After an extensive search that lasted over two weeks, Louisville has found its next head basketball coach. The university has reached an agreement with Charleston's Pat Kelsey to lead the Cardinals, according to sources close to the matter.

The deal between Louisville and Kelsey has been verbally agreed upon, with the official announcement scheduled to take place during a press conference on Wednesday. Kelsey is expected to be introduced as the successor to former coach Kenny Payne.

Louisville's athletic director, Josh Heird, invested a significant amount of time and effort into evaluating potential candidates. Aside from Kelsey, discussions were also held with Indiana State coach Josh Schertz. However, a potential deal with Schertz fell through, providing Kelsey with the opportunity to accept the job.

Kelsey emerged as the top choice for the position after the university pursued other candidates, including Baylor coach Scott Drew and former FAU coach Dusty May. Drew ultimately chose to remain at Baylor, while May opted to join the coaching staff at Michigan.

Prior to his appointment at Louisville, Kelsey spent the last three seasons coaching at Charleston in the CAA conference. Under his guidance, the Cougars achieved a remarkable 74-27 record and secured consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in the past two seasons.

The 48-year-old coach, known for his unwavering positivity, began his college coaching career as an assistant at Wake Forest in 2004. He then joined his alma mater, Xavier, as the associate head coach under Chris Mack, who coincidentally was Louisville's previous head coach until January 2022.

Kelsey also had a successful stint at Winthrop, with nine seasons and a 186-95 record at the school. He has led teams to the NCAA Tournament four times, going 0-4 as a 12- or 13-seed each time.

The appointment of Kelsey comes shortly after reports surfaced of New Mexico's Richard Pitino being a top contender for the Louisville coaching position. However, concerns over another Pitino taking charge of the Cardinals, following the scandal involving Rick Pitino, led the university to explore other options.

Louisville dismissed Kenny Payne earlier this month after two disappointing seasons, during which the team could only muster a total of 12 wins. The program suffered a significant decline, and Kelsey will be tasked with revitalizing the team in the increasingly competitive landscape of college basketball.

Despite the challenges, sources indicate that Louisville is well-prepared to support Kelsey in building a strong roster. The university is equipped with the necessary resources to navigate the transfer portal and the growing influence of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals in recruiting players.

With Kelsey's successful coaching record, positive energy, and experience at various levels of college basketball, there is optimism that he can turn around Louisville's fortunes and restore the program to its former glory.