A disorderly ending for Willard in College Park sends him back to the Big East, where he previously coached at Seton Hall

Maryland men’s basketball coach Kevin Willard is leaving the Terps and will become the next coach at Villanova.

After a week of speculation that often overshadowed his team's run to the Sweet 16, Maryland men's basketball coach Kevin Willard is leaving College Park to become the head coach at Villanova.

Now, Willard is looking ahead as he posted his first message to Villanova fans ahead of the Wildcats' game Thursday night against USC in the College Basketball Crown tournament. The message was simple: He's excited to lead the program and reminded fans to root for the Wildcats in the Crown as he wore a light blue Villanova sweater.

Kevin Willard is leaving his position as Maryland men’s basketball coach after three seasons to take the same job at Villanova, the schools announced Sunday, ending a saga that started just before the Terrapins began play in the NCAA tournament this month and stretched through their exit in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night.

Kyle Neptune had the unenviable task of succeeding Jay Wright, who delivered a pair of national championships and is the greatest coach in program history. Under Neptune, the Wildcats went 54-47 overall and only once in his three years had a winning record in the Big East.

Once Kevin Willard left Maryland basketball for Villanova, there was a max exodus in College Park. Both Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Rodney Rice entered the transfer p

Willard emphasized when the Terps were in Seattle that he loved coaching at Maryland, but he wanted the school to improve in NIL.

One well-known Maryland alumnus said he understood why now-former men's basketball coach Kevin Willard left the program but still slammed the way he exited College Park.