Kevin Willard
19th Seton Hall head coach 2010 to Present
Head coaching record
2007–08 Iona 12–20 8–10
2008–09 Iona 12–19 7–11
2009–10 Iona 21–10 12–6
Career 45–49 (.479) 27–27 (.500)
2010–11 Seton Hall 13–17 7–11
2011–12 Seton Hall 21–13 8–10 NIT Second Round
2012–13 Seton Hall 15–18 3–15
2013–14 Seton Hall 17–17 6–12
2014–15 Seton Hall 16–15 6–12
Career 82–80 (.506) 30–60 (.333)
Total: 127–129 (.496)
Willard inherited a Gaels team that had won just two games the prior season. In his first year at the helm, the Gaels had a 10-win improvement, ranking as one of the top turnarounds in NCAA Div. I. Then in year three, Willard guided Iona to a 21-10 overall record, and he was named MAAC Coach of the Year.
In that third season with Iona, Willard led the Gaels to the 14th 20-win season in program history. It was a nine-win improvement from his first two seasons in New Rochelle. After inheriting a program that was 10th to last in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), Iona improved to a Top 80 RPI in 2009–10, the highest turnaround over the timespan in NCAA Division I. After completing the turnaround, Willard accepted a head coaching position in the Big East with Seton Hall University on March 28, 2010.
Willard came to Iona after spending ten years as an assistant under Rick Pitino. He started his coaching career in the NBA ranks, working on the bench with the Boston Celtics. After Pitino resigned from the Celtics in 2001, Willard followed him to Louisville, and spent the next six years as an assistant there.
Willard played basketball at Western Kentucky during the 1992–93 season (his freshman year) before transferring to Pittsburgh to finish his career.
Willard's father, Ralph Willard, is the associate head coach at the Louisville and a former head men's basketball coach at Holy Cross, Pittsburgh and Western Kentucky.
Strengths:
Willard learned under one of the very best college coaches in history, Rick Pitino. There (at Louisville) his main duties included scouting and game planing preparations. Willard is a strong defensive minded coach who is known in college BB circles for his excellent one on one training workouts. He is also a stickler for academic excellence.
Weaknesses:
Not comfortable with the media or in social situations. He is also not known as a disciplinarian and that has resulted in issues in the locker room during his tenure at the Hall. Also not a strong recruiter.
Bottom Line:
Clearly on the Hot Seat. In fact no coach in the Big East has a more crucial season ahead of him. In Willard's 5 years at the Hall he has only one NIT victory on his resume. That usually gets coaches fired, but Willard received a reprieve and has this one last year to prove worthy of coaching at a high D1 level.
This coming year:
Willard did an excellent job at Iona and that earned him a chance to move up to the Big East. His first couple of years at the Hall were probably his best. He cleaned up a program that was in disarray and then in year two led SHU to a 20+ win season and his only post season berth to date.
It was after that season that Willard got an extension. One that has caused questions among the Seton Hall fan base with the reason being since that 'breakout year' Willard has led the Hall to a dismal 48- 50 record. One that includes a league mark of 15-39, 12-24 in the new Big East.
It's no wonder that the Seton Hall faithful is up in arms. Especially when word leaked that Kevin Willard was through intermediaries examining the Holy Cross job opening after the completion of the 2014/15 season.
Regardless and despite the wishes of most Kevin Willard is back for at least this one year and more if it ends in success.
For that to happen Willard must do the following.
1. Establish better relations with the media.
2. Come across more confident on radio and television.
3. Strengthen the locker room.
4. Recruit.
5. And most importantly WIN. Not NIT win but NCAA win. Six years with a resume that does not include a single Dance invite should in no way guarantee a 7th year.
My prediction. If the Hall stays healthy they have a shot at the Dance. For that to happen defense will have to be the key. Plus strong seasons from Whitehead and Delgado are a must along with breakout seasons for Desi, Carrington and at least one of the other players on the roster. That's a lot of ifs. But it's doable.
If I am wrong then we will have a new coach this time next season.
