The saga, and the Kevin Willard era at Maryland, are officially over: Villanova announced Sunday that they have hired Willard as their new head coach.
“Coach Willard quickly stood out among an impressive pool of candidates during a comprehensive national search,” Villanova president Rev. Peter M. Donohue said in a school statement announcing the hire. “Throughout the process, Coach Willard demonstrated that he has the vision and experience to guide Villanova Basketball in the changing world of college athletics. Beyond his notable success on the court, we were also impressed by his ability to articulate how Villanova Basketball fits into the overarching mission of the University.”
Willard leaves officially less than 72 hours after Maryland ended its season in the Sweet 16, winning 27 games before falling to now Final Four-bound Florida in the Regional Semifinals.
And that came about a week after Willard made waves with comments about the University’s commitment to the basketball program, the eventual departure of AD Damon Evans to SMU, and this quote about staying at Maryland (which was walked back and then reversed again later):
“My biggest concerns in life right now: I don’t know who my boss is going to be,” Willard said last week. “The guy that brought me here who I really like and am appreciative of him bringing me to College Park is not here anymore, and I don’t know who we’re going to hire. And in today’s day and age, that worries me a little bit. I’m just being honest.”
Now, the saga is over, and he’s gone, leaving the Terps without a coach or an AD to hire one.
"My family and I would like to thank the Villanova Board of Trustees, President Father Peter Donohue and Eric Roedl for this incredible opportunity," Willard said in the school release. "Villanova Basketball has a deep tradition of excellence and a culture that is second to none in college basketball. We are thrilled to be a part of it and join the Villanova community."
Willard will get to watch his new team up close and personal next week, as the Wildcats will be competing in the inaugural College Basketball Crown tournament in Las Vegas, starting with a first-round game against Colorado on Tuesday night. Mike Nardi, who had been an assistant under both Jay Wright and Kyle Neptune, will coach the squad officially, as he had been named interim head coach when Neptune was fired on March 15.