Legacy Wildcats will be leaving the Main Line.
When Kevin Willard took the helm as Villanova’s new head coach, changes to the Kyle Neptune’s staff were expected. Those announcements started becoming public on Monday.
First, Mike Nardi, who was the Wildcats’ interim head coach following Neptune’s departure posted the following on Instagram.
Nardi played for fours seasons at ‘Nova, graduating in 2007. He joined the Villanova staff in 2017 as Director of Basketball Operations, and then full assistant under Jay Wright and Neptune.
SUPPORT VU HOOPS: Buy new ‘Nova gear!
Additionally, Dwayne Anderson, posted the following message and pictures with his children on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Sad to have to say goodbye to my Alma mater and the place my kids call home. Villanova made me into the man I am today and I have had the privilege of coaching and mentoring so many young men who can now say the same. Never thought I would have to say goodbye like this. pic.twitter.com/I50PiKjZYz
— Dwayne Anderson II (@waynethepres) April 8, 2025
Anderson, who was a leader on Wright’s 2009 Final Four squad, was an assistant under Wright protégé Tom Chambers at Penn State for four seasons before joining the Villanova staff in 2018.
Jeff Neiburg of the Philadelphia Inquirer has noted that Ashley Howard will be staying on the staff.
Ashley Howard is being retained on Kevin Willard’s coaching staff at Villanova, source says.
Rest of the assistant coach spots are from Willard’s staff at Maryland.
Assistant coaches: David Cox, Kevin Norris, Ashley Howard, Greg Manning Jr.
— Jeff Neiburg (@Jeff_Neiburg) April 8, 2025
David Cox, Kevin Norris, and Greg Manning Jr. appear to be headed with Willard to the Main Line according to Neiburg.
Cox was the head coach at Rhode Island from 2018 thru 2022 before joining Willard at Maryland. Norris is a Baltimore native and spent a single season with Willard in College Park. Prior to that Norris was an assistant at UCF, USC, Florida Gulf Coast, and UNC-Wilmington. Manning played at Loyola (MD) before holding assistant positions at Loyola, Siena, and Maryland.