the Ryan Odom era with a gritty performance in Louisville, the result felt secondary to Courtney’s passing. As the Cavaliers move forward, Odom’s words served as a reminder that basketball accomplishments fade, but relationships built in the game last much longer.