Darius Thompson, Virginia guard, to transfer

First, Marial Shayok and Jarred Reuter said they were leaving Virginia. Thursday, Darius Thompson added his name to the list of departures.

Thompson, a redshirt junior guard, told Cavaliers coach Tony Bennett that he would transfer out of the program.

“Darius Thompson informed me he has decided to play his final season at another school following his graduation from Virginia,” Bennett said in a statement. “Although you never want to see young men transfer, I understand this is part of coaching. Darius, Marial, and Jarred feel it’s in their best interests to pursue other options for the remainder of their college careers. I will always appreciate the contributions they made to our program.

“Two of our main priorities for Virginia basketball are to continue to build a winning culture and serve the young men in the program. I know Darius, Marial and Jarred have been served well and have also been part of a winning culture during their time at UVA.”

Thompson averaged 5.2 points and 1.8 assists in 70 career games during the two seasons he played at Virginia. Shayok, who was a junior guard, averaged 5.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 103 career games, including 23 starts, during his three seasons at Virginia.

Reuter appeared in 58 games during his two seasons at UVA. He averaged 2.8 points and 1.6 rebounds in eight minutes per game.

Thompson and Shayok leaving significantly shortens the Cavalier’ depth and experience for next season.