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Kevin Willard will be the next head basketball coach at Villanova according to recent reports. The news comes shortly after Maryland’s season ended in the Sweet 16.
Willard’s name has been linked to the gig for some time. He did little to quiet the speculation.
The Terps went 27-9 this year and reached the second weekend of the Big Dance for the first time in a decade. All the while, rumors of Willard’s imminent departure swirled.
Initially, the head coach used it as leverage, making a list of demands for administration. NIL budget was the key factor. Willard wanted to see an investment made in his program.
Kevin Willard was unhappy in his situation at Maryland. Still, many believed he’d eventually return after voicing his displeasure. He said as much up through this weekend.
“As of right now, I’m staying,” he was heard stating prior to the Terrapins’ Sweet 16 matchup with Florida. “I want to make this program the best.” Throughout the process, he told his players the same. He lied.
Rodney Rice on Kevin Willard’s future and the Sweet 16 loss to Florida
On Willard: “He’s been transparent with us… he said he was staying, he’s fighting for some changes”
Says it wasn’t a distraction heading into the game#Terps pic.twitter.com/fC6WmrJZJU
— NBC4 Sports (@NBC4Sports) March 28, 2025
Kevin Willard is bailing for Villanova.
News of that move was announced in the middle of the night Saturday. The coach supposedly met with the team Sunday morning to inform players of his decision. Villanova officially welcomed Willard the same day.
The worst-kept secret in college hoops is official: Kevin Willard to Villanova.
Willard turned his affair into a marriage, forcing UMD to find a coach at a bad time, when some coaches have made their moves and the transfer portal’s been churning for a week, injecting urgency.
— Jeff Ermann (@Jeff_Ermann) March 30, 2025
The timing isn’t ideal for the Terps. They’ll get a late start on the transfer portal. They could also see some roster attrition given the coaching change. A number of replacement coaching candidates have already been scooped up – and the school is still without an AD.
Prior to the announcement, Willard denied being duplicitous in his dealings with Villanova. He claimed to have not spoken with anyone from any other university.
Kevin Willard on his future:
“I don’t know what I’m gonna do, I’ll just be honest with you… My biggest concern, right now… I don’t know who my boss is gonna be. And that worries me, I’m just being honest… I love Maryland. But I have to take everything into consideration” pic.twitter.com/VJTxNEXPCm
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 28, 2025
That seems unlikely given how quickly negotiations unfolded after the Terps’ season ended. It also sounded very much like the response he’d had before accepting the Maryland job three years ago.
Kevin Willard told his players he was staying put. He told administration he’d planned to make Maryland the top basketball school in the nation. He denied having contact with Villanova. Then, he bolted in the middle of the night to accept his new gig.