Report: Villanova targeting Fordham head coach Kyle Neptune as Jay Wright’s successor

Villanova head coach Jay Wright is expected to retire after leading the Wildcats to two national titles and four Final Four appearances. But before Wildcat fans and fans of college basketball start to wonder about his successor, it appears that the program already has a replacement in mind. Per Shams Charania, Wildcats are targeting Kyle Neptune as his likely successor.

“Fordham University coach Kyle Neptune is expected to be the choice to succeed two-time NCAA champion Jay Wright as the new head coach of Villanova, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium,” said Charania via Twitter.

Wright, 60, is expected to retire, according to multiple reports. CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein reported the decision after The Athletic and Stadium’s Shams Charania initially reported the Wildcats coach was “seriously considering” retirement. Other reports also said it’s expected to happen.

Wright and the Wildcats made it to this year’s Final Four and faced off against the eventual champions, the Kansas Jayhawks. Villanova attempted to make it a competitive game but ultimately fell to the Wildcats 81-65. If Wright does elect to call it a career, he leaves the sport as a two-time national champion and a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame member.

More on Neptune

Neptune spent one year as the Fordham Rams’ head basketball coach. Neptune went 16-16 with the Rams and finished the year 8-10 in conference play. Prior to that, he spent the majority of his collegiate coaching career with Villanova. From 2008 to 2010 as a video coordinator. And from 2013 to 2011 as an assistant under Wright.

Taking over at Villanova will be a substantial jump for Neptune. After spending just one year with Fordham, and that year being his inaugural year as a head coach, he is now expected to fill the shoes of one of the best coaches in college basketball and in one of the most demanding markets to do so, Philadelphia.