NCAA Basketball: Top 10 impact head coaching hires from 2010 offseason

6. Kevin Willard (Seton Hall)

There wasn’t a lot going on with Seton Hall, seemingly buried in a Big East deep with talented basketball programs. The Pirates were again on a head coaching hunt, again looking to rejuvenate a program that hadn’t really been a national contender since P. J. Carlesimo was at the helm in the early 90’s. They haven’t exactly won a title this last decade, but the new coach got things back on track either way.

Kevin Willard played basketball for his father Ralph at Western Kentucky and Pittsburgh before beginning his coaching career. He spent his first decade on Rick Pitino’s staffs, under him both with the Boston Celtics and at Louisville. Willard’s head coaching career began with a three-year stint at Iona, highlighted by a 21-win final season that marked a big step forward.

Seton Hall has taken several steps forward under Willard. Ever since the new Big East formed in 2013, the Pirates have been one of the better teams in the league. They made four straight third-place finishes, all of which ended in NCAA Tournament appearances. The Pirates tied for the regular-season crown in 2020, though the Tournament was cancelled before they could make a fifth straight trip. Willard has put Seton Hall back on the map; who knows what the future holds for the Pirates?