RALEIGH — Following Will Wade’s decision to leave NC State and return to LSU after just one season, the athletic department scrambled to find its next leader, eventually landing on former player and veteran assistant Justin Gainey. Since hiring Gainey, the new leader of the Wolfpack has been hard at work putting together a staff and roster for his first season at the helm.
Gainey made his staff official on Friday, announcing four assistant coach hires — Alvin Brooks III, Riley Collins, Matthew Driscoll and Anthony Goins — as well as a key fifth addition. Bill Comar is set to become NC State’s director of operations under Gainey, joining the Wolfpack after spending the last season at Cincinnati as the chief of staff.
What adding Comar means for the Wolfpack
New additions to the staff – Welcome to the Pack! 🐺 pic.twitter.com/ufKbjoCoIV
— NC State Men’s Basketball (@PackMensBball) April 10, 2026
Comar is the cherry on top of a very well-assembled staff for Gainey. The longtime assistant coach and administrator brings a wealth of experience that should help the Wolfpack’s first-year head coach learn the intricacies of being a leader for the first time in his career. At his introductory press conference, Gainey indicated a desire for different backgrounds on his staff to help balance things out as he takes in his first season.
Adding a member of the staff with the background that Comar possesses will go a long way in recruiting and organizing the team. After beginning his career as an assistant and a director of operations at Dayton, he went on to become the director of ops at Xavier, where he contributed to six trips to the NCAA Tournament…