Villanova is about to rent Maryland’s Kevin Willard as its subsequent head coach, sources advised FOX Sports activities early Sunday morning.
Willard is departing Faculty Park after going 65-38 during the last three seasons with two NCAA Match journeys and taking the Terrapins to this system’s first Candy 16 since 2016. Maryland fell to No. 1-seeded Florida, 87-71, on Thursday.
Earlier than arriving at Maryland in 2022, Willard spent 12 years teaching within the Large East at Seton Corridor, the place he charged the Pirates to 5 NCAA Tournaments in six seasons earlier than departing for Faculty Park.Â
Now, Willard will head to the Primary Line to attempt to recreate what a former rival of his, Jay Wright, had rolling at Villanova earlier than Kyle Neptune took over in 2022.
Willard, who has Northeast roots, had turn out to be disconnected with the Maryland athletic division in latest weeks. The 49-year-old head coach lately voiced frustrations with Maryland higher-ups, and after athletic director Damon Evans left to take the identical job at SMU final week, the Terrapins’ athletic division has been left in a state of chaos as interim AD Colleen Sorem took over.Â
Willard’s relationship with Sorem had soured in latest months, based on sources, significantly throughout an change in December when Sorem wouldn’t permit the staff to remain in New York Metropolis for an additional night time in the course of the vacation season.
“Dropping the athletic director has been slightly exhausting, to be trustworthy,” Willard mentioned in a radio interview on the “Kevin Sheehan Present” on Wednesday. “I wasn’t anticipating Damon to go away for SMU. However I have been working with [Maryland Deputy Athletic Director/Chief Strategy Officer] Brian Ullman and everybody within the division, they usually’ve been nice.Â
“I do not need monumental issues. I simply need this program to be one of the best it may be,” Willard added. “I am not asking for that a lot. I do not need somebody telling me we will do it— I would like it in my contract. I do not need folks making selections about my program who aren’t concerned in my program. These are large ones for me. I stay it, breathe it, every single day. This fan base expects it, however this place hasn’t been handled that manner for a very long time. My objective is to get it there.”
Maryland had ready a monetary bundle to make Willard one of many 10 highest paid coaches in America, sources advised FOX Sports activities. However this transfer was a household determination to be close to his earlier house state of New Jersey and to be the king at a faculty he gained main respect for in his Large East days – Villanova.
John Fanta is a nationwide school basketball broadcaster and author for FOX Sports activities. He covers the game in quite a lot of capacities, from calling video games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Community to offering commentary on The Subject of 68 Media Community. Observe him at @John_Fanta.
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