'Nova Nation Loses Head Coach Jay Wright in Surprise Retirement (Unpublished)
Source: KiddNation / Kidd Nation[/caption]
Villanova University's Men's Basketball is changing immediately.
In a surprise announcement, under the shadow of the Embiid's game-winner, Villanova head coach Jay Wright announced he is retiring from his position.
He took to Twitter to shock and thank 'Nova Nation for 21 years of service.
In Jay Wright's 21-year tenure with the Wildcats he has held a school record of 520 wins and 197 losses.
That's an excellent winning percentage of .725.
Since Jay's induction as the head coach back in 2001, Villanova has played a part in almost every postseason tournament. There was only one year where the Wildcats were not invited. Jay Wright has coached several NBA talents throughout the years including Kyle Lowry, Randy Foye, Dante Cunningham, Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson and many others.
He may have only two NCAA National Championship trophies to his Villanova career, but he has gained notoriety as one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time. Wright has received 2 Naismith College Coach of the Year awards, 6 Big East Conference Men's Basketball Coach of the Year awards, 1 John R. Wooden award and 1 Olympic gold medal as an assistant coach for the 2020 men's basketball team.
All of these accolades, and more, earned him a trip into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Prior to Jay Wright's resignation, it was rumored that he would retire from the school, and maybe coaching entirely. CBS Sports' Matt Norlander reveals that Jay Wright had been contemplating the decision for months. Months before the Villanova Wildcats even got to this year's Final Four.
Sports Journalists like ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Andy Katz suspect that Jay Wright might heading towards a new television gig.
In preparation of Jay Wright's retirement, Villanova has announced their new head coach with haste.
Fordham's Kyle Neptune will be the next head coach of Wildcats Men's Basketball. He will also serve as one of seven Black coaches in the Big East Conference.
Kyle Neptune started serving as an assistant coach under Jay Wright back in 2008.
Neptune spent 2008 to 2010 with Villanova before departing for Niagara for an assistant coaching job. Then he returned to Villanova in 2013, and coached as an assistant from 2013 to 2021. Where he then moved on to Fordham as the head coach with a record of 16-16. Neptune spent plenty of time under Wright's wings, and the school believes he can continue the high excellence of the program.
Jay Wright just turned 60-years-old and according to Shams Charnia of Stadium and The Athletic, Jay Wright wants to spend more time at home.
Whatever the story is going forward for Jay Wright, his time as a coach in basketball will be forever storied like the time when he called game for his first NCAA National Championship.
"Bang."
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