On April 29, The Villanovan confirmed that former Villanova interim head coach, Mike Nardi, will join Dan Hurley’s coaching staff at the University of Connecticut for the 2025-2026 season.
ESPN’s Jeff Borzello first broke the news on X (formerly known as Twitter).
The University of Connecticut officially announced the hiring in a press release on Monday, April 28, after Borzello’s report.
Nardi will replace assistant Tom Moore’s spot on the bench, who will now be the program’s full-time general manager. Moore previously held the GM role alongside his on-court duties as an assistant coach since the start of the name, image and likeness era.
Nardi’s decision to join the Huskies comes over a month after the firing of former Villanova head coach Kyle Neptune on March 15 and 22 days after Nardi announced on Instagram that he would be moving on from his alma mater.
As an interim head coach for Villanova at the inaugural College Basketball Crown in Las Vegas, Nardi held a 2-1 record. As an assistant under former head coach Jay Wright, he was on staff for five Big East tournament championships, three final four appearances and two national championships.
Nardi will now join a UConn program that won back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024. This past 2024-25 season, UConn suffered a Round of 32 exit to eventual national champions, Florida, in 2025.
A native of Linden, NJ, Nardi joins the staff of a coach who also has deep roots in the Garden State.
Hurley was born and raised in Jersey City, NJ, and played for his father Bob Hurley at St Anthony High School before playing collegiately for P.J. Carlesimo at Seton Hall. Nardi had a four-year career at nearby St Patrick High School in Elizabeth, NJ, before beginning his career at Villanova in 2003.
“I’m thrilled to add a bright and talented coach like Mike Nardi to our staff,” Hurley said to UConn Athletics. “Mike has been a part of winning under the brightest lights and on the biggest stages as both a player and as a coach. He will bring a unique perspective to help us pursue our championship goals.”
Nardi, along with fellow assistant coaches Dwayne Anderson II, Jamie Young and Director of Basketball Operations Rob DePersia, were not retained by new Villanova head coach Kevin Willard. Ashley Howard was the only assistant coach from Neptune’s staff to join Willard’s staff.
Since Nardi’s departure, the program has had just two scholarship players announce their returns, while six players from the 2024-2025 roster have entered the transfer portal. The roster moves come after Nardi led the Wildcats to a semi-final finish at the Crown.
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