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The Villanova basketball program will be undergoing a big change after Jay Wright stunned the college basketball world by announcing his resignation as head coach.
Kyle Neptune, a former assistant coach at Villanova, will be leaving his head coaching job at Fordham to replace Wright.
Wright had just led the Wildcats to a Final Four berth where they lost to eventual national champions Kansas. The 60-year-old Wright previously led the Wildcats to two national titles of their own in 2016 and 2018.
“It’s time for us to enter a new era of Villanova basketball,” Wright said in a statement. “After 35 years in coaching, I am proud and excited to hand over the reins to Villanova’s next coach. I am excited to remain a part of Villanova and look forward to working with (Villanova) and the rest of the leadership team.”
Wright has a head coaching record of 520-197 in 21 seasons at Villanova and 642-282 mark overall.
“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.”
