Basketball coach Gary Williams said a tearful goodbye to the University of Maryland at a Comcast Center ceremony Friday after 22 seasons with the Terps.
The 66-year-old told the gathered crowd of administrators, boosters, current and former players and students that he wanted to leave basketball while healthy, The Baltimore Sun reported.
"If you leave a little early, it's better than leaving late," he said from a platform set up on the court.
Williams, who guided the team to the national title in 2002, entertained the crowd with some stories from his long and successful career, having to pause on several occasions to compose himself as his eyes welled with tears.
He made 14 NCAA tournament appearances in the past 18 seasons, including seven Sweet 16s, and won 461 games during his time at College Park.
He leaves the game as the fifth-winningest active coach in the country, and third all-time in the Atlantic Coast Conference behind only Dean Smith and Mike Krzyzewski
Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank, a prominent Maryland supporter who attended the ceremony on Friday, said Williams had "walked into a top-50 job and left it as a top-5 job."
The search for Maryland's new coach is underway, with a short list that includes Arizona coach Sean Miller, a source told The Baltimore Sun.
Williams will remain at the university as assistant athletic director, where he'll continue in his role as co-chair of Maryland's $1 billion scholarship campaign.
"I don't want anybody to think I'm going to be a presence here, because the new coach is running the basketball program and he will not see me," he told the crowd on Friday.
Williams began his head coaching career at American University before spending four seasons at Boston College and three at Ohio State. His career coaching mark is 668-380 over 33 seasons.
The Terps were 19-14 this past season, but didn't make the NCAA tournament.
