Kevin Willard, Villanova Agree to HC Contract After Maryland's Loss to Florida

The worst-kept secret in men's college basketball is now official.

Villanova reached an agreement with Kevin Willard to make him the head coach on Sunday.

ESPN's Jeff Borzello first reported the agreement.

Willard guided Maryland to a 27-9 record and the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament, the program's first trip to the regional semifinals since 2016.

Maryland President Darryll J. Pines released a statement following the announcement:

"We took a very proactive and aggressive approach to retain Coach Willard, offering a significant contract extension and salary increase, new staff, and one of the highest revenue-share budgets in the B1G Conference. We had long and thoughtful conversations about the program and shared the same vision for Maryland Basketball. In the end, he made the choice that he felt was best for him and his family. On behalf of all of Terrapin Nation, we thank Coach Willard and his family for their service and wish them well.

A national search has already begun for a new head coach. We are working with urgency and thoroughness to find the next leader of our program, and we are confident that we will find a coach who will continue to build and grow the legacy of success of Maryland Basketball."

For as much as he helped turn the Terrapins around, the fanbase steadily soured on the coach as this month unfolded. Their tourney run was overshadowed by rumors linking him with the Villanova job.

After Maryland lost 87-71 to Florida, Willard was noncommittal about what comes next.

"I don't know what I'm doing," he told reporters. "I haven't talked to my agent, my wife. I made a promise to this team. Just focus on this team, and that's what I've done. I haven't talked to anyone. I have an agent, I'm sure he's talking to people. That's what agents like to do."

A little over a week ago, Willard also took it upon himself to announce Maryland athletic director Damon Evans was leaving to take the same job at SMU. That news wasn't made official until a day later.

At this point, a lot of people in College Park, Maryland will be happy to see this saga end, even if it means the team needs a new coach.

Willard is heading to Villanova with the Wildcats having missed the NCAA tournament for a third successive season.

Kyle Neptune had the unenviable task of succeeding Jay Wright, who delivered a pair of national championships and is the greatest coach in program history. Under Neptune, the Wildcats went 54-47 overall and only once in his three years had a winning record in the Big East.

Willard has plenty of coaching experience in the Big East through his 12 years at Seton Hall. His hiring might be a bit of a gamble, though, in the sense that this year was the first time one of his team's made it past the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Willard will ultimately be judged on how Villanova performs in March, so he'll have to improve upon his 4-7 all-time mark in the Big Dance.