19th Seton Hall head coach 2010 to Present
Head coaching record
2007–08 Iona 12–20 8–10
2008–09 Iona 12–19 7–11
2009–10 Iona 21–10 12–6
Career 45–49 (.479) 27–27 (.500)
2010–11 Seton Hall 13–17 7–11
2011–12 Seton Hall 21–13 8–10 NIT Second Round
2012–13 Seton Hall 15–18 3–15
2013–14 Seton Hall 17–17 6–12
2014–15 Seton Hall 16–15 6–12
Career 82–80 (.506) 30–60 (.333)
Total: 127–129 (.496)
Willard inherited a Gaels team that had won just two games the prior season. In his first year at the helm, the Gaels had a 10-win improvement, ranking as one of the top turnarounds in NCAA Div. I. Then in year three, Willard guided Iona to a 21-10 overall record, and he was named MAAC Coach of the Year.
In that third season with Iona, Willard led the Gaels to the 14th 20-win season in program history. It was a nine-win improvement from his first two seasons in New Rochelle. After inheriting a program that was 10th to last in the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), Iona improved to a Top 80 RPI in 2009–10, the highest turnaround over the timespan in NCAA Division I. After completing the turnaround, Willard accepted a head coaching position in the Big East with Seton Hall University on March 28, 2010.
Willard came to Iona after spending ten years as an assistant under Rick Pitino. He started his coaching career in the NBA ranks, working on the bench with the Boston Celtics. After Pitino resigned from the Celtics in 2001, Willard followed him to Louisville, and spent the next six years as an assistant there.
Willard played basketball at Western Kentucky during the 1992–93 season (his freshman year) before transferring to Pittsburgh to finish his career.
Willard's father, Ralph Willard, is the associate head coach at the Louisville and a former head men's basketball coach at Holy Cross, Pittsburgh and Western Kentucky.
Strengths:
Willard learned under one of the very best college coaches in history, Rick Pitino. There (at Louisville) his main duties included scouting and game planing preparations. Willard is a strong defensive minded coach who is known in college BB circles for his excellent one on one training workouts. He is also a stickler for academic excellence.
Weaknesses:
Not comfortable with the media or in social situations. He is also not known as a disciplinarian and that has resulted in issues in the locker room during his tenure at the Hall. Also not a strong recruiter.
Bottom Line:
Clearly on the Hot Seat. In fact no coach in the Big East has a more crucial season ahead of him. In Willard's 5 years at the Hall he has only one NIT victory on his resume. That usually gets coaches fired, but Willard received a reprieve and has this one last year to prove worthy of coaching at a high D1 level.
This coming year:
Willard did an excellent job at Iona and that earned him a chance to move up to the Big East. His first couple of years at the Hall were probably his best. He cleaned up a program that was in disarray and then in year two led SHU to a 20+ win season and his only post season berth to date.
It was after that season that Willard got an extension. One that has caused questions among the Seton Hall fan base with the reason being since that 'breakout year' Willard has led the Hall to a dismal 48- 50 record. One that includes a league mark of 15-39, 12-24 in the new Big East.
It's no wonder that the Seton Hall faithful is up in arms. Especially when word leaked that Kevin Willard was through intermediaries examining the Holy Cross job opening after the completion of the 2014/15 season.
Regardless and despite the wishes of most Kevin Willard is back for at least this one year and more if it ends in success.
For that to happen Willard must do the following.
1. Establish better relations with the media.
2. Come across more confident on radio and television.
3. Strengthen the locker room.
4. Recruit.
5. And most importantly WIN. Not NIT win but NCAA win. Six years with a resume that does not include a single Dance invite should in no way guarantee a 7th year.
My prediction. If the Hall stays healthy they have a shot at the Dance. For that to happen defense will have to be the key. Plus strong seasons from Whitehead and Delgado are a must along with breakout seasons for Desi, Carrington and at least one of the other players on the roster. That's a lot of ifs. But it's doable.
If I am wrong then we will have a new coach this time next season.
