Harvard head coach John Tillman agreed Tuesday evening to become the ninth head coach at Maryland.

The paperwork is still being completed, but an announcement could come as early as Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Terps athletic director Debbie Yow and senior associate athletic director Michael Lipitz, who heads the university's search committee, did not respond to e-mail inquiries. A school spokesman declined comment, citing the absence of official paperwork required before confirming such a hire.

Tillman has guided the Crimson to a 20-19 overall record in three years. In 2009, the team won eight games, which was the most in the program's history since 2002.

Prior to Harvard, Tillman spent 12 seasons at Navy, including the last six as that team's head assistant coach. In charge of the offense, he helped the Midshipmen earn four consecutive berths between 2004 to 2007 in the NCAA Tournament.

Tillman's hiring could be seen as a shot in the arm for the Maryland program, which appeared to struggle to find a successor for Dave Cottle, who stepped down the day after the team's loss to Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals on May 15.

Cornell head coach Jeff Tambroni, Bryant head coach Mike Pressler and Syracuse women's head coach Gary Gait – who was an assistant coach for the Terps women's lacrosse team prior to the hiring of Cottle in 2001 – each pulled their names from consideration for the vacancy.

Names such as those of Albany head coach and former Maryland assistant Scott Marr, Stevenson head coach and former Terps assistant Paul Cantabene and Syracuse assistant coach Lelan Rogers had been floated as potential candidates. But as of Monday, only Tillman and Virginia associate head coach Marc Van Arsdale had been confirmed as having been contacted by the university's search committee.

Renowned as a tireless recruiter, Tillman had succeeded in bringing in talented recruiting classes at Harvard. The next crop of incoming freshmen includes two Under Armour All Americans in midfielder Eric Slingerland and defenseman John Rose, both from Massachusetts.

Maryland's incoming class includes six Under Armour All Americans in defensemen Emmett Cahill (Loyola), Mike Ehrhardt and Casey Ikeda, attackmen Rustin Bryant (Hereford) and Quinn Haley and midfielder Brian Cooper (Archbishop Spalding).

Additionally, Tillman would inherit a team that finished 2010 ranked 14th in the country in scoring (11.3 goals per game) and ninth in defense (8.4 goals per game). That same squad graduated just two starters in goalkeeper Brian Phipps and attackman Will Yeatman.

Tillman has not returned several phone messages seeking comment.

edward.lee@baltsun.com