VILLANOVA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 30: ead coach Kyle Neptune of the Villanova Wildcats reacts during … [+] the second half against the Marquette Golden Eagles at Finneran Pavilion on January 30, 2024 in Villanova, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

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After three straight seasons of missing the NCAA Tournament, Villanova has fired head men’s basketball coach Kyle Neptune.

Neptune was put in a difficult position from the beginning, having to replace the Naismith Hall of Famer Jay Wright who won two NCAA championships at the school before retiring in 2022.

Neptune was tabbed to replace Wright after just season as a head coach at Fordham in the Atlantic 10 where he finished 16-16.

Assistant Coach Mike Nardi will serve as Interim Head Coach.

“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.”

Neptune, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., first came to Villanova in 2008, serving two seasons as Video Coordinator. He returned as an assistant coach in 2013 before departing in 2021 to become head coach at Fordham University. In April 2022 he was named to replace Wright.

In three seasons, Neptune posted a 54-47 record (.535), including a 19-14 mark in 2024-25 (.576) that included victories over Top 25 opponents Connecticut, St. John’s and Marquette.

Two names linked to the job for some time are VCU coach Ryan Odom and Princeton’s Mitch Henderson, although Odom would seem a more natural fit for Virginia’s opening.

Richard Pitino (New Mexico) and Chris Collins (Northwestern) have also been mentioned as possibilities.