Jay Wright

Jerold Taylor "Jay" Wright Jr. (born December 24, 1961) is an American former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach of Villanova University from 2001 until 2022. Wright led the Villanova Wildcats to six Big East Conference championships and 16 NCAA tournament appearances in 21 seasons as head coach. Under Wright, Villanova reached four Final Fours (2009, 2016, 2018, 2022) and won two national championships in 2016 and 2018. Beginning as a four-year player at Bucknell University, he quickly moved to coaching as an assistant at the University of Rochester and then Drexel University. In 1987, Wright returned to the institution he grew up rooting for as an assistant at Villanova under Hall of Fame coach Rollie Massimino. He coached at Villanova for five years, before following Massimino for a stint as an assistant at UNLV. Wright started his head coaching at Hofstra University (1994–2001), leading the program to NCAA tournament appearances in both 2000 and 2001. Wright was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 2021 class.

Jerold Taylor "Jay" Wright Jr. (born December 24, 1961) is an American former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach of Villanova University from 2001 until 2022. Wright led the Villanova Wildcats to six Big East Conference championships and 16 NCAA tournament appearances in 21 seasons as head coach. Under Wright, Villanova reached four Final Fours (2009, 2016, 2018, 2022) and won two national championships in 2016 and 2018. Beginning as a four-year player at Bucknell University, he quickly moved to coaching as an assistant at the University of Rochester and then Drexel University. In 1987, Wright returned to the institution he grew up rooting for as an assistant at Villanova under Hall of Fame coach Rollie Massimino. He coached at Villanova for five years, before following Massimino for a stint as an assistant at UNLV. Wright started his head coaching at Hofstra University (1994–2001), leading the program to NCAA tournament appearances in both 2000 and 2001. Wright was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 2021 class. ==Early life== Born in Churchville, Pennsylvania, Wright grew up a fan of Villanova. As a child, he played Little League Baseball in the Northampton Township Little League, for a team coached by his father Jerry. They finished as runner up in 1972, before winning the championship a year later. He graduated from Council Rock High School North in Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where he played shortstop for the baseball team and quarterback for the football team, but gave both up to focus on basketball. Wright was the starting point guard for the varsity team for his sophomore-through-senior years, including for the 1978–79 Lower Bucks League championship team. His coach Mike Holland later remarked that he showed an early aptitude for coaching. Wright considered playing for Herb Magee at Philadelphia University, but ultimately chose to attend Bucknell University, in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. There, he joined the Sigma Chi fraternity, and majored in economics and sociology, graduating in 1983. While at Bucknell, Wright joined the basketball team led by coach Charlie Woollum. He played for the Bison for three seasons, overlapping with future NBA player Al Leslie and future Bucknell coach Pat Flannery, who Wright has since credited as a mentor. Wright became the starting point guard during the 1980–81 season, his junior year, leading the team in scoring, and was named team MVP. His senior year saw him named co-captain of the Bison, but he lost his starting job, an experience he found humbling. He shared the team's Malcolm Musser Leadership Award at the end of the season. ==Coaching career== ===Early coaching career=== Upon graduating from college, Wright got his first job as an assistant coach at Division III University of Rochester, having been recommended by Woollum, his college coach, and former teammate Flannery. There, he recruited for the school, organised intramural sports, and coached junior varsity. In 1986, after two years with the Yellowjackets, he got his first position in Division I college basketball as an assistant coach at Drexel University, joining Flannery on the staff. His next job came as an assistant to Rollie Massimino at Villanova, where he remained from 1987 to 1992. In 1992, he moved with Massimino to UNLV, where he remained until 1994. ==Head coaching record== ==Coaching tree== Assistant coaches under Wright who became NCAA or NBA head coaches: Tom Pecora, Hofstra (2001–2010), Fordham (2010–2015), Quinnipiac (2023–present) Joe Jones, Columbia (2003–2010), Boston University (2011–present) Billy Lange, Navy (2004–2011), Saint Joseph's (2019–2025) Fred Hill, Rutgers (2006–2010) Jason Crafton, Nyack (2012–2018), Maryland Eastern Shore (2019–2024) Pat Chambers, Boston University (2009–2011), Penn State (2011–2020), Florida Gulf Coast (2022–present) Doug West, Penn State Altoona (2015–2016) Baker Dunleavy, Quinnipiac (2017–2023), Villanova (General Manager, 2023–present) Ashley Howard, La Salle (2018–2022) Kyle Neptune, Fordham (2021–2022), Villanova (2022–2025) Keith Urgo, Fordham (2022–2025) Adam Fisher, Temple (2023–present) George Halcovage, Buffalo (2023–present) ==International coaching career== Wright has coached, as a head coach or assistant coach, basketball teams representing the United States three times in international competitions. He led Team USA to a gold medal at the 2005 World University Games as head coach, and was an assistant coach in the 2000 World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Tournament. Wright coached the American team in the 2007 Pan Am Games to a fifth-place finish, with a 3–2 record. ==Personal life== in 2016]] Wright met Villanova cheerleader Patricia (née Reilly) in 1983 while working together in the marketing department of the Philadelphia Stars of the United States Football League. She went on to attend Delaware Law School. They married in 1991, and together they have three children. In 2016, the couple were jointly awarded the inaugural Saint Augustine Medal by the Augustinians Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, for "exemplify[ing] the spirit and teachings of Saint Augustine, a deep commitment to the Order of Saint Augustine and the Augustinian values of Truth, Unity and Charity." Their eldest child, Taylor, played college baseball for Brown between 2012 and 2015, as a pitcher. He worked for Villanova's baseball team as Operations Director, before transitioning to basketball himself, becoming head coach for the Episcopal Academy in Newtown Township, Pennsylvania. Wright has been noted for his fashion sense since his high school days: he was named best-looking and best-dressed in his senior class at Council Rock High. The Philadelphia Inquirer called him "the best dressed man in college basketball," while President Barack Obama described him as the "George Clooney of coaches". He is a two-time winner of The Runway to the Fashionable Four, an award given by Tim Capstraw to the best-dressed coach in college basketball from 1998 until 2002, and won a further two when the concept was taken on by Collegeinsider.com. He has had clothing deals with Hugo Boss and Philadelphia-area clothier Gabriele D'Annunzio, who tailored suits for him. In 2022, Wright joined CBS Sports and TNT Sports as a college basketball analyst following his retirement from coaching, serving in the role until 2025. ==References== ===Citations=== ===Sources=== ==External links== Villanova profile Hofstra profile

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