Villanova Men’s Basketball Hires Kevin Willard as Head Coach

Villanova Men’s Basketball announced the signing of Kevin Willard as their tenth head coach in program history on Sunday, March 30, bringing Willard’s lengthy contract storyline to a close.

No financial details of the agreement have been announced yet, but given that the Maryland Terrapins issued Willard an offer that would’ve made him among the top ten highest paid coaches in the sport (along with a renewed financial commitment to the program through revenue sharing and NIL), his contract will surely end up a costly one. Villanova will also pay Maryland $2 million for Willard’s buyout.

Per the Wildcats’ official press release, University President Rev. Peter M. Donahue said the following about Willard’s contract.

“Coach Willard quickly stood out among an impressive pool of candidates during a comprehensive national search,” Donohue said. “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.”

Wildcats’ athletic director Eric Roedl added the following.

“Coach Willard is an outstanding leader of young men and brings extensive experience and success as a head coach to Villanova,” Roedl said. “We are excited about the future of Villanova Basketball under his leadership, and look forward to welcoming Coach, his wife Julie, and their sons—Colin and Chase—to the Villanova community.”

Willard joins a Wildcats’ team that last made the NCAA Tournament in 2022. Possessing a 333-249 all-time record, Willard’s teams have made seven of the last nine NCAA Tournaments, including a 2016 Big East championship with Seton Hall and a Sweet Sixteen run with Maryland this season.