Bentley football meets with legendary coach Jay Wright

Prior to opening its 2026 season, the Bentley football team had the opportunity to meet with legendary college basketball coach Jay Wright as part of the athletic department's Be A Force: Guest Speakers Series.

Wright led the Villanova men's basketball program to NCAA championships in 2016 and 2018. He is a two-time recipient of the Naismith College Coach of the Year Award (2006, 2016), and he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.

Wright compiled career record of 642-282 record (.695) at the NCAA DI level. He was the head coach at Hofstra (1994-2001) before taking the helm at Villanova (2001-222).

A plethora of Wright's college players reached the NBA, including NBA champions Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Kyle Lowery.

What Falcons are saying

Hearing from Coach Wright was an amazing experience for the team. One key takeaway for me was his explanation of how many of the star players he has coached trust their own process of work. Whether they win or lose, the next day looks the same for them, back to work. This idea reflects what we preach here with our football team, which is to 'snap and clear.' Highlight or lowlight, we have to brush it off and play the next play like it's our last.

Kieran Campbell '27

"The biggest thing for me was just understanding how important it is for everyone to be bought into the same vision and our core values."

Peter Bibby III '27

"One key takeaway: Jalen Brunson's clutch performance and fearlessness in big moments aren't products of talent alone. They're rooted in focused preparation. Coach Wright illustrated how mastery breeds confidence."

Jett Ellis '29

"The biggest thing I took away was that you can't be afraid of failing. Failing is going to happen in competition - it's how you respond from it. Trust all the hard work and preparation you put in, and the rest will handle itself. Do not be afraid of failure. How important is it for everyone on a team to be bought into the same core values? When it's a close game and there's little time left, the team that comes out on top is the team that sticks to their core values.

Luke Warnock '28

What I took away from Coach Wright is that success isn't always about winning. It's about staying committed to your standards, playing your game the right way, and being honest with yourself whether you win or lose.