The Wright Way

Jerold Taylor "Jay" Wright, Jr. (born December 24, 1961) is an American basketball coach. He is currently the men's coach at Villanova University. He was born in Churchville, Pennsylvania and is married to a former Villanova cheerleader. In 2006, Wright signed a seven-year contract extension with Villanova University which kept him in the position through the 2012–2013 season.

Education

Wright is a graduate of Council Rock High School North in Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Bucknell University, in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1983, where he played on the basketball team and became a Brother of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

Coaching career

Upon graduating from college, Wright got his first job as an assistant coach at Division III University of Rochester. In 1986, he got his first position in Division I college basketball as an assistant coach at Drexel University. His next job came as an assistant to Rollie Massimino at Villanova, where he remained from 1987–1992. In 1992, he moved with Massimino to UNLV, where he remained until 1994.

Hofstra

In 1994, Wright was named head coach at Hofstra University, which had struggled through most of the 1980s and early 90's. Under Wright, the program slowly and steadily improved, and by 1999 the Pride were a premier team in the America East Conference. They won the conference championship in 2000 and 2001, and from 1999–2001, went 72–22, including two NCAA tournament appearances. Wright was named America East Coach of the Year in 1999–2000 and 2000–2001. He was also tabbed Eastern Basketball's Coach of the Year in 1999–2000.

Wright took the Pride to the Postseason three times:

1999 NIT: Hofstra was defeated by Rutgers University 58–45 in the first round

2000 NCAA Tournament: As a #14 seed, Hofstra lost to Oklahoma State University 86–66 in the first round.

2001 NCAA Tournament: #13 seed Hofstra was defeated in the first round 61–48 by UCLA.

Villanova

2001–2004 Seasons: NIT

On March 27, 2001, Wright was named head coach at Villanova, becoming the eighth coach in the 81-year history of the program. Wright inherited a mediocre team from previous coach Steve Lappas, and in Wright's first season, they made the NIT. In 2002, Wright was able to secure one of the top rated recruiting classes in the country, led by McDonald's All-American center Jason Fraser. However the Wildcats had a mediocre 2002–2003 season, which was marred by a phone card abuse scandal that eventually resulted in suspensions to over half the roster, though penalties from the NCAA were avoided. The Wildcats again made the NIT but did not advance far. The 2003–2004 season saw more playing time for the talented young players from the previous recruiting class, but it also resulted in a mediocre season and another NIT appearance.

2004–05 Season: Sweet Sixteen

In the 2004–2005 season, Wright's fourth as head coach, the team made real strides. They finished 22–7, including an upset over #2 Kansas, and earned a fifth seed in the NCAA Tournament. Villanova defeated New Mexico and Florida to advance to the sweet 16. However their tournament run came to an end next round after a narrow and highly controversial loss to North Carolina, the No. 1 seed (and eventual champion). With 10 seconds remaining, Villanova guard Allen Ray appeared to be fouled while shooting a runner which fell in, giving Villanova what appeared to be a chance at a 3-point play and opportunity to tie the game. Out of nowhere, an official ruled that Ray had traveled, which replays clearly showed he didn't. The basket did not count and North Carolina got the ball back and escaped with a narrow victory. CBS analyst Clark Kellogg called the traveling call "debatable at best," and followed by saying "the official blew the call," to which Greg Gumbel replied, "we all thought it was the wrong call." The NCAA would not comment on the blown call, and North Carolina went on to win the national championship.

2005–06 Season: Elite Eight

The 2005–2006 season saw the Wildcats ranked in the pre-season top four of both major polls, thanks to the return of most players from the previous season. Led by seniors Allan Ray and Randy Foye, and explosive sophomore Kyle Lowry, the Wildcats lived up to the hype and finished with a 25–4 regular season record, including a 14–2 record in the Big East regular season, which tied them with University of Connecticut for first place in the conference.

In the 2006 NCAA Tournament, Wright's experienced team earned a #1 seed for the first time in school history and posted victories over Monmouth in the first round and Arizona in the second. Wright's squad then narrowly edged Boston College to advance to the Elite 8 for the first 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, Wright 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.

2006–07 Season: First Round

The 2006–07 squad had to replace three starters, but thanks in part to the healthy return of Curtis Sumpter, who had missed the previous season with an ACL injury, and McDonald's All-American Scottie Reynolds the Wildcats made it back to the NCAA tournament for the third straight season. With a 22–10 record, they were seeded 9th but lost to Kentucky in the first round.

