Virginia coach Tony Bennett publicly responded on behalf of the university and the city of Charlottesville in the wake of violent altercations between neo-Nazis and counter-protesters which resulted in three deaths over the weekend. 

Virginia posted a two-minute video of Bennett, among the country's most respected coaches, speaking about the city's pride, diversity and desire for equality. Bennett is fairly close to the vest on a lot of matters, so his public response would be considered unusual. 

"I'm deeply troubled and saddened by what's taken place in Charlottesville over the past few days, but I love this community, I love the people of Charlottesville, the town, the University of Virginia and what it stands for," Bennett said.

Bennett was not the only member of Virginia basketball speaking out. Kyle Guy, who could be one of the nation's best sophomores next season, posted this on Twitter:

On Wednesday, a memorial service was held for Heather Heyer, the 32-year old who was killed when a white supremacist drove his car into a crowd of people Saturday afternoon in downtown Charlottesville. Heyer's death in the protest, in addition to two state troopers who died in a helicopter crash while working the scene, has dominated national headlines since Saturday. 

This is the second time in less than a year the Virginia program has taken a stance on an issue outside of basketball. In 2016, the team posted a photo in support of Colin Kaepernick's right to protest during the National Anthem.