Maryland men’s basketball head coach Kevin Willard announced today the hiring of Kevin Norris as assistant coach. Norris, a Baltimore native, has spent the last eight years as an assistant under Johnny Dawkins at UCF.
While at UCF, Norris helped the Knights to a 148-103 overall record and was a key figure in the program achieving its first-ever at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament in 2019.
“We are excited to add Kevin to our staff,” said Willard. “He is a veteran coach who understands how to develop players and is a tenacious recruiter.”
In addition to his time on the UCF staff, Norris has also coached at USC (2013-16), FGCU (2011-13), UNC Wilmington (2010-11), and Texas A&M Corpus Christi (2008-10). He began his coaching career in 2007-08 at Tallahassee Community College. Along with Dawkins, Norris has served under Andy Enfield (USC/FGCU), Buzz Peterson (UNC Wilmington), and was a standout player for Leonard Hamilton at Miami from 1995-98.
Along with the NCAA Tournament berth, Norris also helped UCF reach the NIT three times (2016-17, semifinalists; 2022-23; 2023-24). Both the 2016-17 and 2018-19, saw UCF post 24 wins which totaled the fourth most in program history. This past season, UCF’s first in the Big 12, the Knights picked up ranked wins over No. 3 Kansas, No. 23 Oklahoma, and No. 23 Texas Tech.
During his time in Los Angeles with Enfield, Norris helped USC reach the NCAA Tournament in 2015-16 with the program’s first 20-win season since 2009.
Norris was also with Enfield for perhaps one of the most famous NCAA March Madness moments when FGCU burst onto the scene as “Dunk City” during the 2013 NCAA Tournament. The 15th-seeded Eagles, making their first tournament appearance in program history, shocked No. 2 seed Georgetown and then defeated No. 7 seed San Diego State to become the first-ever 15 seed to reach the Sweet Sixteen.
Norris began his coaching career at Tallahassee Community College in 2007-08, then spent two seasons (2008-10) as an assistant coach at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. He then assisted Buzz Peterson at UNC Wilmington during the 2010-11 season.
Norris was a standout point guard at Miami, where he played for then-Hurricanes’ coach Leonard Hamilton. He was a four-year letterwinner (1995-98) and the only player to lead Miami in assists for four straight seasons. Norris still holds the Miami record for career steals (208), sits second in career assists (493) and ranks fourth in career starts (108). During his senior season in 1998, he helped lead the Hurricanes to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 1960. Norris was also listed on the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team as a freshman.
Following his collegiate career, Norris played professionally in Italy, France and the Czech Republic, as well as in the American Basketball Association (ABA) with the Calgary Drillers.
