Shaheen Holloway introduced as new Seton Hall men's basketball coach, applauded by former Saint Peter's players

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. — Having coach Shaheen Holloway get the head-coaching job at Seton Hall wasn't a surprise at all.

The Pirates' career assists leader and star of the college coaching scene after taking Cinderella Saint Peter's to the Elite Eight, he was the only person athletic director Bryan Felt considered after Kevin Willard left for the Maryland job 10 days ago.

If there was a surprise Thursday as Holloway was introduced in a tiny Walsh Gymnasium crowd of about 1,000 people, the 15 players from his uplifting Saint Peter's team were in the audience to applaud him.

«It says a lot about Shaheen,» Felt said of the Peacocks being there to celebrate their former coach. «It says a lot about him. It says a lot. What he pours in, he gets back.»

This marked the second time Felt has hired Holloway. He was the Saint Peter's athletic director when Holloway was hired in 2018. Felt took the Seton Hall job in 2019 and hired Holloway again Wednesday.

The Peacocks of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference became the first No. 15 seed to reach the Elite Eight. Their run to the Final Four was stopped Sunday in a 69-49 loss to North Carolina.

«I wouldn't be up here if it wasn't for those 15 young men,» Holloway said shortly after being introduced. It was a remark that sparked the second of three standing ovations the Peacocks received. The first was when they walked in.

Holloway said he spoke with the Peacocks for three hours Wednesday, just before Seton Hall announced his hiring. He said it was extremely hard to leave the program he led for four seasons. He said the players made it easy for him, even teasing the 45-year-old who spent eight seasons as a Pirates assistant coach.

In replacing Willard, Holloway is taking over a Big East