Source: NJIT hiring Billmeier as new head coach

NJIT has finalized a five-year deal to make Maryland assistant coach Grant Billmeier the school’s next coach, a source told ESPN.

Billmeier will return to the state where he has spent a vast majority of his career, up until leaving to work at Maryland the past two seasons. In total during his career at Maryland and Seton Hall, Billmeier has spent 12 total seasons as an assistant to Kevin Willard.

He worked six years as a Seton Hall assistant coach from 2015 to 2021 and one year as a Fairleigh Dickinson assistant in 2014-15.

He spent the first four seasons of his career in an off-court role at Seton Hall. Billmeier is a 2007 Seton Hall graduate and also attended and worked at St. Patrick High School in New Jersey. He’ll take over for Brian Kennedy, who resigned this year after a seven-year tenure that featured just one winning season and an 81-123 record.

From his high school career to his decorated tenure at Seton Hall — Billmeier was a two-year captain and led the Pirates to two NCAA tournaments — he has built a strong name in New Jersey. His seven NCAA tournaments at Seton Hall as both a player and coach are the most of any individual in school history.

He also emerged as a key Seton Hall staff recruiter and developer of big men, including Sandro Mamukelashvili and Angel Delgado.