The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1534227
24 ■ THE WOLFPACKER Chambers, who previously worked under Wade at VCU and LSU and is now on his staff at NC State. "Once you get a little bit of buy-in and belief, you start winning some games, and it steamrolls. You pick up some people along the way. "After you've established it, it's a lit- tle easier to keep momentum going. It's hard to win. It's hard to know how to win. Coach Wade's mission and vision from Day 1 has been 100 percent about the pro- cess and knowing that the results will take care of themselves." Once Wade had a roster that he and his staff liked — nine transfers were in the mix — the focus turned to creating a win- ning culture. It was the same recipe he used at LSU, where he won 105 games and claimed an SEC regular-season champi- onship in his five seasons. Just because he wasn't at a high-major program didn't mean he and his staff were going to lower their standards. "We had to bump it up a level and meet them where they were at," said guard Omar Cooper, who joined from the ju- nior college ranks. "They weren't going to lower themselves or dim their lights at the mid-major level. We had to raise the bar. They set the expectation early. Either you get on board or get off the ship." Wade was forced to miss the first 10 games of his debut season while serving a suspension related to the violations at LSU. By the time he made his first appear- ance on the Cowboys' bench, they were rolling at 8-2, and they stayed hot under their new coach. McNeese finished 30-4, winning the Southland Conference's reg- ular-season and tournament titles before falling to Gonzaga in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Those results were a reflection of Wade's detail-oriented mindset. Every- thing happens for a reason in his pro- gram. He and his staff apply analytics to all facets of the team, from the transfer portal to in-game decisions. That ap- proach, coupled with a relentless work ethic, has gotten results at every step of his head coaching career and will be part of his identity with the Wolfpack. "He understands the importance of player relationships and spends a lot of time with the players," Schroyer said. "He obviously is a great recruiter. I've never seen anyone work harder than him on a daily basis. He's phenomenal to work with. In every part of the program, there's a standard and accountability." That combination led to McNeese be- coming a popular transfer destination in the 2024 offseason. Wade brought in former Syracuse guard Quadir Copeland, who had seen the winning that McNeese did in the new coach's first season. That proved to him this was the place to be after transferring, even if it meant drop- ping down a level from the ACC. "With the plan he had and the vision he put together, I could see it possibly happening again," Copeland said. "I wasn't thinking about last year being a fluke or a one-time thing. I thought it was possible to do it again. "He's a winner. … He's been winning his whole career." 'A Little Redemption' Wade kept winning in his second sea- son at McNeese. He guided the Cow- boys to a 27-6 record en route to a sec- ond consecutive Southland Conference Tournament championship. Along the way, he was named the league's coach of the year for the second time in as many seasons. And that was just the beginning. Prior to Wade's arrival, McNeese had made only two appearances in the Divi- sion I NCAA Tournament. He doubled that total in his two years on campus in Lake Charles, La., including the pro- gram's first-ever win with its 69-67 vic- tory over Clemson in this year's Round of 64. Schroyer, who previously served as a basketball assistant at NC State, was appreciative of Wade's impact on the McNeese program. "It probably exceeded some of my expectations, but I knew we would be good," he said. "I knew he could turn around the program. He's embraced this community, and more importantly, this Will Wade Year-By-Year Season Team Overall Conf. Postseason 2013–14 Chattanooga 18–15 12–4 CIT first round 2014–15 Chattanooga 22–10 15–3 — 2015–16 VCU 25–11 14–4 NCAA Tournament second round 2016–17 VCU 26–9 14–4 NCAA Tournament first round 2017–18 LSU 18–15 8–10 NIT second round 2018–19 LSU 25–5 15–2 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 2019–20 LSU 21–10 12–6 Cancelled 2020–21 LSU 19–10 11–6 NCAA Tournament second round 2021–22 LSU 22–11 9–9 NCAA Tournament first round 2023–24 McNeese State 22–2* 17–1 NCAA Tournament first round 2024–25 McNeese State 28–7 19–1 NCAA Tournament second round * McNeese finished 30-4 overall, but Wade did not coach the first 10 games of the season Wade had to hit the ground running after taking charge of the program on March 23. He is looking to restock the Wolfpack roster through the transfer portal after last year's 12-19 finish. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS