NCAA Basketball: 7 notable mid-major coaches jumping into high-major ranks

Kevin Willard, Maryland Terrapins

The Maryland Terrapins went a different direction after seeing Danny Manning lead the team to a 10-14 record in an interim role. Kevin Willard makes a minor leap from the Big East ranks with the Seton Hall Pirates to the Big Ten where he’ll look to turn things around for the Maryland Terrapins. He’s looking to make College Park a hot destination for NCAA basketball recruits after an extended career with the Pirates.

Willard had spent 12 seasons with Seton Hall, compiling a record of 225-161 (.583) along with a Coach of the Year award in 2015-16, a regular-season championship in 2020, and a total of five NCAA Tournament appearances under his belt.

He led the Pirates to a 22-12 record and a fifth-place finish in the Big East in 2021-22. He’s made two coaching stops so far and since beginning at Iona, he’s found his way as a consistent name in the NCAA basketball coaching ranks in March.

With five appearances in the NCAA Tournament across the past seven seasons under his belt coming in, Willard will look to breathe some life into a Maryland program that’s seemed to underachieve under their past regimes. Leading their initial charge out of the transfer portal is Jahmir Young, a former DeMatha High standout who averaged 16.7 ppg across the past three seasons with the Charlotte 49ers as a three-time All-Conference USA standout.