UConn works with Villanova coach Nardi as assistant

• Jeff BorzelloApr 29, 2025, 11:42 AM ET

  Close

  • Basketball recruiting insider.
  • Signed up with ESPN in 2014.
  • Graduate of University of Delaware.UConn is employing former

Villanova player and coach Mike Nardi as an assistant coach, the school announced Tuesday.Nardi, who started 122 games for Jay Wright as

a Villanova player from 2003 to’ 07, has spent the past 10 seasons on the Wildcats ‘staff, initially under Wright and more recently under Kyle Neptune.”I’m thrilled to include a bright and skilled coach like Mike Nardi to our personnel here at UConn,”UConn coach Dan Hurley stated.”Mike has actually belonged of winning under the brightest lights and on the most significant stages as both a player and as a coach. He will bring a special point of view to assist us pursue our championship goals and I can’t wait for him to start dealing with our players and coaches.”Editor’s Picks 2 Related Nardi started his coaching profession under Wright as the program’s director

of student-athlete development in 2015, before investing one season as the video coordinator and one season as the director of basketball operations.He belonged to the program for the 2016 and 2018 championship games before being promoted to assistant coach in 2018. He remained on after Wright retired in 2022, investing the last 3 seasons as an assistant under Neptune.Nardi, a New Jersey local who dipped into powerhouse St. Patrick(New Jersey )when Hurley was the coach at competing St. Benedict’s (New Jersey ), likewise took over

as the team’s interim head coach for the College Basketball Crown after Neptune was fired last month.UConn is anticipated to when again compete for a national championship next season, following Tuesday’s news that star forward Alex Karaban is going back to the Huskies and will not enter the NBA draft.