Former Wildcat Dwight Perry named head coach at Wofford

Dwight Perry was once a walk-on at the University of Kentucky, playing 19 total games for the Wildcats from 2006-09, scoring five total points. Fast forward 14 years, and the Durham, NC native is now the head coach of the Wofford College men’s basketball program.

The former Wildcat spent the last four seasons at Wofford, two as an assistant coach and two as associate head coach. And after being named interim head coach back on Dec. 5, 2022, the school has officially decided to lift the interim tag, making him the full-time head coach.

The Terriers finished the season with a 17-16 overall record, including 8-10 in Southern Conference action. In his four seasons at Wofford, the team has posted winning records all four years. Six different players have earned All-Southern Conference honors in that span, along with five players earning All-Freshman team accolades.

“We are pleased to have Dwight Perry as the head coach of the men’s basketball team,” said Dr. Nayef Samhat, Wofford’s president. “He understands and feels strongly about upholding the values and integrity of the athletics program here at Wofford. Over the course of this past season, he has risen to the challenge of leading a young and committed team with great dignity and enthusiasm.”

It was an earned opportunity and an easy decision for the program.

“He did a great job during the past season of bringing stability to the program and building a culture of teamwork, grit and competitiveness,” Wofford director of athletics Richard Johnson said. “We look forward watching the program move forward under his leadership.”

“I am thankful for Dr. Samhat and Richard Johnson for their belief in me,” said Perry. “Wofford is a special place. I am looking forward to building off the many great coaches and players that are part of the tradition here who build that foundation of Wofford basketball. We are going to move the program in a positive direction both on and off the court with these student-athletes. I am ready to get to work.”

Wofford earned a road victory over Texas A&M and a victory over UNC Greensboro in the quarterfinals of the Southern Conference Tournament. The Terriers would finish sixth in the standings, with senior B.J. Mack named First-Team All-Southern Conference and Jackson Paveletzke earning Freshman of the Year and Third-Team All-SoCon honors.

“I am very excited about the selection of Coach Perry,” said sophomore Corey Tripp. “When he came in and took over as interim head coach, we were looking for some hope. He changed the program and our culture. He allowed guys to be themselves and I am excited for the future.”

Prior to Wofford, Perry spent five seasons at Furman University, assisting the Paladins to a 91-68 overall record with three 20-win seasons and a shared regular season title in 2016-17 over the span, while helping recruit and coach 17 All-Freshman and All-Conference selections, including two SoCon Players of the Year and one Freshman of the Year. 

The Durham, North Carolina, native served as a graduate assistant under former Virginia Commonwealth head coach Shaka Smart for two seasons before being named as the Rams’ video coordinator for the 2013-14 campaign. During his three-year stint in Richmond, Va., the Rams posted an 82-26 record and made three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including appearances in the round of 32 in both of Perry’s seasons as a graduate assistant.

A 2010 graduate of the University of Kentucky, Perry played three seasons for the Wildcats and earned a degree in business management, named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Now, the former walk-on has a basketball program of his own.