Holy Cross head coach Ralph Willard is leaving to join his best friend, Rick Pitino, on the Louisville coaching staff.

Willard confirmed the news to FOXSports.com on Wednesday afternoon after he informed the school.

Willard, 63, worked briefly with Pitino in the NBA with the New York Knicks from 1987-89 and also went with him to Kentucky in 1989. The pair attended the same high school - St. Dominic in New York.

Willard spent four years as a head coach at Western Kentucky and five seasons at Pittsburgh before taking the Holy Cross job in 1999.

Willard, a Holy Cross alum, has led the Crusaders to four NCAA tournaments in his decade at the helm and a 192-117 overall mark. Holy Cross was 18-14 last season and returns a team that could be favored to win the Patriot League this year.

Pitino has reached out to Willard in the past when he's had an opening on his staff at Louisville without success. However, Willard has had health issues over the past few years - prostate cancer in 2005 and heart issues in 2008 - that may have changed his mindset.