After two superb seasons at McNeese, Will Wade’s name is being linked to more prominent head coaching vacancies.

With a first-round matchup against fifth-seeded Clemson (27-6) on Thursday, Wade is trying to keep the No. 12-seeded Cowboys (27-6) attention fully focused on the Tigers.

The veteran head coach is doing his best to avoid letting any outside distractions take away from the task at hand, noting that he has already addressed the topic with his players.

“We address it head-on,’ Wade said on Thursday in Providence. “Talked to them 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.”

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 Chatanooga 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.

The head coach is currently 57-10 over his two years leading the Cowboys. Last season McNeese also earned a No. 12 seed after going 30-4, but were eliminated in the first round by Gonzaga.

Wade’s name has been heavily linked with the vacancy at NC State after the Wolfpack cut ties with Kevin Keatts following the regular season.

When asked if he or any of his representatives have had any contact with NC State, Wade had a very frank response.

“Yes.”

Photo courtesy of Will McLelland-Imagn Images