Blacksburg, VA (SportsNetwork.com) - Buzz Williams, who guided Marquette to five NCAA appearances in six years, has resigned as head men's basketball coach to take the same position at Virginia Tech.
According to multiple reports, Williams received a seven-year contract to take over a Hokies' program that has reached the NCAAs just once since 1996 and has mostly struggled since moving to the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2004.
Williams, who had a 139-65 record at Marquette, will be formally introduced in a press conference scheduled for Monday.
"I am extremely excited about welcoming Buzz Williams to the Hokie Nation," Virginia Tech director of athletics Whit Babcock said. "Buzz is a proven winner who has earned his way up through the ranks with a strong track record of success. I am confident he will energize our fan base and help make Virginia Tech Basketball competitive in the Atlantic Coast Conference. I know he will recruit at the highest level."
After serving one season as the head coach of New Orleans and another as a Marquette assistant under Tom Crean, Williams was named the Golden Eagles' head coach in 2008 following Crean's move to Indiana. Marquette won at least 22 games in each of his first five seasons at the helm and reached the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament three straight years from 2011-13, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2013.
"It's never easy to leave a great school like Marquette, where I spent seven wonderful years, six as the head coach," Williams said. "But this is a special situation to work at a place like Virginia Tech. I've heard tremendous things about this terrific institution and this is an outstanding opportunity to build a program. My family and I look forward to becoming a part of this great university and community, and taking on the challenges associated in succeeding in the ACC."
Marquette finished 17-11 overall and 9-6 in the Big East this season, but did not receive a postseason invite.
Babcock fired head coach James Johnson on Monday following a 9-22 season in which the Hokies ended at the bottom of the ACC with a 2-16 record. Johnson went just 22-41 overall in two seasons and won only six of 30 conference games.
[SportsNetwork.com]
