Chance Mallory Announces He is Returning For Another Season at Virginia

One of the top freshmen guards in the ACC is going to be staying put in Charlottesville

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; IVirginia Cavaliers guard Chance Mallory (2) shoots the ball against the Tennessee Volunteers in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Virginia is losing a fair amount of veteran talent from this past year's team, but they have been intent on locking down the players already on the roster and today, guard Chance Mallory announced that he would be returning to Charlottesville next season. Mallory of course was born in Charlottesville, was committed to the program before Tony Bennett retired, decommitted, and then hopped back on board after Ryan Odom was hired.

🗣️ HOOS BACK

Chance Mallory WILL be back in the blue and orange #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/hBWPtju0af

— Virginia Men's Basketball (@UVAMensHoops) April 6, 2026

During the regular season, Mallory averaged 9.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals off the bench. He waas one of the best bench players in the ACC this past season and might see his role elevated in 2026-2027.

Virginia is going to be losing Dallin Hall, Malik Thomas, Jacari White, Ugonna Onyenso, and Devin Tillis from this year's team, meaning that Mallory is going to have to take a step up next season. Ryan Odom is of course going to attack the transfer portal when it opens tomorrow, but Mallory should be a core piece for this team heading into next season.

It was a big win to keep Mallory at home and away from other top programs and Odom has once again done that.

Mallory was a four-year letterwinner at St. Anne’s-Belfield (Charlottesville, Va.) from 2022-2025 . is the all-time STAB leader in points (2396), steals (293), assists (488), and wins (114) . Mallory holds the STAB single game scoring record (45 points), as well as the single game three point record (11) . As captain, he guided team to four VPL conference titles and earned three VPL tournament MVP nods . He was the three-time VPL Player of the Year, 2024 VISAA State Player of the Year and two-time Central Virginia Player of the Year , and named to the All-VPL team four times, the VPL All-Tournament team three times and the VISAA All-State three times

Mallory chose Virginia over Tennessee, Villanova, Vanderbilt, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Clemson, VCU, Miami, Seton Hall, Illinois, Iowa, Butler, West Virginia and UCF.

Will Mallory be a starter next season or still come off the bench? That remains to be seen given how we don't know what Odom is going to be doing in the transfer portal and he might like Mallory in the role that he was in this past season. He was a great spark off the bench when the team needed him and did a lot of things well, including shooting and running the offense.

Keeping Mallory was essential and he is back for another run at the NCAA Tournament and much more.