This article will answer every question you have about Jay Wright. Below are some of the frequently asked questions about him.
- What does Jay do for a living?
- Who are Jay’s parents and siblings?
- What are Jay’s interests and hobbies?
- Is Jay married or does he have a girlfriend/ boyfriend?
- Does Jay have any children?
- Where is Jay now?
- How tall is Jay?
- How much money does Jay earn?
- What is Jay’s net worth?
N/B: Please read the entire post to have all your questions answered.
Who is Jay Wright?
Jerold Taylor “Jay” Wright Jr. is a notable former college basketball coach. From 2001 to 2022, he served as the head coach of Villanova University. And led them to six Big East Conference championships and 16 NCAA Tournament appearances during his 21 seasons as head coach. Under his reign, the Villanova reached four Final Fours (2009, 2016, 2018, 2022) and won two National Championships in 2016 and 2018.
He is majorly regarded as one of the best coaches in NCAA history and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 2021 class. Before coaching the Villanova, he previously served as head coach at Hofstra University (1994 to 2001). And led them to NCAA Tournament appearances in both 2000 and 2001.
How Old Is Jay Wright?
He is 60 years old as of April 2022, having been born on December 24, 1961, in Churchville, Pennsylvania, U.S. Jay shares his birthdate with celebrities such as; Mads Lewis, Louis Tomlinson, Diego Martir, Alabama Barker, Hailey Orona, and many more.
Jay Wright Family
Who are Jay Wright’s Parents?
He was born to Jerry Wright (Father) and his mother’s name is not mentioned on the internet.
Does Jay Wright have Siblings?
There is no news on the internet regarding whether he has siblings or was born as the only child. In case of news regarding this matter, we will update it here as soon as possible.
Jay Wright Education
He received his high school education at Council Rock High School North. After graduating from high school, he enrolled at Bucknell University where he graduated in 1983.
Jay Wright Marital Status
He is married to the love of his life Patricia Wright. They met in 1983. And his wife was a cheerleader at Villanova University.
Jay Wright Kids
He has three kids with his wife Patricia. Two sons by the names of Taylor Wright and Colin Wright. And a daughter by the name of Reilly Wright.
Jay Wright Career
An Early Coaching Career
When Jay graduated from college, he got his first job as an assistant coach at Division III University of Rochester. He got his first position in Division I college basketball in 1986 as an assistant coach at Drexel University. His next job came as assistant to Rollie Massimino at Vilanova, where he remained from 1987 to 1992. In 1992, he moved with Massimino to UNLV where he remained until 1994.
A Career at Hofstra from 1994 to 2001
Jay was named as head coach at Hofstra University in 1994. The team had struggled through most of the 1980s and early ’90s. But under Wright, they started improving steadily and by 1999, the Pride was a premier team in the American East Conference. In both 2000 and 2001, they won the conference championship and from 1999 to 2001, they went 72-22, including two NCAA tournament appearances. This made Jay be named American East Coach of the Year in 1999-2000 and 2000-01. And was also tabbed Eastern Basketball’s Coach of the Year in 1999-2000.
A Career at Villanova from 2001 to 2022
A Career from 2001 to 2004
On March 27, 2001, Jay was named as head coach at Villanova, thereby becoming the eighth coach in the 81-year history of the program. In 2002, he was able to secure one of the top-rated recruiting classes in the country, led by McDonald’s All-American center Jason Fraser. In the 2003-04 season, more playing time was for the talented young players from the previous recruiting class. But it also resulted in a mediocre season and another NIT appearance. His team advanced as far as the quarterfinals in the NIT, doing so in 2002 and 2004.
A Career from 2004 to 2008
In the 2004-05 season, Jay’s Wildcats enjoyed a breakout campaign thanks to the emergence of forwarding Curtis Sumpter and guards Allen Ray and Randy Foye. The Villanova finished 22-7 in a year that included upset wins over No. 2 Kansas and No. 3 Boston College. They then were awarded the fifth seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Wildcats’ first appearance in the tournament since 1999. Villanova advanced to the sweet 16 when they defeated New Mexico and Florida.
The Wildcats in the 2005-06 season ranked in the preseason top four of both major polls, thanks to the return of most players from the previous season. In the 2006 NCAA Tournament, his experienced team earned a No. 1 seed for the first time in school history and posted victories over Monmouth in the first round and in the second round over Arizona. His team narrowly won over Boston College to advance to the Elite 8 for the first time since 1988. However, the Wildcats lost to eventual champion Florida.
Career Continuation
For his performance in the 2005-06 season, he received national coach of the year honors from CBS/Chevrolet; the Naismith Awards; and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). In addition, he was also named the Big East Coach of the Year. In the 2006-07 season, the Wildcats made it back to the NCAA tournament for the third straight season. With a 22-10 record, they were seeded ninth but lost to Kentucky in the second round.
