Maryland hires former Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard as men's basketball coach

Maryland has hired Seton Hall's Kevin Willard as its next head coach, the school announced Monday morning.

Willard arrives in College Park after 12 seasons at Seton Hall.

«We are thrilled to welcome Kevin to the Terrapin family,» athletic director Damon Evans said in a statement. «We are excited about the future of Maryland basketball with Kevin leading the way. Known for his gritty, hard-working teams, Kevin has had tremendous success, winning conference championships and leading his teams to NCAA Tournaments. He has made a habit of scheduling challenging opponents and winning in those games as evidenced by his record against Big Ten teams in recent years. He has familiarity with the region, being a native New Yorker and having spent much of his life in the Northeast corridor. We welcome Kevin, his wife Julie, and their sons Colin and Chase to the Maryland family and we look forward to the next great chapter in Terrapin basketball history.»

Willard had been considered a favorite in the Maryland search since the job opened in early December following Mark Turgeon's resignation.

«Growing up and coaching in the region, I have always admired Maryland basketball. Being named head coach of one of the nation's premier basketball programs is a tremendous honor,» Willard said in a prepared statement. «Thank you to President Pines and Damon Evans for trusting me to energize 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 this team. I embrace the high expectations. Skill development and a dedication to academic success will be cornerstones of our program and I can