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Next man up. Longwood basketball didn’t have to look far for a new leader to extend the tradition of excellence established under Griff Aldrich. Ronnie Thomas – an assistant coach whose ever-present smile and relentless positive energy have already endeared him to Longwood players and the Farmville community – will serve as the program’s next head coach, athletic director Tim Hall announced Sunday.

A Virginia native and member of Longwood’s staff since 2020, Thomas has been instrumental in the team’s ascent to two NCAA Tournament bids and as a perennial Big South contender under Aldrich, who has accepted a position at the University of Virginia, his law school alma mater, after seven years in Farmville.

‘Ronnie Thomas has earned the respect of players’

“Our mission for Longwood basketball is a sustainable culture of success, advancing the university,” Hall said. “During his five years at Longwood, Ronnie Thomas has earned the respect of players and everyone he’s come into contact with as a tremendous coach and a leader of great character. He is ready to step up and lead our program.”

“Griff often talks about ‘pouring into the root,’ which is what he and Julie have done to this program and university for the past seven years,” said Hall. “We are fortunate to have had this family leading our program and wish them the best of luck in Charlottesville.”

“Longwood will be forever grateful to Griff and Julie Aldrich for all they have done for our university and our home community of Farmville, and we wish them every happiness and success in this exciting new chapter for them,” said President Taylor Reveley. “These have been fulcrum years, full of such hard work and success.”

“Their legacy includes not just the on-court triumphs but a foundation of exceptional people around our program,” Reveley continued. “Many in Lancer Nation already know Ronnie Thomas, and the rest will soon come to love him. He’s a great basketball mind and a fierce competitor, but also a wonderful person who understands and values Longwood basketball’s values of community, engagement, and lifting up the entire university.”

Thomas seen as a relationship builder

At his core, Thomas is a relationship-builder. He is a familiar sight walking around campus–with or without his signature bow tie on–talking by phone with prospective student-athletes, parents, players, and alumni. That ease of personal connection is rare and extraordinarily valuable in the rapidly changing world of college basketball

Thomas’s enthusiastic coaching style has endeared him to players and fans alike. At the sound of almost every whistle that stops play, he bounds to his feet, waving his hands and coaching players for the precious few seconds before play begins again – much to the delight of fans in the Joan Perry Brock Center.

“I’m humbled and excited to be named head coach of the Lancers,” said Thomas. “So many great things have been done over the last seven years here, not just on the basketball floor but across campus, and we are ready to continue building with a lot of joy in the process. I can’t thank Tim Hall and President Reveley enough for putting their faith in me to lead this team into the future.”

“We wish all the best to the Aldrich family as they move from Farmville to Charlottesville,” said Farmville mayor Brian Vincent, a Longwood season ticket holder. “From day one they made an immeasurable impact on our community, paralleling the impact Coach Griff had building the men’s basketball program into a Big South powerhouse, and I have no doubt that Coach Thomas will continue to build on the success Griff bred here at Longwood. The decision to pass the torch to Ronnie Thomas ignited my family’s excitement to remain season ticket holders. We can’t wait to cheer Coach Thomas and the Lancers on next season!”

A Roanoke native, Thomas joined the Longwood men’s basketball team in 2020 as the director of recruiting and player development and was promoted to assistant coach the next year. He previously served as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Guilford College, where he helped guide the team to the Elite Eight in one of their two Division III NCAA Tournament appearances.

Remembering Aldrich’s legacy

Thomas picks up a legacy he helped build under Aldrich, whose seven-year tenure saw two Big South championships and NCAA Tournament March Madness appearances (2022, 2024), and the program’s first back-to-back 20-win seasons, a streak that eventually stretched to three. Aldrich was a finalist for the 2023 Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award for success and integrity on and off the court.

“Griff is a builder,” said Thomas. “He had a vision for what Longwood basketball could become, and I was lucky enough to come in near the beginning of that process and be a part of that build. It wasn’t just about creating a winning program–it was about creating a program that the community can be proud of and that helps the university as a whole.

“Personally, he invested a lot in me and gave me increasing responsibility each year so that one day I would be ready to step into a head coaching role. We are a great blend of personalities and that has led to a great friendship, and I’m grateful to be a part of this program and university. I wish Griff and his family all the best in Charlottesville and know that he will bring the same energy, passion, and pursuit of excellence that he instilled in all of us at Longwood.”

In 2023, Longwood opened the Joan Perry Brock Center, which immediately became the toughest place to play in the Big South. Under Aldrich, the Lancers were 25-7 (.781) at home in the JPB, and made 12 national television appearances on ESPNU, including three times in each of the last three seasons.

He became the fastest coach to 100 wins in program history, and he departs tied with Ron Carr for the second-most wins in program history with 127.

“To say the last seven years have been the fulfillment of a boyhood dream does not properly capture the experience I have enjoyed here at Longwood,” said Aldrich. “To strive to build a program and do so with wonderful people throughout this University and the broader community, which has fully embraced me and my family, has been one of the greatest joys of my life. There are so many people to thank – starting with President Reveley and Troy Austin who entrusted this program to an inexperienced coach and provided the encouragement and support to build. To all of our players and staff and fans – this journey has been beyond special for me and my family!

“I could not be more excited for Ronnie and Brittany as they begin this new adventure. It has been a joy to watch Ronnie’s evolution over the past five years as I have had the privilege of watching him mature into an excellent basketball coach. Ronnie has all of the key attributes to lead this program to higher levels and I will be cheering him and the Lancers along all the way!”

Thomas and his wife, Brittany, live in Farmville with their child and dogs.