Louisville officials will meet with Xavier coach Chris Mack regarding its head coaching vacancy for the first time this weekend, a source confirmed to CBS Sports.
The Courier-Journal reported the development earlier.
Mack, who has been at the university since 2010, is a Xavier alumnus who has steadily transformed the Musketeers into a perennial Big East power. In addition to leading Xavier to eight NCAA Tournament appearances in nine seasons as coach, Mack also played at Xavier and was a two-time captain for the basketball team. So leaving his alma mater and a program he's built into a national force won't be an easy decision.
Mack has long been considered Louisville's top target to replace ex-interim coach David Padgett, and a marriage with Mack and the Cardinals could bring his wife -- a Louisville native -- back to her roots.
Moreover, Louisville has the resources to make an offer Mack can't refuse. Mack salary ranks 55th among Division I coaches, according to the USA Today database, but the Cardinals could easily boost him into the top 15, if not higher.
Before Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino was ousted last fall, his salary ranked first among the known pay of other ACC coaches, including Duke's Mike Krzyzewski.
Mack is the winningest coach in Xavier's program history with 215 wins over nine seasons, including three Sweet 16 appearances and one Elite Eight appearance.
Louisville announced on Wednesday that it was not bringing back Padgett, who guided the Cardinals to an NIT appearance in his lone season at the helm of the program.
