Villanova coach Jay Wright retiring, Neptune to take over
The winningest coach in Villanova men’s basketball history is stepping down.
Jay Wright is retiring, per multiple outlets.
The two-time national champion is just a few weeks removed from wrapping up his 21st season with the Wildcats. Wright produced a 520-197 mark during his tenure and reached four Final Fours, including the most recent one, where Villanova fell to eventual-champion Kansas.
The future Hall of Fame coach won 30 games for the sixth time in the 2021-22 campaign, as the Wildcats rebounded from a 7-4 start to earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They went on to beat Delaware, Ohio State, Michigan and Houston while winning the South Regional.
Wright was selected the AP Coach of the Decade for the 2010s, this after leading Villanova to the second and third national titles in school history. The 2016 squad achieved multiple feats that hadn’t been done since Villanova’s original championship in 1985: first to win it all at without an FBS football program; first to knock four straight AP top-10 during its title run; first to beat four straight top-3 seeds.
The 2018 Wildcats became the first team to win two titles within three years since Florida went back-to-back in 2006-07. The Wildcats and Gators are the only two programs to pull this off in the past 30 seasons.
After reaching the NIT in its first three seasons under Wright, Villanova would qualify for 16 of the next 17 NCAA Tournaments. Additionally, the Wildcats grew into a juggernaut in the Big East, winning eight regular-season crowns and five conference tourney titles. They made eight Sweet 16s and went 34-16 overall in the Big Dance.
Wright’s teams became known more for their selfless play and mental fortitude than star power, but included current NBA vets Kyle Lowry, Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges, and 2006 lottery pick Randy Foye.
Wright, who turned 60 in December, previously served as the head coach at Hofstra (1994-2001) and was a Villanova assistant for six years (1987-92). He was the eighth head coach in the Wildcats’ 81-year history, and just the fifth since 1936.
Kyle Neptune, who served on the Villanova coaching staff before accepting the head coaching position at Fordham in 2021, returned to replace Wright.
"When looking for a successor, we wanted a candidate who could navigate the changing landscape of collegiate athletics and keep Villanova in a position of strength — now and in the future," Villanova athletic director Mark Jackson said. "After meeting with several exceptional candidates, we found all those attributes and more in Kyle Neptune. Kyle quickly stood out for his basketball knowledge, recruiting savvy and natural ability to connect with student-athletes and coaches."
With the iconic head coach stepping away, there was plenty of reaction on Twitter.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
