Virginia Tech men's basketball assistant coach Kevin Giltner was hired as the head coach of Wofford on Monday, the school announced. He's the 20th head coach in program history and replaces Dwight Perry, who resigned this September after leading the Terriers to the NCAA Tournament in March.
Giltner is a Wofford alumnus who won five Southern Conference championships and reached as many NCAA Tournaments as a player and an assistant with the Terriers from 2008-12 and 2013-19. He played for Mike Young, who spent 30 years in Spartanburg and won 299 games as a head coach.
He was part of Young's staff for six seasons at Wofford, and when Young returned to his New River Valley roots and became Virginia Tech's head coach in the spring of 2019, Giltner followed. He was part of two trips to the Big Dance and the 2022 ACC Tournament championship in Blacksburg.
"I am unbelievably grateful for President Nayef Samhat and Director of Athletics Scott Kull giving our family the opportunity to return to Wofford and Spartanburg. This is home for us," Giltner said in the school's release. "My time at Wofford gave me some of the best years of my life and I want the same for our current and future men's basketball student-athletes. The foundation of Wofford men's basketball was laid a long time ago, and I consider it a real privilege to build on the foundation created by my former teammates, other program alumni and current players. The Wofford name and logo mean a great deal to me and my family; it is a great honor to lead these men and represent Spartanburg.
"My time at Virginia Tech has not only helped me professionally, but the relationships built there will be forever cherished and not forgotten. Thank you to Hokie Nation, the staff, the students, the players and the administration. Mike Young… where do I even begin? Thank you. I love you and appreciate your unwavering support as this opportunity has presented itself. My wife and I are excited to get to town and get to work! Go Terriers!"
Giltner started as an assistant to the head coach with the Hokies and shifted into a full-time assistant coach role when Antwon Jackson departed. Along with Ace Custis, he was the longest-tenured member of Young's staff.
Giltner mentored talents like Fletcher Magee and Storm Murphy at Wofford, and he and Young convinced Murphy to join the Hokies in 2021. Alongside former Terrier forward Keve Aluma, former Wofford commit Hunter Cattoor and Justyn Mutts, Murphy spearheaded Tech's run to an ACC title and NCAA Tournament.
In four years as a player at Wofford, Giltner played in 136 games with 36 starts. He averaged 14.8 points per game as a senior and made 86 3-pointers on 241 attempts (35.7%). The Terriers were 82-50 overall and 53-21 in the SoCon in his college career and finished fourth or better in the league each season.
Kevin and his wife, Katelyn, a Spartanburg native, have two daughters: Finleigh (3) and Emersyn (1).
"I couldn't be happier for Kevin, Katelyn and their entire family," Young said in Wofford's release. "Kevin has been a part of some of the greatest moments in Wofford basketball history — first as a player, then as an assistant coach — and I've been fortunate to share so many of those with him. Over the past six-plus seasons at Virginia Tech, he's brought that same passion, creativity and steady hand to our program, making a tremendous impact on our players and staff every single day.
"He is a tremendous basketball mind, an even better person and absolutely ready to lead the Terriers. We wish Kevin and his family nothing but the best as they take this next step in his coaching journey together — it's a perfect fit for Wofford and for him."
The Hokies now have an opening on their staff. The only assistant coach back from last season is J.D. Byers, with Giltner departing and Young firing Christian Webster after last season. He hired Chester Frazier in the offseason — his second stint in Blacksburg after serving as associate head coach from 2019-21 — and now is down an assistant.
Young could turn to Custis, a Hokies legend who currently serves as special assistant to the head coach. He previously served in an assistant coach role at Maryland-Eastern Shore from 2014-19. Tech could also make an outside hire.
Preseason practice officially began on Monday and the Hokies have media availability scheduled for Tuesday morning in Cassell Coliseum. The first opportunity for the public to see this year's team in action is at an exhibition in Blacksburg on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 1 p.m. ET vs. Duquesne.