The worst-kept secret in faculty basketball is now fully out of the bag.
Kevin Willard is bolting Maryland to turn into the Villanova head coach after an unpleasant saga during which the 49-year-old brazenly griped about features of this system in the course of the group’s March Insanity run.
The Terrapins, a No. 4 seed, had been eradicated by No. 1 Florida within the Candy 16 on Thursday, and Villanova introduced the hiring of Willard on Sunday.
“I need to make fundamental changes to the program,” Willard stated in the beginning of the NCAA Match. “That’s what I’m focused on right now. That’s why probably a deal hasn’t got done [to stay with the program] because I want to see, I need to see fundamental changes done. I want this program to be great. I want it to be the best in the country, I want to win a national championship, but there’s things that need to change.”
Willard talked about NIL income share being a “first and foremost” downside, but additionally took difficulty with the varsity’s funds for journey.
“I also have to make a fundamental change where I can do the things that I want to do with my program,” Willard stated. “I wanted to spend an extra night in New York this year to celebrate Christmas with my team and I was told that we can’t do that because it’s too expensive. So, I don’t know how we can be a top-tier program and I can’t spend one extra night in New York because it’s too expensive.”
He additionally revealed that Maryland’s athletics director, Damon Evans, was leaving the college for a similar job at SMU.
Willard, who led Seton Corridor to 5 NCAA Match appearances throughout his 12-year run main this system, joined Maryland three years in the past.
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Maryland was providing Willard a elevate that will’ve given him roughly $6 million a 12 months, in line with CBS Sports activities.
That apparently wasn’t sufficient to maintain him in Faculty Park, and “influential Maryland people” had been annoyed in latest days by Willard being “non-responsive,” CBS Sports activities reported.
The Lengthy Island native replaces Kyle Neptune, the ex-Fordham coach who was fired after three seasons.
Villanova hasn’t made the NCAA Match since Jay Wright left three years in the past after a Remaining 4 run.
They had been nationwide champions in 2016 and ’18.
