Villanova men’s basketball head coach Jay Wright didn’t want a farewell tour. He wanted to retire quietly, and that’s exactly what he did on Wednesday. After 21 years of being the head coach at Villanova, Wright is retiring from the sidelines ending an era of excellence at Villanova that lead to multiple National Championships and Final Four appearances.
“Over the past 21 seasons, I have had the opportunity to live out a professional dream as the head coach at Villanova,” Wright said. “Patty and I have been blessed to work with incredible, gifted young men who allowed us to coach them and brought us unmatched joy. We cannot overstate our gratitude to the players, coaches, and administrators who have been with us on this path. It has been an honor and a privilege to work at Villanova, especially under Father Peter and Mark Jackson.”
Villanova said Wednesday that Wright would take a new role as special assistant to the university’s president. Fordham’s Kyle Neptune, who spent ten years under Wright as a video coordinator and an assistant coach, will take over as Villanova coach.
Advertisement
Wright was one of just three active coaches to have won multiple national titles. Wright has been approached for years to coach in the NBA and declining such offers for years now. While he wouldn’t be on the sidelines for Villanova, he would still be around the program overlooking it from a distance.