NCAA Champion Virginia Declines White House Visit
By Liam McKeone
Over the last few years, which championship team agrees to visit the White House and which doesn’t has been a matter of national interest. The Warriors and Eagles were quite open about why they refused, while the Red Sox had some players go but others did not.
On Friday, we found out which path the March Madness champions would be taking. Tony Bennett announced that the Virginia Cavaliers would be declining the invitation to visit the White House.
Tony Bennett has announced that Virginia's national championship men’s basketball team has declined an invitation to visit The White House.
— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) April 26, 2019
Earlier this year, the Clemson Tigers squad accepted their invitation, and were greeted with a fast food feast. It may be completely unprecedented for a college team to decline to visit the White House after winning a national championship. Bennett explained that it would be too complicated to organize a visit, with all of the moving parts that come with a college basketball team and the upcoming NBA draft.
"We have received inquiries about a visit to the White House. With several players either pursuing pro opportunities or moving on from UVA, it would be difficult, if not impossible to get everyone back together. We would have to respectfully decline an invitation.” - Tony Bennett
— Virginia Men's Basketball (@UVAMensHoops) April 26, 2019
It remains to be seen if Bennett’s squads will be trend-setters or if they’ll be the only team to decline the invitation.