SOURCE SPORTS: Jay Wright Retiring as Villanova Men’s Basketball Coach After 21 Years of Service

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Villanova men’s basketball head coach Jay Wright didn’t want a farewell tour. He wanted to retire quietly, and that’s exactly what he did on Wednesday. After 21 years of being the head coach at Villanova, Wright is retiring from the sidelines ending an era of excellence at Villanova that lead to multiple National Championships and Final Four appearances.

“Over the past 21 seasons, I have had the opportunity to live out a professional dream as the head coach at Villanova,” Wright said. “Patty and I have been blessed to work with incredible, gifted young men who allowed us to coach them and brought us unmatched joy. We cannot overstate our gratitude to the players, coaches, and administrators who have been with us on this path. It has been an honor and a privilege to work at Villanova, especially under Father Peter and Mark Jackson.”

Villanova said Wednesday that Wright would take a new role as special assistant to the university’s president. Fordham’s Kyle Neptune, who spent ten years under Wright as a video coordinator and an assistant coach, will take over as Villanova coach.

Wright was one of just three active coaches to have won multiple national titles. Wright has been approached for years to coach in the NBA and declining such offers for years now. While he wouldn’t be on the sidelines for Villanova, he would still be around the program overlooking it from a distance.

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SOURCE SPORTS: Duke, North Carolina, Villanova, And Kansas All Are Final Four Bound

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For the first time in a long time, it will be all blue bloods in the final four.

On one side of the bracket are two historic rivals. Duke and North Carolina have faced one another 257 times in the 102-year history of the rival, but next Saturday in New Orleans, they’ll meet in the NCAA tournament for the first time.

On the other side of the bracket are two teams rich in tradition and have built their respective programs to be national powerhouses. Villanova eliminated Kansas during Jay Wright’s title runs, rallying late to edge the Jayhawks in the 2016 Elite Eight before burying them with a barrage of early 3-pointers at 2018 Final Four.

The final four will be filled with intrigued and drama. Duke’s head coach Mike Krzyzewski will be coaching his last game either Saturday or Monday night in the national championship game. Can Kansas run the table as the only number 1 seed left in the tournament? Next weekend will be must-see television, thanks to the four blue blood programs remaining.

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