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Justice Bartley announces decision to transfer from men’s basketball team

Former walk-on sets sights on playing elsewhere after graduation

<p>Justice Bartley will be graduating early with a degree in Sociology from Virginia in May.</p>

Justice Bartley will be graduating early with a degree in Sociology from Virginia in May.

With the transfer window now open in the college basketball offseason, Virginia men’s basketball junior guard Justice Bartley has announced in a tweet Tuesday night his intent to transfer from the Virginia basketball program for the upcoming season. Bartley will be graduating early with a degree in Sociology from Virginia in May.


Hailing from Lilburn, Ga., Bartley joined Virginia Coach Tony Bennett’s team as a walk-on in the 2015 season, picking the Cavaliers over Cornell, Columbia and UNLV among other schools. A very dedicated student, Bartley came to Virginia with high aspirations for academics as well as for the ability to develop under Bennett and his staff. He is also a hometown childhood friend of graduating Virginia forward Isaiah Wilkins.

While he never became a mainstay on the court for Virginia, Bartley became known for his glue-guy mentality with the strong bond he built with his teammates, as well as his charitable efforts. Struggling with epilepsy since his adolescence, Bartley has worked with the Epilepsy Foundation to raise awareness for the condition during his time in Charlottesville.

The highlight of Bartley’s playing career with the Cavaliers came after a blowout win at Virginia Tech this season, as Bennett awarded him a scholarship in front of his teammates in the locker room. Bartley knocked down a three-pointer late in the game, eliciting an uproar from his teammates and Virginia fans at Cassell Coliseum.

Bartley will look to continue his playing career at a different school with a year of eligibility left, presumably somewhere he can get more minutes of playing time.

The former walk-on leaves Charlottesville having made a great impact as a loyal, fun-loving teammate and change-maker in the community — taking the pillars Bennett has laid out for his program in stride.

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