NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Old Dominion men’s basketball head coach Jeff Jones is retiring from coaching after 32 years as a head coach, including 11 with the Monarchs.

“It’s just very, very simple, it’s time,” an emotional Jones said in a press conference announcing his retirement on Monday. “When I thought about it, there’s still a part of me, not an insignificant part, that wants to coach. There’s nothing more than I would like to do than come back another year and kind of fix things, to go out on a different note, so to speak.”

Jones, 63, was been plagued by health issues over his tenure. In 2015, he first announced he had prostate cancer, something he’s continued to battle with since. He’s been on medical leave since December, when he suffered a heart attack during ODU’s trip to Hawaii for a tournament.

Jones though said his decision wasn’t due to his health.

“I’m eating healthier than I have maybe in my entire life. I should take stock in a salad company or something, but I’m walking a lot, I’m getting out and hopefully doing all the right things, and I feel great. But I think a big part of the feeling great is also not having that stress that I’ve had for 41 years as a coach, 32 as a head coach. And believe me it’s different not being in that pressure cooker.”

“So while I thought well I’m feeling great maybe one more year. The more I thought about it, there’s a lot of things to look forward to, and I did want to prioritize my family, my health and happiness. Being happy is really, really, really underrated.”

Jones acknowledged it’s “not the ideal timing” for his team, but he felt like it would be “dishonest or disingenuous to know that I was going to step away and to not go ahead and do it.”

Current and former players offered praise for Jones.

The former UVA star point guard will finish his 32-year coaching career as the 19th winningest active coach in NCAA men’s basketball and 94th all time with a record of 560-418.

He went 203-131 with the Monarchs since taking over in 2013, making the NCAA Tournament in 2019 and winning Conference USA Coach of the Year (he was also Coach of the Year twice at American in 2002 and 2009). He also led ODU to its first ever Division I top-25 ranking in 2015.

ODU assistant Kieran Donohue, who came to ODU with Jones from American, took over interim head coaching duties in Jones’ absence. ODU has gone 7-22 this season, but got the win over Coastal Carolina Saturday for Senior Night with Jones in attendance. Jones hadn’t been to an ODU game since early December since he suffered the heart attack.

ODU will conduct a search for its next coach, and Jones says he hopes they “find that right guy” and he’ll be around in the community to support the program going forward.

“I want to make sure we’re all doing what we can for the next person … I want them and Old Dominion to do great.”

Jones says he’s considering helping organizations like Coaches for Cancer or doing basketball camps going forward, and overall really wants to do something to impact people.