Maryland wasted no time in securing a new men’s basketball coach following Kevin Willard’s recent departure. The program has appointed Buzz Williams to take the helm, succeeding Willard who left to coach at Villanova. Williams, who has demonstrated an accomplished coaching career so far, comes to Maryland after spending six years as the head coach at Texas A&M. Prior to his stint with the Aggies, he coached at Virginia Tech, Marquette, and New Orleans.
Intriguingly, Williams will become the first head coach to have led teams in four different major college basketball conferences: the Big East, ACC, Southeastern Conference, and Big Ten. “It is an honor and privilege to be named the head coach of the University of Maryland men’s basketball team,” Williams expressed in a statement. “I promise to uphold the history of Maryland basketball and make Terp Nation proud with the men who represent this institution.”
Maryland has planned an official introduction for Williams at a Wednesday news conference. Willard’s exit came after successfully guiding the Terrapins to the Sweet 16, leaving behind big shoes for Williams to fill. During his tenure at Texas A&M, Williams consistently led the team to the NCAA Tournament over the last three seasons.
Texas A&M’s athletic director, Trev Alberts, acknowledged Williams’ contributions to their program, saying, “We would like to thank Buzz for his years of service heading up our men’s basketball program. We are excited about the future of Aggie basketball, and we will find the right leader for our program.”
Williams’ immediate challenge is to stabilize a Maryland program that has faced upheaval in recent weeks. The backdrop to the coaching change included Willard voicing concerns over the level of support for the basketball program and the departure of athletic director Damon Evans to SMU. Colleen Sorem has stepped in as interim AD and emphasizes her enthusiasm for bringing Williams on board.
“We are thrilled to bring a coach of the caliber of Buzz Williams to the University of Maryland,” Sorem stated. “His incredible record of success at three prominent basketball programs speaks for itself, but we were equally impressed with his tireless work ethic and his dedication to building a program the right way. He embraces the high expectations here at Maryland and we are all excited to get started on this new era in Maryland basketball.”
University President Darryll Pines echoed these sentiments, highlighting the importance of finding a coach who can sustain the program’s success. “With an exemplary record of competitive success and a demonstrated commitment to providing leadership and development to our student-athletes, coach Buzz Williams is the ideal coach to lead us forward,” Pines commented. “We could not be more thrilled to welcome him.”
The 52-year-old Williams hailing from Greenville, Texas, belongs to an elite group of 12 active Division I head coaches who have achieved NCAA Tournament victories with three different programs. His most notable run came in 2013 when he led Marquette to the Elite Eight.
In the three years at Maryland, Willard had taken the Tar Heels to the NCAA Tournament twice, generating excitement with the “Crab Five” in his latest season. However, the team is now confronting potential roster changes, with two starters entering the transfer portal and key player Derik Queen uncertain about his future with the team after making a public appearance at an Orioles game.