Once again in the 2007 offseason, Jay came up with a highly rated recruiting class. This time was led by McDonald’s All-American Corey Strokes and Jordan Brand All-American Corey Fisher. The Villanova in the 2007-08 season, struggled at times including a five-game losing streak in the middle of the season. He and the Wildcats were able to rebound to get a 12 seed (the final at-large seed) in the NCAA Tournament. But once again, his team lost to the eventual champs this time the Kansas Jayhawks.
A Career from 2008 to 2012
Senior Dante Cunningham, junior Scottie Reynolds, and breakout sixth man Corey Fisher led the 2008-09 team streaked to a fourth-place finish in the Big East. And a double-bye in the conference tournament. The team then defeated sixth-seeded UCLA by twenty points to make the program’s fourth Sweet Sixteen in five years. In a matchup against Duke in the Sweet Sixteen matchup, the Wildcats used timely perimeter defense to score a 23-point victory and a trip to the Elite Eight. Eventually, Villanova then fell to North Carolina in the National Semifinals (the eventual champions) at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan by a score of 83-69.
For the 2009-10 season Jay brought in a recruiting class in the top five of the national rankings. His team earned two seeds in the NCAA tournament but after a rocky start in the tournament. Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher were benched to start the game and fell in the second round of play to Saint Mary’s. Villanova got off to a 16-1 start and was ranked as high as sixth in the nation. However, the final two lost in the two finals to South Florida in the Big East tournament. And fell to George Mason in the Round of 64 in the NCAA tournament.
A Career from 2012 to 2016
During this time, Jay’s job was in danger as Villanova struggled. However, with the help of sophomores Darrun Hilliard and JayVaughn Pinkston, as well as freshman Ryan Arcidiacono and Daniel Ochefu. The Wildcats returned to responsibility, winning 20 games and returning to the NCAA Tournament. Villanova earned a #2 seed in the South Region after defeating UNC Asheville, Iowa, Miami, and Kansas to advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2009.
Villanova defeated Oklahoma 95-51 in the national semifinal the largest margin of victory in Final Four history. They then proceeded to defeat North Carolina in the national title game 77-74 on a 3-point shot by Kris Jenkins as time expired, earning Jay his first championship. In addition to the Oklahoma defeat, the 2016 championship run included numerous other notable achievements. Villanova was the first school without an FBS football program to win the NCAA men’s title since they won the championship in 1985. Their average margin of victory for the tournament was nearly 21 points per game.
A Career from 2016 to 2019
In the East, Villanova was the #1 seed but lost in the second round to Wisconsin the #8 seed. Before the start of the 2017-18 season, Jay was named the recipient of the 2018 Legend of Coaching Award, part of the annual John R. Wooden Award program. After Villanova defeated Radford, Alabama, West Virginia, and Texas Tech and earned a #1 seed in the East Region and advanced to the Final Four for the second time in three years. In the National Semifinal, Villanova defeated Kansas 95-79. They then proceeded to the National Championship where they defeated Michigan 79-62 to give Jay his second championship in three years.
A Career from 2019 to 2022
The Villanova Wildcats ended their season with a 24-7 record. And their 13-5 record in Big East play allowed them to clinch a share of the conference’s regular-season title, tying with Creighton and Senton Hall. The Wildcats were seeded second in the Big East Tournament, but the tournament was canceled early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After Jay and several other members tested positive for COVID-19 Villanova got off to an 8-1 start but was forced to temporarily shut down. Villanova was ousted in the quarterfinal round of the conference tournament in an upset loss to eventual champion Georgetown.
Villanova was ranked fourth in the initial Associated Press poll, Jay and the Wildcats stumbled to a 7-4 start. By late December, Villanova had fallen to 23rd in the rankings before going 19-3 over the rest of the regular season. The Big East’s regular-season championship was awarded to Providence whose .824 winning percentage beat out Villanova’s at .800. Jay went on to earn his fifth Big East Tournament title and second-seeded Villanova’s sixth overall as they topped Creighton in the championship round. Jay Wright then retired the next season.
An International Career
He has coached as an assistant coach and as a head coach, basketball teams representing the United States three times in international competitions. At the 2005 World University Games, he led Team USA to a gold medal as head coach. And was an assistant coach in the 2000 World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Tournament. In the 2007 Pan Am Games, Jay coached the American team to a fifth-place with a 3-2 record.
Jay Wright Height and Measurements
Adding up to his well-built body is a height of 6ft 1inch and a weight of 85kg (187lbs)
Jay Wright’s Salary and Net Worth
In the 2021-22 season, he had an annual salary of $6 million. He has a net worth of $7 million.
