MILWAUKEE -- With players transferring at record levels in college basketball, programs probably will lose at least one or two returners each offseason.
The odds of players transferring only increase when a coaching change occurs. Recruits choose where they want to play college sports based on their relationship with the head coach or members of the staff.
So when Buzz Williams left Marquette for Virginia Tech in March, an exodus of players seemed likely to follow.
But it didn't happen.
As soon as Steve Wojciechowski was hired, he made the returning players a priority. Before coming out for his introductory press conference, Wojciechowski made a stop in the locker room at the Al McGuire Center to address the players.
Individual meetings followed shortly thereafter, as all nine returners were impressed enough with Wojciechowski to commit to staying at Marquette.
Todd Mayo eventually left the program to pursue a professional career and transfer Gabe Levin recently departed, but Marquette is the only school in the Big East not to have a returner transfer in the offseason despite being the only program in the conference to undergo a coaching change.
"I think the thing that you never know coming into a new situation when there is a transition is how you are going to be accepted, and if you are going to be accepted," Wojciechowski said. "I think we've not only been accepted, but we've been embraced by the young men in our program.
"The kids in our program have represented the jersey very well. I think they've embraced the standards that we've talked about as a staff and as a program, a standard that we want to live up to as a program on a daily basis. I've been encouraged by the guys."
Wojciechowski putting the returners above everything else didn't go unnoticed by the players. Stunned by the nature of Williams' departure, they needed a steadying hand.
"From day one, we've all felt very comfortable with him," senior forward Juan Anderson said. "He's made that happen. That shows a lot of character on his part. He's been very accepting of us and just wants to work us.
"He definitely picks our brains and gets a feel for us, which is important. He's never too busy for us."
Junior forward Steve Taylor Jr. was all set to transfer after Williams bolted, but he decided to give Wojciechowski a shot. It is a decision he's now glad he made.
"That really made me think that he really cares about the players and what we think," Taylor Jr. said of Wojciechowski's quick action to meet with each returner. "He made me want to stay.
"It just shows that he genuinely cares about the players. He's not in it for himself. Everybody saw that, and that made everybody want to stay."
Jajuan Johnson was also on the fence about his future when Wojciechowski was hired. After not playing much as a freshman, Johnson considered searching for an opportunity closer to his home in Memphis.
Like Taylor Jr., Johnson was quickly won over by his new coach.
"Once Wojo got here, I knew I was staying," Johnson said. "Wojo puts players first in his program. That's a big thing with everybody here."
Wojciechowski didn't just get those inside of the program to buy in, but he also convinced Matt Carlino, a successful guard from BYU in search of a place to play his final season of college basketball, to come to Marquette.
"When he recruited me, I knew I wanted to play for him," Carlino said. "That was pretty much the biggest reason why I chose Marquette."
Usually because of the roster turnover and a natural transition period, coaches entering a new program will oftentimes look solely at the future, ignoring those still on the roster.
You would be hard pressed to find anyone that feels Marquette will compete for a Big East championship this season, but Wojciechowski sold Derrick Wilson by making sure the senior knew the expectation inside the program was to win.
"It has been a really smooth transition," Wilson said. "I think everyone has enjoyed it. After we had our one-on-one meetings with him, everybody just fell in love with Coach and the staff and what their goal was, and that was to win now. Everybody wants to say this is a rebuilding project, but we want to win now. Everybody got with that.
"He's one of the greatest coaches that I've ever had. He's very personable, on and off the court. He's just been tremendous since he's been here."
If there is such thing as winning the offseason, Wojciechowski has done just that. Not only have the players bought into what he is selling, but others involved with the program have as well.
At Marquette Madness on Oct. 10, the greeting the fans -- who have incredibly high expectations -- gave Wojciechowski made it feel as if the team was coming off a Final Four year instead of an offseason of uncertainty.
Wojciechowski has earned the admiration of the fan base largely due to how he's handled himself in public settings and in front of the media, but lining up an incoming recruiting class ranked in the top five of the nation undoubtedly helps.
"I really like the direction this program is going in," Wojciechowski said. "I like the people that we have in this program, both players and staff. I think they have done a great job of being ambassadors on a number of different levels, whether it is in the school community, Milwaukee community or to people we hope will eventually play at Marquette.
"I think there's a real positive vibe, and I'm proud of that. But I think it is a function of a lot of people working together."
While outside expectations for this coming season may not be very high, the excitement level for the future of Marquette basketball is palpable.
"(Marquette) is going to go through the roof," Duane Wilson said. "I feel like coach Wojo and the staff (are) doing a great job. We are going to keep bringing in talent both locally and nationally."
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