PHILADELPHIA — Villanova University has decided to part ways with head basketball coach Kyle Neptune after three seasons, during which he succeeded the legendary Jay Wright. Despite his efforts, Neptune was unable to steer the team to the NCAA Tournament.
Over his three-year tenure, Neptune achieved an overall record of 54-47, with a 31-29 mark in the Big East conference, including a 19-14 slate for the current season. The Wildcats, renowned for their two national championship wins under Wright, faced a setback with a loss to UConn in the Big East Conference Tournament quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden.
This strategic move was the first significant decision by Eric Roedl, Villanova’s newly appointed athletic director, who is also a university alumnus. “Since coming to Villanova, I have been struck by Kyle’s tireless work ethic and his dedication to the student-athletes he served,” Roedl commented in a statement. “We are grateful to Kyle for his long service to Villanova and his mentorship to the many outstanding young men he has coached.”
During this season, Neptune faced pressure as the Wildcats experienced a decline from their former status as a consistent Big East leader and national contender. Wins against teams like St. John’s and UConn couldn’t balance a season marred by inconsistencies and unexpected losses, including setbacks against Columbia and Saint Joseph’s.
Neptune, 40, initially served on Wright’s staff at Villanova before taking the head coach role at Fordham in 2021, where he posted a 16-16 record for one season. Jay Wright, inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021, led Villanova to national titles in 2016 and 2018 and maintained a substantial record of 520-197 over 21 years. Though retired, Wright remains active in the basketball world, currently working for CBS.
Under Neptune’s guidance, Villanova has failed to reach the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season, marking a sad era reminiscent of Wright’s initial three years at the helm over two decades ago. Unlike Neptune’s situation, Wright had a longer leeway to build the program, benefiting from a well-supported NIL apparatus and talents like Eric Dixon, this year’s leading scorer.
Villanova might participate in the newly established College Basketball Crown tournament in Las Vegas later this month. Assistant coach Mike Nardi has stepped up as the interim head coach in the wake of Neptune’s departure.
The Wildcats, once a beacon of success defined by NBA-ready upperclassmen under the “Villanova Way,” have struggled amid the flux of player transfers and the influence of NIL payments. This environment has disrupted the continuity and mentorship culture that flourished under Wright’s leadership.
Neptune, despite being liked and respected within the organization, faced increasing criticism as fan dissatisfaction grew. He often dismissed the notion of fan disapproval but couldn’t ignore chants of “Fire Neptune!” becoming more frequent.
Jay Wright’s unexpected retirement at age 60, weeks after leading Villanova to the Final Four in 2022, took the community by surprise. Neptune was hired shortly thereafter, having previously joined the program in 2008 as a video coordinator and later returning as an assistant coach in 2013, contributing to the team’s ascent as a perennial powerhouse.
However, Neptune’s former successes as an assistant did not translate into similar outcomes in the lead role. Villanova is now tasked with finding a new head coach, marking only the fifth in the program’s history since 1973. The upcoming challenge will be determining whether ties to Wright are crucial in their next coaching decision or whether the university will seek a completely new direction.
