Will Bailey Returns as Assistant Coach at Loyola Chicago

Veteran coach rejoins Ramblers' staff after stint at South Carolina

Apr. 9, 2026 at 10:50pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting fragmented, overlapping shapes and planes in navy, green, and orange, representing the dynamic energy and strategic planning of a college basketball coaching staff.Loyola Chicago's coaching staff reunites to build on the program's recent success and championship aspirations.Chicago Today

Head men's basketball coach Drew Valentine announced that Will Bailey will return to Loyola Chicago's coaching staff for the 2026-27 season. Bailey previously served as an assistant coach with the Ramblers in 2023-24, helping the team win a share of the Atlantic 10 regular season title.

Why it matters

Bailey's return to Loyola Chicago's staff brings back an experienced coach who has helped the program achieve success in the past. His prior experience developing players and contributing to NCAA Tournament teams will be valuable as the Ramblers look to build on their recent accomplishments.

The details

In his previous stint with Loyola Chicago in 2023-24, Bailey assisted in the Ramblers' dramatic turnaround, helping the team improve its win total by 12 games and capture the program's first Atlantic 10 regular season championship. He also played a role in the development of three all-conference players. Over the last two seasons, Bailey served as an assistant coach at South Carolina, where he helped the Gamecocks land a top-25 recruiting class and guided an All-SEC player who was later drafted by the NBA.

  • Bailey previously served as an assistant coach at Loyola Chicago in the 2023-24 season.
  • For the last two seasons, Bailey has been an assistant coach at South Carolina.

The players

Drew Valentine

Head men's basketball coach at Loyola Chicago.

Will Bailey

An experienced assistant coach who is returning to Loyola Chicago's staff after a two-year stint at South Carolina.

Collin Murray-Boyles

A player Bailey helped develop at South Carolina, who was later drafted 9th overall by the Toronto Raptors in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Javon Bess

An All-Conference guard Bailey helped develop while an assistant coach at Saint Louis University.

Earl Pettis, Ramon Galloway, Tyreek Duren

All-Conference guards Bailey worked with during his time as an assistant coach at La Salle University.

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What they’re saying

“It's great to welcome Will back home to Chicago. Having him back with our program is something I'm so excited for. Will does everything with a level of selflessness that makes him an unbelievable person for our student-athletes, staff members, and campus community to be around. We've won an A-10 championship together, and we're both looking forward to reuniting and doing more winning in the future!”

— Drew Valentine, Head men's basketball coach, Loyola Chicago

“It's great to be back home in Chicago and with the Ramblers once again. I'm excited to get back to work alongside Coach Valentine as we pursue championships and continue developing our young men on and off the court. Let's get to work.”

— Will Bailey, Assistant coach, Loyola Chicago

What’s next

Bailey and the Loyola Chicago coaching staff will begin preparing for the 2026-27 season, with the goal of building on the program's recent success and competing for another Atlantic 10 championship.

The takeaway

The return of experienced assistant coach Will Bailey to Loyola Chicago's staff is a significant boost for the Ramblers, as he brings a proven track record of helping teams achieve success both in the Atlantic 10 and on the national stage through NCAA Tournament appearances.