Villanova fires coach Kyle Neptune after 3 seasons, failing to reach the NCAA tournament

VILLANOVA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 1: Head coach Kyle Neptune of the Villanova Wildcats stands on the court during the first half against the Butler Bulldogs at Finneran Pavilion on March 1, 2025 in Villanova, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images) — Kyle Neptune didn't make the NCAA tournament once after he took over for Jay Wright. (Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)

The Kyle Neptune era at Villanova is over.

The Wildcats have fired their head coach, the school announced Saturday. The move comes after they fell to UConn in the Big East tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, which all but ensured the team would miss the NCAA tournament for a third straight season.

"Since coming to Villanova, I have been struck by Kyle's tireless work ethic and his dedication to the student-athletes he served," said Villanova Vice President and Director of Athletics Eric Roedl. "We are grateful to Kyle for his long service to Villanova and his mentorship to the many outstanding young men he has coached."

Assistant Mike Nardi will serve as interim head coach until a replacement is found.

Neptune took over for Jay Wright at Villanova when the longtime coach retired after the 2021-22 campaign. Neptune was the coach at Fordham for one season before being hired as the Wildcats' head coach, though he was Wright's longest-tenured assistant at Villanova before landing his first head coaching job.

[Yahoo Fantasy Bracket Mayhem is back: Enter for a shot to win up to $50K]

Once he took over, however, the program plummeted almost immediately. The team, which reached the Final Four in Wright’s final season at the helm after winning a pair of national championships in the past decade, failed to make the NCAA tournament or win at least a share of the Big East regular-season title — which is something Wright did consistently.

The team had at least a .500 record in all three years, but suffered horrific losses along the way. The Wildcats lost at least eight times to teams ranked outside the KenPom top 100, which is something Wright did just two times in his last nine seasons. They went 19-14 this season and finished in sixth in the Big East standings, though well behind the top tier of teams like St. John’s, Marquette and Creighton. They also lost to Virginia, Maryland, Saint Joseph’s and even Columbia — which finished near the bottom of the Ivy League and fired its head coach — before conference play began.

In total, Neptune went 54-47 at Villanova. This is now the worst stretch of basketball the program has seen since Wright’s arrival, when the Wildcats missed the tournament during a five-year span.

The Wildcats will now begin looking for a new head coach immediately. While the dominant era of basketball Wright brought in is clearly now behind them, Neptune's replacement will be tasked with bringing that back as quickly as possible — which starts with simply making the NCAA tournament next spring. Anything less than that mark, fair or not, will be disappointing for the former Big East powerhouse.

Topics

Villanova fires coach Kyle Neptune after 3 years and no NCAA Tournament appearances

Villanova fired Kyle Neptune on Saturday after a three-year run where he succeeded Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright and failed to ever make the NCAA Tournament. Neptune went 54-47 overall and 31-29 ...
Yahoo Sports - 6h
Villanova fires Kyle Neptune after three seasons, no NCAA Tournament appearances

Villanova fires Kyle Neptune after three seasons at the helm.
Yahoo Sports - 5h
Villanova fires Kyle Neptune: Jay Wright's successor failed to make Big Dance in three years as program dipped

Villanova has missed the past three NCAA Tournaments after making the Final Four in Wright's finale in 2021-22
CBS Sports - 6h
Report: Villanova fires coach Kyle Neptune after 3 years and no NCAA Tournament appearances

Neptune went 54-47 overall in three seasons with the Wildcats, including a 19-14 record this season.
Yahoo Sports - 5h
Neptune out as Villanova coach after 3 seasons

Villanova has fired men's basketball coach Kyle Neptune after three seasons with the Wildcats.
ESPN - 13m
Arizona State fires women's hoops coach Adair

Arizona State has fired women's basketball coach Natasha Adair after three seasons of not making the NCAA tournament.
ESPN - Mar. 8
UNLV fires head coach Kevin Kruger after 4 seasons

The Runnin' Rebels have not made the NCAA tournament since 2013
Yahoo Sports - 1h
NC State fires men's basketball coach Kevin Keatts after 8 seasons

Keatts coached the Wolfpack to three NCAA tournament bids during his six seasons in Raleigh and advanced to the Final Four in 2024.
Yahoo Sports - 6d
Iowa fires Fran McCaffery: Longtime coach out after Hawkeyes miss NCAA Tournament for second straight season

Iowa finished 12th in the Big Ten in the regular season, the worst during the 15-year McCaffery era
CBS Sports - 1d

Villanova fires coach Kyle Neptune after 3 seasons, failing to reach the NCAA tournament

Topics

Related

Villanova fires coach Kyle Neptune after 3 years and no NCAA Tournament appearances

Villanova fires Kyle Neptune after three seasons, no NCAA Tournament appearances

Villanova fires Kyle Neptune: Jay Wright's successor failed to make Big Dance in three years as program dipped

Report: Villanova fires coach Kyle Neptune after 3 years and no NCAA Tournament appearances

Neptune out as Villanova coach after 3 seasons

Arizona State fires women's hoops coach Adair

UNLV fires head coach Kevin Kruger after 4 seasons

NC State fires men's basketball coach Kevin Keatts after 8 seasons

Iowa fires Fran McCaffery: Longtime coach out after Hawkeyes miss NCAA Tournament for second straight season

More from Yahoo Sports

Nets' Jordi Fernandez gives details on Cam Thomas' hamstring injury

Oregon State Spring Football Nuggets Day 6: Defense Wins First Scrimmage

Oregon State Spring Football Nuggets Day 6: Defense Wins First Scrimmage

Hilary Knight has a goal and 2 assists to help the Fleet beat the Charge, 5-2

Hilary Knight has a goal and 2 assists to help the Fleet beat the Charge, 5-2

More in Sports

Nets' Jordi Fernandez gives details on Cam Thomas' hamstring injury

Oregon State Spring Football Nuggets Day 6: Defense Wins First Scrimmage

Oregon State Spring Football Nuggets Day 6: Defense Wins First Scrimmage

Hilary Knight has a goal and 2 assists to help the Fleet beat the Charge, 5-2

Hilary Knight has a goal and 2 assists to help the Fleet beat the Charge, 5-2