Kevin Willard waxed nostalgic about his time at Pitt and unearthed an NCAA violation

Tuesday, 05 February 2013 09:02

Written by Ray Fittipaldo

Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard played four years for Pitt when his father Ralph was the head coach in the mid-1990s. He reminisced a bit last night after Pitt’s 56-46 win over his Pirates at the Petersen Events Center.  

Willard had reporters in stitches a few times as he recalled his days at Pitt.

“It’s where I met my wife,” Willard said. “It’s always a good feeling to come back. The most special person in my life I met here. I spent four great years here. I like this building a lot better than Fitzgerald Field House. But I love what campus has become. It’s amazing to see the differences. It’s good to see the O is still around. They took away a couple of my bars I used to hang out a lot at, which I was a little disappointed in. It’s why I wasn’t such a good player.

“But it’s always good to come back. It really is. I just saw Tony Salesi. Without Tony Salesi in my life I wouldn’t have gotten through college. It’s really good to come back to see him. Dick Groat used to let me play golf on his golf course for free, which is an NCAA violation. That was obviously the only one my dad did because we lost enough games not to get enough good players. They can come back to get me on that one. Thanks guys.”

Not everyone was laughing, though. Associate athletic director E.J. Borghetti assured reporters afterward that the statute of limitations had long passed on such a violation.

Groat, the longtime color commentator on Pitt’s radio broadcasts, owns Champion Lakes near Ligonier.

And for those wondering, Salesi is Pitt's longtime trainer who still serves in the same capacity today.

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