Kyle Neptune

Kyle Neptune (born January 21, 1985) is an American basketball coach who is the current head coach of the Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team.[1][2]

Kyle Neptune
Neptune in December 2022
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamVillanova
ConferenceBig East
Record17–17 (.500)
Biographical details
Born (1985-01-21) January 21, 1985
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Playing career
2003–2007Lehigh
2007–2008Šiauliai
2007–2008San Germán
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2010–2013Niagara (assistant)
2013–2021Villanova (assistant)
2021–2022Fordham
2022–presentVillanova
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
2008–2010Villanova (video coordinator)
Head coaching record
Overall33–33 (.500)

Playing career

Neptune attended Brooklyn Friends School, and was a member of the school's 2003 State Championship team, recording a school record in points with 1,650.[2] He played collegiate basketball at Lehigh under Billy Taylor where he was a member of the Mountain Hawks' 2004 NCAA tournament team.[3][4]

Coaching career

Neptune's coaching career began in 2008 as a video coordinator under Jay Wright at Villanova and was on staff for the Wildcats' 2009 Final Four appearance.[5] In 2010, he joined Joe Mihalich's staff at Niagara for three seasons before returning to Villanova as an assistant coach for eight seasons.[2] During his time as an assistant coach, the Wildcats earned five Big East men's basketball tournament titles, as well as two national championships in 2016 and 2018.[5]

On March 30, 2021, Neptune was named the head coach at Fordham, replacing Jeff Neubauer.[6][7] Neptune would serve only one season at Fordham, as he was announced as Villanova's new head coach on April 20, 2022, following Wright's retirement.[1]

On December 17, 2022, Neptune became the first Villanova men's basketball coach since Jack Kraft in 1962 to win a share of the Philadelphia Big 5 basketball title in his first year as coach of the program.[8] On December 21, 2022, Neptune won his first Big East Conference game with a 78–63 victory over St. John's.[9]

Neptune joined Rollie Massimino as the two Villanova coaches to finish with a .500 or better conference record in his first season in the Big East. Neptune finished 10-10. Massimino was 8–6 in 1981. Jay Wright finished 7–9 in his first season, 2002. Steve Lappas finished 3–15 in his first season, 1993.[10]

He joined Rollie Massimino who defeated Providence College 68–49 on December 6, 1980, in his first Big East conference game,[11] Steve Lappas who, on January 2, 1993, won on the road at 12th ranked Syracuse 79–61 in his first Big East conference game,[12] and Hall of Famer Jay Wright who defeated Providence College 76–57 on January 2, 2002, in his first Big East conference game.[13][14]

Gameday attire

Jay Wright retired in April 2022. Among the reasons stated by Wright was “burn out.”[15] Prior to 2021, Wright was long considered one of the best dressed coaches in college basketball.[16] However, beginning in the pandemic shortened 2020–2021 season, and into his season of burn out, Wright began to wear “athleisure wear” on the sidelines.[17] This was controversial amongst the Villanova Community.[18] When Neptune was hired, he was informed by Villanova University President, Father Peter M. Donohue, that he had to return to wearing a suit for games.[19] While coaching at Fordham, prior to being hired as head coach of Villanova, Neptune wore a suit as his gameday attire.[20] The return of the suits was viewed as a positive within the Villanova community, including former Villanova national championship winning Center, Daniel Ochefu, who tweeted "Very tuff Nep! Bring the suits back pls!"[21]

Head coaching record
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Fordham Rams (Atlantic 10 Conference) (2021–2022)
2021–22 Fordham 16–168–108th
Fordham: 16–16 (.500)8–10 (.444)
Villanova Wildcats (Big East Conference) (2022–present)
2022–23 Villanova 17–1710–10T–6thNIT First Round
Villanova: 17–17 (.500)10–10 (.500)
Total:33–33 (.500)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References
  1. "Wright to Retire as Head Men's Basketball Coach; Will Transition to New Role at Villanova; Neptune Named William B. Finneran Endowed Head Coach" (Press release). Villanova Wildcats. April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  2. "Kyle Neptune - Head Men's Basketball Coach - Staff Directory - Fordham University Athletics". Fordham University Athletics.
  3. "Kyle Neptune - Men's Basketball - Lehigh University Athletics". Lehigh Athletics.
  4. "Kyle Neptune College Stats". Sports-Reference.com.
  5. "Kyle Neptune - Men's Basketball Coach - Villanova University". Villanova Athletics.
  6. "Fordham University Hires Kyle Neptune as Head Men's Basketball Coach". Fordham University Athletics.
  7. Joe, Juliano. "Villanova assistant Kyle Neptune is hired as Fordham's head men's basketball coach". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  8. "Wildcats Claim Share of Big Five Crown" (Press release).
  9. "Villanova Tops St. John's in Wednesday's Lone Contest".
  10. "Villanova 1980-81 Schedule and Results".
  11. "Villanova 1980-81 Schedule and Results".
  12. "Villanova 1992-93 Schedule and Results".
  13. "Villanova 2001-2002 Schedule and Results".
  14. "Villanova Wildcat Season By Season History".
  15. "Jay Wright at ease leaving Nova after 'fighting it' as coach".
  16. "'GQ Jay' Wright's suit game is strong; his players, coaches try to keep pace".
  17. "Jay Wright's suits are in the Hall of Fame, but he's going casual for the Final Four".
  18. "The Wright Way, Bring Back the Suits, Jay".
  19. "Jay Wright says goodbye as Villanova introduces Kyle Neptune".
  20. "Id".
  21. "@DanielOchefu32, April 20, 2022".
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