Report: McNeese’s Will Wade In Agreement With NC State.

All good things often come to an end, and that is the case in Lake Charles as many are reporting that McNeese State Head Coach Will Wade has accepted the job at NC State.

The news was first reported on Wednesday Afternoon by Joe Giglio and later reported by Matt Nortman (CBS), Jeff Borzello (ESPN), and Jeff Goodman (Field of 68). The deal is not yet official but appears to be that way soon based on the reports.

The news comes a little over 24 hours before Wade and McNeese take on Clemson on Thursday in the NCAA Tournament.

After the 2023 season, McNeese Athletics Director Heath Schroyer decided to move on from then-head coach John Aiken and take a chance on hiring the riskiest hire of the cycle by bringing in former LSU Head Coach Will Wade.

That was easily the best decision Heath Schroyer ever made.

Wade has led a remarkable turnaround in Lake Charles. During his two seasons at McNeese State, Wade led the Cowboys to back-to-back Southland Conference Championships, including going to the NCAA Tournament 2 seasons in a row for the first time in program history.

One thing about Wade’s time in Lake Charles is that there might not be anyone who has come to the area and embraced the people of SWLA the way that Wade could. Whether eating a hot dog pre-game and visiting with fans or chatting it up with fans and boosters at the local McNeese Coaches Show, you could always find Wade around fans and supporters.

It is obvious why people love Will Wade.

Now, Wade will head to NC State to become the next coach of the Wolfpack.

North Carolina State is just one year removed from a trip to the Final Four, but Kevin Keatts announced via Social Media that the school had elected not to bring Keatts back after a 12-19 season. The Wolf Pack struggled throughout conference play, posting just a 5-15 record in ACC play. NC State had 9 losses of less than 5 points to Virginia, Texas, and Kansas.

What’s next for McNeese? Do the Cowboys feed off the same tree, or do they think outside the box? That’s a decision only Heath Schroyer can make.