Jay Wright (coach)
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Jerold "Jay" Wright (born December 24 1961) is the men's head basketball coach of Villanova University. He was born in Churchville, Pennsylvania, USA, and was a Villanova fan as a kid. He is married to a former Villanova cheerleader.
Coaching Career
Assistant Coach
- University of Rochester; 1984-1986
- Drexel University; 1986-1987
- Villanova University; 1987-1992
- UNLV; 1992-1994
Head Coach
- Hofstra University; 1994-2001
- Villanova; 2001-Present
Personal Information
Wright graduated from Bucknell University, in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1983, where he was a basketball player for his full four years, and a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. The next year, Wright got his first job as a coach at Division 3 Rochester. In 1986, he got his first position in Division I college basketball with Drexel. By 1994, Wright was a talked-up assistant at the UNLV.
When a head coaching job opened up at Hofstra University, Wright was their first choice, and for the next 7 years, it would be a great fit. Wright got his first chance at a postseason game in the 1999 NIT Tournament, when Hofstra lost to Rutgers University in the first round, 58-45. He says his greatest moment in coaching with Hofstra was the first year he took them to the NCAA Tournament, in 2000. As a No. 14 seed, Wright and Hofstra would lose to Oklahoma State 86-66. Wright took Hofstra back to the NCAA tournament the following year after capturing a second America East Championship. Once again Hofstra, a #13 seed, was defeated in the first round, this time to UCLA 61-48. Wright was named America East Coach of the Year in 1999-2000 and 2000-2001.
On March 27 2001, Wright was named the coach of Villanova becoming only the eighth coach, and fifth since 1936, in the 81-year history of Villanova men's basketball. He led Villanova to 3 NIT appearances before going 22-7 in the 2004-2005 season, earning a fifth seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Wright's first NCAA Tournament victory came in 2005 against New Mexico. Villanova also defeated Florida in the second round, and then lost by one point, to North Carolina, the No. 1 seed (and future champion).
The 2005-2006 season saw the Wildcats ranked in the pre-season Top 4 of both major polls, thanks to the return of most players from the previous season. Wright did not disappoint, leading Villanova to a 25-4 regular season record, including a 14-2 record in the Big East regular season which tied the Cats for first place in the conference.
On February 14, 2006, Wright signed a 7-year contract with Villanova University which should make him head coach through the 2012-2013 season. The announcement came just one day after the Villanova men's basketball team beat #1 Connecticut by a score of 69-64, one of the biggest wins in the program's history.
In the 2006 NCAA Tournament, Wright's experienced team earned a #1 seed for the first time in school history and posted an victories over Monmouth in the first round and Arizona in the second. Wright's squad then defeated Boston College by one point, thanks to a goaltend by Boston College with 2.5 seconds remaining, to advance to the Elite 8 for the 1st time since 1988. However, the Wildcats run ended there, as they lost to eventual champion Florida. This marked the second consecutive year in which Wright's Wildcats were eliminated by the eventual national champion.
For his performance in the 2005-2006 season, received national coach of the year honors from CBS/Chevrolet; the Naismith Awards; and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). He was also named the Big East Coach of the Year.
During the offseason, Wright has hit the recruiting trail and produced great results, securing commitments from players such as McDonald's All-American Scottie Reynolds for 2006 and top New York prospect Corey Stokes for 2007.
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