Will Wade hired by McNeese a year after LSU firing amid probe

Will Wade, who was fired last year by LSU because of allegedrecruiting violations, has been hired as head men’s basketballcoach at McNeese State.

The hiring of Wade was announced by athletic director HeathSchroyer on Sunday, just days after former Cowboys coach John Aikenwas fired following his second season.

“I will not make excuses for why we can’t win and win big. Quitefrankly, there is no excuse,” Schroyer said. “The days of uscelebrating making conference tournaments or accepting mediocrityin all of our sports, let alone in basketball, are over.”

While Wade was a controversial figure at LSU and spawned anongoing NCAA investigation into the program’s alleged offering ofimproper benefits to players — before the current Name, Image andLikeness (NIL) era — his teams were competitive.

The Tigers won a Southeastern Conference regular-seasonchampionship in 2019 and received bids to the NCAA Tournament in2019, 2021 and 2022. (There was no tournament in 2020 because ofthe COVID-19 pandemic).

When LSU fired Wade, President William F. Tate and athleticdirector Scott Woodward, said Wade’s tenure and the allegationsthat followed him place the men’s basketball program “under anexhausting shroud of negativity.”

LSU received a formal notice of allegations from the NCAA’sComplex Case unit, including multiple charges alleging Wade’spersonal involvement in — or awareness of — Level I misconduct.

Level I violations can include a head coach’s lack of oversighton compliance matters; failure to cooperate in an NCAAinvestigation; unethical or dishonest conduct; or prohibited cashor similar benefits provided to recruits.

LSU’s statement at that time, however, stressed that Wade’sfiring was “not an acknowledgement of agreement with any of theallegations.”

Wade went 105-51 at LSU, winning 20 games or more in three ofhis five seasons. He has 196 career wins during his nine years as ahead coach. From 2015 to 2017, Wade went 51-20 at VCU. Wade alsowas the head coach at Chattanooga for the 2013-14 and 2014-15seasons, going 40-25.

“I wanted someone who not only understands my expectations forour basketball program on and off the court, but actually embracesthem,” Schroyer said. “There isn’t a better fit for this basketballprogram, university or community at this moment than WillWade.”

Wade’s formal introduction at McNeese was scheduled forMonday.