Kevin Willard stood on the hardwood floor of the Finneran Pavilion on Sept. 17, gazing up at the roaring crowd before him. Willard was familiar with the arena’s reverberating energy and packed stands. But that was the first time he was able to fully absorb the passion of Villanova’s basketball fanbase as a member of the school community himself.
Willard officially introduced himself to fans during the live podcast taping of “The Roommates Show,” hosted by Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson, to mark the start of the 2025-26 Villanova basketball season.
“I took it all in, because, to be honest, you don’t usually get to take it in when you’re coaching,” Willard said. “I hate to say it, but you don’t even realize the fans because you’re very focused on what you’re doing. So, to see the fanbase in a really fun way, with Josh and Jalen and those guys up there, it was exciting.”
Willard visited Villanova’s campus dozens of times during his tenure as Seton Hall’s head coach from 2010-2022. As he begins his new role at Villanova, Willard takes on what he considers a crucial responsibility. He aims to carry on the legacy and winning standards constructed by his predecessor, Jay Wright, a former Big East rival.
“I saw it firsthand for 12 years: the way this program was built, and the way that Jay [Wright] built it,” Willard said. “I want us getting back to playing a little bit faster, playing a little bit more energetic. And then, obviously, getting back to being a very tough, physical defensive team.”
Willard has witnessed the evolution of Villanova basketball from the perspective of an opponent, beyond the reign of Wright. Last November, he faced former head coach Kyle Neptune as Maryland played Villanova in the Empire Classic in Newark, NJ. The Terrapins came away with a sliver of a victory, 76-75.
For Willard, that game was just one win among 27 wins, adding up to Maryland’s Sweet 16 run in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. At the time, he was unaware of the extra significance of beating Villanova: he was competing against his future program, and a team with even a few of his future players.
Willard is just as accustomed to facing severe criticism from fans as he is to walking into arenas of cheering supporters. His drama-filled departure from Maryland received enormous backlash from Terrapins devotees, stemming largely from his several viral press conference comments during the NCAA Tournament and seemingly sudden exit. Villanova announced Willard’s hiring as head coach on March 30, 2025. It came just three days after Maryland’s final loss to the eventual champion, the University of Florida, in the Sweet 16.
Willard had no choice but to leave the Maryland mess behind, as an even heavier task awaited him at Villanova: putting together a competitive roster that, when completed, featured 11 new Wildcats.
“Getting all these guys that have played so many different styles to buy into one style is something that we’re really trying to focus on, but it’s hard,” Willard said. “You’ve got to be patient.”
Navigating the rapidly moving transfer portal, Willard immediately set to work on building his team. He started with encouraging some Maryland players and recruits to follow him to the Main Line. Redshirt sophomore center Braden Pierce was the first to announce his transfer to Villanova, just a week after Willard’s hiring. He cited his trust in Willard’s leadership and energetic coaching style as reasons for his decision to transfer.
“On offense, he’ll let you play,” Pierce said. “A lot of coaches like to stick to the system, but [Willard] is not going to tell you there’s a shot that you can’t take. He’s super intense. It’s a great style to play.”
Junior guard Tyler Perkins, the only returning Wildcat who earned minutes on the court last season, was also motivated to stay by Willard’s impressive coaching resume and high-speed style.
“When we played [Maryland] last year, I was able to see firsthand the energy and passion of their players and coaching staff,” Perkins said. “I felt like I complemented their playing style. So, it was really a no brainer [to play for Willard].”
For Willard, creating a successful new team was not only about recruiting the right players. He arrived at Villanova with the support of four former Maryland assistant coaches and two former Maryland staff members.
“One of the things people always ask me is, ‘What’s the biggest part when you switch jobs?’” Willard said. “And for me, it’s keeping your staff. Because in the era of the transfer portal, if I had to teach 13 kids and six new coaches a system, I couldn’t do it. So, staff continuity to me is really important.”
The only former Villanova assistant coach to stay on Willard’s staff is Ashley Howard. His connection to Villanova goes back to his assistant role from 2013-18 and return in 2023. But Howard’s deeply-rooted Philadelphia basketball connections, as the former head coach at La Salle and former assistant at Drexel, make him an even more essential member of the staff.
“I’ve known Ash [Howard] forever,” Willard said. “I thought keeping Ash was very important, knowing how tight this community is. Ash has been [at Villanova] for so long, and he knows all the things that go on that need to be handled. He’s been great.”
Every coach is relatively new at handling the demands of the transfer portal and Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) era as NCAA rules continue to evolve. But Willard’s situation entering the 2025-26 season required more adjustment than most, as he led both a new program and a team full of new players. Willard’s strategy involves making the most of his guaranteed time with players and still making the effort to build strong relationships within the team.
“You really only have these guys for nine months, for the most part,” Willard said. “So you need to make sure that you’re investing in them, and that they’re investing in your program and working hard, and having the most fun doing it.”
Although early-season games will be crucial opportunities to build chemistry and assess the team in a real-game setting, Willard is optimistic about his new squad’s potential.
“I think we did a really good job of bringing really good kids in here that wanted to be at Villanova, wanted to play at Villanova,” Willard said. “So I think they’ve all done a really good job of blending in. It hasn’t been Villanova versus Maryland.”
As players adjust to their new environment, Willard is also slowly integrating himself in the Villanova community. The campus that used to represent intense Big East opposition is now becoming a new home.
“I’ve always enjoyed that part of being a coach, just being part of the campus community is one of the best parts of my job,” Willard said. “I love walking through campus to go get a cup of coffee and talking to the students.”
The road to the Big East Tournament in March will be a long one as the Wildcats strive to build their new identity. But Willard highly anticipates his return to Madison Square Garden, which he calls his “Mecca.” However, this time, he will rep Villanova’s blue-and-white.
“That’s why I took this job, it’s a phenomenal job with an unbelievable history,” Willard said. “Being part of that family, being part of that culture, is something that I’ve really enjoyed.”
