Wade Headed to the ACC
By: Gavin Oliver March 19, 2025

Will Wade is reportedly headed to the ACC next season.

Wade, the current head coach at McNeese, has agreed to become the next head coach at NC State, according to multiple reports Wednesday.

Wade will replace Kevin Keatts, who was fired by NC State on March 9, less than one year removed from leading the Wolfpack to the Final Four in 2024.

NC State didn’t make the ACC Tournament this season after finishing with a 12-19 record, including a 5-15 mark in conference play.

Wade has enjoyed two superb seasons at McNeese, winning 57 games over the last two seasons. Last season, McNeese earned a No. 12 seed in the NCAA Tournament after going 30-4, but were eliminated in the first round after an 86-65 loss to Gonzaga.

Wade graduated from Clemson in 2005, and his first coaching job came as a graduate assistant on Oliver Purnell’s staff with the Tigers from 2005-2007.

After serving as an assistant at Harvard and VCU, Wade landed his first head coaching job with Chattanooga in 2013. He’s gone on to have head coaching stints at VCU and LSU, along with his current job at McNeese.

Wade led VCU to the NCAA Tournament twice and then made the field three more times while in Baton Rouge.

Wade’s 12th-seeded McNeese team (27-6) will take on No. 5 seed Clemson (27-6) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, R.I. Tipoff is set for 3:15 p.m. on truTV.

In his press conference Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s matchup with the Tigers, Wade addressed the NC State coaching rumors, with his name having been heavily linked to the vacancy.

“We address it head-on,” Wade said. “Talked to them (the players) Saturday about it. I said here is where it is, here is where we are.

“I am aware of what they got going on and they are aware of what I’ve got going on.”

–Photo courtesy of Gabriel Mayberry-USA TODAY Sports