Kevin Willard has been named the new head coach of the University of Maryland men’s basketball team.
The school’s athletic department officially announced the hire in a news release Monday morning.
Willard, formerly the head coach at Seton Hall since 2010, is the successor to Mark Turgeon, who coached the Terps for more than a decade and stepped down late last year.
“We are thrilled to welcome Kevin to the Terrapin family,” said Damon Evans, Maryland’s director of athletics, in a statement. “We are excited about the future of Maryland basketball with Kevin leading the way.”
At Seton Hall, in New Jersey, Willard recently coached the team to its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last six events that were played. He has won a regular season Big East Conference championship, conference tournament championship and been named conference coach of the year.
“Growing up and coaching in the region, I have always admired the Maryland basketball program and being named the new head coach of one of the biggest brands in college basketball is a tremendous honor,” Willard, a native New Yorker, said in a statement. “Thank you to President Pines and Damon Evans for trusting me to reenergize this proud program as we look to galvanize our passionate fanbase with a gritty, hard-working style of basketball. Having coached against Maryland several times and at XFINITY Center, I know how Terp fans feel about their team and understand their expectations.”
The past season, Willard led Seton Hall to a 21-11 overall record, going 11-8 in conference play. His teams have posted .500 or better records in the last nine consecutive seasons and he’s second all-time in wins in Seton Hall basketball history, earning 225 victories.
A news conference, open to members of the media and the general public, will be held at the XFINITY Center on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
“On behalf of the entire University of Maryland community, it is my honor to welcome Coach Kevin Willard and his family to College Park,” university President Darryll J. Pines, said in a statement. “As a leader, coach, mentor, and teacher, Coach Willard is a tremendous choice to lead our men’s basketball program into its next era of distinction.”
