Virginia Tech basketball coach Buzz Williams has accepted the same job at Texas A&M.
Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock announced the move in a statement Wednesday and lauded Williams for making “a very positive impact on the culture of our basketball program at Virginia Tech.” Babcock also said Williams turned the Hokies job into “one of the most attractive” in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Texas A&M confirmed the move in a tweet saying “The Buzz is Back!”
Virginia Tech was 100-69 during Williams’ five-year tenure and went to four postseason tournaments, including a program-record three consecutive NCAA Tournaments, with this year’s run ending in the Sweet 16.
Williams, who will be returning to his native Texas, did it despite taking over a program that had finished last in the ACC for four straight seasons and had a culture in which postseason departures were becoming commonplace.
Before his first season, the Hokies lost five players who transferred, then a sixth during the season when he was suspended indefinitely by Williams despite the Hokies being woefully short on depth. Several other players have transferred in the ensuing years, and this season the Hokies set a program record with 26 victories after Williams suspended his most athletic player, Chris Clarke, before the season.