Will Wade's Wolfpack Exit Sparks a Vitriolic Reaction
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RALEIGH — Fans gathered outside the General Aviation Terminal at Raleigh-Durham International Airport to watch former NC State men's basketball coach Will Wade greet the donors and administrators from LSU on the tarmac of the private terminal. They yelled obscenities and insults at Wade's red Chevy Tahoe as he drove through the gate. Just like that, the coach was gone.
Wade's shocking departure from NC State sparked a vitriolic reaction from the entire Wolfpack community, starting with athletic director Boo Corrigan. After promises of returning the men's basketball program to prominence and a level of recognition not felt since the days of Jim Valvano, Wade bolted for his old home in Baton Rouge, rejoining LSU as the program's head coach.
Corrigan commiserates with the fans
A few hours before Wade's tarmac reunion, Corrigan took the podium at Carter-Finley Stadium, addressing the bizarre circumstances that took place over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday. As of Tuesday night, Wade was the coach of NC State and seemed to be in it for the long run. However, strong offers from LSU swayed him overnight, completely changing the situation. Corrigan and the Wolfpack administration were blindsided.
"I was as surprised and shocked as anyone else when this occurred, based on the previous conversations that we had. I believed he was telling me his true intentions," Corrigan said. "I'm disappointed for our athletic department, I'm disappointed for our fans, and I'm disappointed for our university that we're here today."
NC State AD Boo Corrigan's opening statement on Will Wade's sudden departure 👀
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 26, 2026
"I think Philip Rivers said it... the Wolfpack ain't for soft people. We're gonna go find a coach that agrees and understands who we are and what we are."
🎥: @InsidePackSport pic.twitter.com/0oKw4e1BUa
Social media erupted over the last 48 hours, with rumors causing a widespread panic amongst NC State fans and a sense of pride for LSU fans, who suspected their program was about to pull off yet another heist of a sitting head coach from another school. The Tigers were proven correct, further causing outrage around Raleigh. Wade's social media team opted to leave the replies open on his statement, to which many members of the Wolfpack community responded.
Corrigan provided a more stable reaction to Wade's exit, but still didn't hold back his feelings on the issue. He believed there was a quality working relationship between Wade and himself, but that all fell apart when the coach submitted his resignation via email on Wednesday, forcing another coaching search for NC State in just 366 days.
Former NC State head coach Will Wade departing from Raleigh for the final time on his way down to Baton Rogue. pic.twitter.com/pcNq1segrx
— Charlie Gribble (@Charlie_Grib) March 26, 2026
"I think I would commiserate with (the fans) in terms of feeling lied to, right, and let them know that it's something that I didn't know anything about," Corrigan said. "I am as surprised as they are about what's going on, but I'll reassure them that we're going to find a coach that wants to be at NC State and wants to be at NC State for a long time."
The very fans Corrigan felt upset for were among the few leaning on the fence at RDU, hollering as Wade arrived. Eventually, reporters and NC State supporters were threatened with police intervention if they did not leave the premises immediately. As the dust settled, Wade's private jet arrived and he greeted friends from Louisiana, including former McNeese State athletic director Heath Schroyer.
Former NC State basketball coach Will Wade and his family are greeted by LSU staff on the general aviation terminal tarmac at RDU shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday, afternoon. Wade confirmed at about 1 p.m. that he has resigned at NC State to take the head coaching job at LSU. pic.twitter.com/SfDrfMQw3z
— Travis Long: follow @vizjourno on Bluesky (@vizjourno) March 26, 2026
Donning a purple LSU polo, Wade boarded the twin-jet Gulfstream and headed back to the school that fired him three years prior, leaving behind a brief and very complex legacy in Raleigh. As for when fans get over his departure in the Triangle, it doesn't feel like it will be anytime soon.
Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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