Seton Hall basketball: Monmouth assistant Duane Woodward to join Pirates' staff 3 things to know about Woodward, who will replace Fred Hill.

Jerry Carino | Asbury Park Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Raw: Shaheen Holloway greets 'Peacock nation' Watch Shaheen Holloway's opening remarks at his introduction as Saint Peter's University basketball coach.

When Seton Hall basketball coach Kevin Willard picked Tony Skinn to replace right-hand man Shaheen Holloway in April, he co-opted strong recruiting ties to the fertile Washington D.C. grassroots scene.

But Holloway’s recruiting niche, the New York metropolitan area, remained unfilled after he took the head job at Saint Peter's.

That's changing. In the Hall's second offseason staff shuffle, Willard is hiring Monmouth University assistant Duane Woodward — a New York native who recruited the region well for the Hawks — to replace the retiring Fred Hill.

Woodward is expected to come aboard July 1, after Hill's contract expires, USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey has learned.

Here are three things to know about the 42-year-old Woodward:

1. He has Big East roots. Woodward played guard on some outstanding Boston College teams of the 1990s, including the 1997 squad that swept the Big East titles. He earned All-Big East Tournament as a junior and second-team all-conference honors as a senior before embarking on a decorated 13-year pro ball career overseas.

2. He has Big Apple roots. A New Yorker through and through, Woodward graduated from Cardozo High in Queens and maintains a strong connection to his old AAU program, the New York Panthers (longtime director Gary Charles is a mentor). He briefly coached with the Panthers before taking collegiate gigs at SUNY-Maritime, Queens College and Fordham. Monmouth coach King Rice hired him in 2014, and Woodward has helped Rice bring a string of talented players to West Long Branch, including two guards who just finished strong freshmen campaigns — Deion Hammond (12 ppg) and Ray Salnave (10 ppg).

3. He’s longtime friends with Holloway. Woodward is widely regarded as a good guy, and his relationship with Holloway should help smooth his transition. Although the beloved Holloway was integral to the Pirates' success these past three seasons, the addition of both Skinn and Woodward looks like a net positive. On paper, this will be Willard's strongest staff in nine seasons at the helm.

Staff writer Jerry Carino: jcarino@gannettnj.com.