Few expect to see head coaching changes at this point in the calendar (and we’ve seen more than one this week alone), but Wofford was thrust into this position in recent days. The situation with the basketball program caused the resignation of head coach Dwight Perry just months after leading the Terriers to the NCAA Tournament. However, the program has found their new head coach in a familiar face, tabbing former player and assistant Kevin Giltner to the full-time gig.
Giltner played in more than 130 games as a player for the Terriers, becoming a starter and All-SoCon guard in his senior season in 2012. After spending a brief season abroad playing professional basketball in Iceland, Giltner returned to Wofford as an assistant coach under Mike Young to begin his coaching career.
Over the last twelve years, Giltner has been aiding Young and was on staff for three different NCAA Tournament appearances with the Terriers. Giltner played a major role in the development of Fletcher Magee, who helped lead Wofford to a 30-win campaign and a first-round win the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
Weeks later, Giltner followed Young when he accepted the Virginia Tech job. Giltner has spent the last six years with the Hokies as an ACC assistant, getting back to the Big Dance two more times. His entire coaching career to this point has come at Young’s stead, but now he gets his chance to shape his own program.
As a player and assistant, Giltner is very familiar with Wofford and was right there for some incredible history for this program. Even with the Terriers coming off a trip to the Big Dance, he has a chance here to shape this program in his own image in the future.
There may be a question about players leaving after this sudden coaching change, as a late September hire is very unorthodox. Regardless, Wofford took a step in the right direction last season and made what’s actually a very good hire in bringing Giltner aboard. It’s much better than wasting a year with an unheralded interim, trusting their basketball program with a former player and prominent ACC assistant.