Villanova Appoints Kevin Willard of Maryland as New Head Coach

Villanova announced the appointment of Kevin Willard as their new head basketball coach on Sunday.

The details of his contract were not disclosed.

Willard led Maryland to a 27-9 record this season, but they were ultimately defeated by top-seeded Florida in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. During his three seasons with the Terrapins, he achieved a 65-39 record and made two tournament appearances.

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However, Willard's time at Maryland seemed to be coming to an end when he openly expressed dissatisfaction with the program before the start of the NCAA Tournament.

\"I am focused on making fundamental changes to the program,\" Willard stated. \"That is why a deal to stay with the program has not been finalized, because I want to see these changes implemented. I want this program to be the best in the country and win a national championship, but there are things that need to change.\"

In response, Maryland officials released a statement on Sunday morning, stating that they had made efforts to keep Willard at the university.

\"We made a strong effort to retain Coach Willard, offering him a significant contract extension, salary increase, new staff, and one of the highest revenue-share budgets in the Big Ten Conference,\" the statement read.

\"We had extensive discussions about the program and shared the same vision for Maryland Basketball. Ultimately, he made the decision that he felt was best for him and his family. On behalf of all of Terrapin Nation, we thank Coach Willard and his family for their service and wish them all the best.\"

Maryland has now begun a national search for a new coach.

At Villanova, Willard takes over for Kyle Neptune, who was fired on March 15 after a disappointing three seasons as head coach following the retirement of Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright. The Wildcats ended their season with a 73-56 loss to UConn in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament, finishing with a 19-14 record (11-9 Big East).

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\"Coach Willard is an exceptional leader and brings a wealth of experience and success as a head coach to Villanova,\" said athletic director Eric Roedl. \"We are excited for the future of Villanova basketball under his guidance.\"

Willard, 49, expressed his excitement about joining the Villanova community with his family.

\"Villanova basketball has a rich tradition of excellence and a culture that is unmatched in college basketball,\" he said. \"We are honored to be a part of it and become a part of the Villanova community.\"

Willard is returning to the Big East after spending 12 seasons as head coach at Seton Hall. He led the Pirates to five NCAA Tournament appearances and a share of the Big East regular-season title in 2020.

In his career, Willard has a record of 335-249 as head coach at Iona (2007-10), Seton Hall (2010-22), and Maryland (2022-25).