In the 2007 off season, Wright once again came up with a highly rated recruiting class, this time led by McDonald's All-American Corey Stokes and Jordan Brand All-American Corey Fisher.

2007–08 Season: Sweet Sixteen

The 2007–2008 season saw Villanova struggle at times, including a five game losing streak in the middle of the season. Wright and the Wildcats were able to rebound to get a 12 seed (the final at-large seed) in the NCAA Tournament. They upset fifth-seeded Clemson in round one, and beat Siena in round two to advance to their third Sweet 16 in four years. The team once again lost to the eventual champs, which this time was the Kansas Jayhawks.

2008–09 Season: Final Four

The 2008–2009 team, led by senior Dante Cunningham, junior Scottie Reynolds and breakout sixth-man Corey Fisher, streaked to a fourth-place finish in the Big East, and a double bye in the conference tournament. The third-seeded Wildcats overcame a double-digit halftime deficit to underdog American to avoid a first-round upset in the NCAA Tournament. The team then defeated sixth-seeded UCLA by twenty points to make the program's fourth sweet sixteen in five years. In its Sweet Sixteen matchup against Duke, the Wildcats used timely perimeter defense to score a twenty-three-point victory, and a trip to the Elite Eight. In a back-and-forth Elite Eight game with Pitt, Scottie Reynolds came up big with a game-winning shot to put Villanova back in the Final Four for the first time since their National Championship run in 1985. Villanova then fell to The University of North Carolina, the eventual champions, in the National Semifinals at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan by a score of 83–69.

2009–10: Second Round Upset

For the 2009 – 2010 season, Wright brought in a recruiting class in the top five of the national rankings. The class was highlighted by point guard Maalik Wayns (Philadelphia/Roman Catholic), forwards Isaiah Armwood (Rockville, Md./Montrose Christian School) and Mouphtaou Yarou (Rockville, Md./Montrose Christian School) and guard Dominic Cheek (Jersey City, NJ / St. Anthony's). Taylor King, a former McDonald's All-American and Duke transfer, also joined the rotation, after redshirting the '08–'09 season. The Wildcats earned a two seed in the NCAA tournament, but after a rocky start in the tournament, highlighted by Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher being benched to start the game, fell in the second round of play to Saint Mary's.

USA Basketball

Wright has coached, as a head coach or assistant coach, United States basketball teams three times in international competitions. He led Team USA to a gold medal at the 2005 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.

NBA Players coached by Wright:

- Speedy Claxton, Hofstra, Drafted 2000, #20 overall, Played in NBA 2000–2010

- Norman Richardson, Hofstra, Undrafted free agent signed in 2001, played in NBA for 2001–2002 season with the Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls

- Allan Ray, Villanova, Undrafted free agent signed in 2006, Played in NBA 2006

- Randy Foye, Villanova, Drafted 2006, #7 overall, Played in NBA 2006–current

- Kyle Lowry, Villanova, Drafted 2006, #24 overall, Played in NBA 2006–current

- Dante Cunningham, Villanova, Drafted 2009, #33 overall, Played in NBA 2009–current

- Maalik Wayns, Villanova, Undrafted free agent signed in 2012, Played in NBA 2012-current

Fashionable Four

Jay Wright is a multiple winner of GQ's Fashionable Four, an award given to the best-dressed coach in college basketball.


Record 300–150 (.667)
Born December 24, 1961 (age 53)
Churchville, Pennsylvania

Playing career
1979–1983 Bucknell

Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1984–1986   Rochester (asst.)
1986–1987   Drexel (asst.)
1987–1992   Villanova (asst.)
1992–1994   UNLV (asst.)
1994–2001   Hofstra
2001–present Villanova

Head coaching record
Overall 422–235 (.642)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Regional Championships – Final Four (2009)
Big East Regular Season Championship (2006, 2014)
America East Tournament Championship (2000, 2001)
America East Regular Season Championship (2000, 2001)
Accomplishments
Final Four (2009)
Elite Eight 2 (2006, 2009)
Sweet 16 4 (2005, 2006, 2008, 2009)
NCAA Tournament Bids 10 (2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013)

Awards
Naismith College Coach of the Year (2006)
Big East Coach of the Year (2006, 2009)
America East Coach of the Year (2000, 2001)
Daily News Sportsperson of the Year (2009)