Hofstra Athletics Hall of Fame
Jay Wright served as Hofstra’s men’s basketball coach from 1994 to 2001. The ninth men’s basketball coach in program history, he came to Hofstra after serving as an assistant coach at UNLV, Villanova, Drexel, and Rochester.
He built the then-Flying Dutchmen into the premier team of the America East by the end of his tenure, posting an overall record of 122-85. But during his final three seasons, Wright led Hofstra to a 72-22 mark and made three postseason appearances.
In 1998-99 Hofstra posted a 22-10 record and was selected to play in the National Invitation Tournament for the first time in program history.
Wright coached Hofstra to a 24-7 mark in 1999-00 that included an America East Championship and the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1977. Hofstra repeated as America East champs and NCAA Tournament participants in 2000-01 with a 26-5 record.
Wright earned America East Coach of the Year honors in each of his final two seasons and was the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association Coach of the Year in 2001. He was also the Eastern Basketball Magazine Coach of the Year in 1999-00.
During his tenure, Wright coached Hofstra Athletics Hall of Fame members Craig “Speedy” Claxton and Norman Richardson. Wright will now be a two-time Hall of Fame inductee as he was enshrined in 2015 as part of the 1999-00 team.
After leaving Hofstra at the conclusion of the 2000-01 season, Wright has enjoyed great success as head coach at Villanova where he has won two National Championships (2016, 2018) and has been the Naismith College Coach of the Year twice.
Wright’s first book “Attitude: How to Develop a Winning Mindset On and Off the Court” was released in 2017 and became a New York Times’ bestseller.
In 25 seasons as a coach, Wright has compiled a 570-260 record. He also has a long association with USA basketball and will serves as an assistant coach for the 2019-20 USA Basketball Men’s National Team.
Wright is married to the former Patricia Reilly. The couple has two sons, Taylor and Colin, and a daughter, Reilly. Patty and Jay Wright were honored with the inaugural Saint Augustine Medal in April 2017. In 2018 Wright received the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award.
