Jay Wright

The basketball season will begin earlier than usual for St. Joseph's coach Phil Martelli, Villanova coach Jay Wright, and Drexel coach Bruiser Flint. USA Basketball yesterday announced that Martelli will coach the under-21 national team that will play in the World Championships from Aug. 5 to 14 in Argentina. Martelli will be assisted by Flint and Georgia coach Dennis Felton. The selections were made by a committee chaired by Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. Although it has not been announced, Wright is expected today to be named coach of the U.S. team that will compete in the World University Games from Aug. 11 to 21 in Turkey.

Mike Holland remembers growing up in Ardmore and sneaking into Villanova men's basketball games. With his friends in tow, Holland would find a way - any way - into the university's old fieldhouse. But Holland should have no trouble finding a way to watch a Wildcats game next season. He has an in with the new coach. Jay Wright, who had been the head coach at Hofstra University since 1994, was named yesterday to the same position at Villanova. He replaces Steve Lappas, who stepped down Friday.

Moving quickly to procure Villanova's No. 1 choice for the vacant head coaching position, athletic director Vince Nicastro said last night he had offered the job to Hofstra basketball coach Jay Wright. Wright, 39, a former Villanova assistant coach who led the Pride to NCAA tournament appearances in the last two seasons, met with Nicastro yesterday morning at an undisclosed location in southern New Jersey. Wright was offered the job before the meeting ended. Nicastro and Wright did not finalize a contract, but they were expected to do so during another meeting today.

Villanova basketball coach Jay Wright's salary is $2,290,346, 10th among coaches who made the NCAA Tournament, according to USA Today . Temple's Fran Dunphy's salary of $724,557 was 40th and La Salle's John Giannini's salary of $426,230 was 47th. Duke's Mike Krzyzewski was the top paid at $7,233,976, followed by Louisville's Rick Pitino ($4,078,327), Kansas' Bill Self ($4,750,763), Michigan State's Tom Izzo ($3,220,769) and Florida's Billy Donovan ($3,689,200). The newspaper obtained salary information from 62 of the 68 competing schools.

JAY WRIGHT has guided the Villanova basketball program to two Final Eights and a Final Four in the last six seasons. "I can't complain," he said. Indeed, his life does not stink. On or off the court. Still, when it comes to highs, nothing really compares to being an assistant coach for one of his three children's teams. Come again? "I love it," he said. "As long as I'm not the person in charge. " Whether that means helping his father coach sons Taylor and Colin to a Little League title 5 years ago, or now getting fields ready for his 11-year-old daughter Reilly's softball games.

Congratulations to coach Jay Wright and his Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team for their stirring run through March Madness. The team's tournament run ended Friday with a loss to mighty North Carolina, after a really, really, really awful referee's call cost them a chance to tie the game with two seconds left. Wright and his players were most impressive after the final horn blew, as they refused to whine about the call, blast the refs or blame anyone but themselves for the defeat.

Villanova assistant basketball coach Doug West is leaving the school for a business opportunity, according to a source. West, a 1989 Villanova graduate, spent 3 years on Jay Wright's staff. He will be replaced by Keith Urgo, who is being promoted from manager of basketball operations. Baker Dunleavy, who played at Villanova from 2002 to '06, will replace Urgo. Dunleavy is the son of former Sixers player and NBA head coach Mike Dunleavy. An official announcement is expected today.

Villanova's basketball team will play five exhibition games in Europe in August. The Wildcats will play in France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands from Aug. 7 to 16. Villanova last traveled to Europe in August 2001 when they played in Italy. "We're very excited to have this opportunity to travel to Europe as a basketball family," coach Jay Wright said in a statement. "This trip will give us a chance to grow together as a team and experience the culture of some amazing cities.

Who: Saint Joseph's (3-7) at Boston University (4-7) When: 7 o'clock Where: Agganis Arena, Boston TV/Radio: None Notes: The Hawks have lost five in a row, their longest streak since a seven-game skid in 2008-09 . . . They have not played since a Dec. 11 loss at Creighton because of final exams. That game ended a run of five in 11 days . . . Leading scorer Carl Jones has scored double figures in 12 straight games dating back to last season. He has 20-plus points in four of the last six . . . BU coach Patrick Chambers is a former Villanova assistant to Jay Wright . . . John Holland averages a team-high 17.5 points per game . . . Darryl Partin, a transfer from La Salle, is averaging 11 per game.

Jay Wright, a Villanova assistant for five seasons before turning around the Hofstra basketball program in his first head coaching job, will be introduced today as the Wildcats' new coach, a source close to the athletic department said last night. Wright, 39, who led the Pride to 50 wins and a pair of NCAA tournament berths in the last two seasons, will appear at a 3 p.m. news conference. Villanova athletic director Vince Nicastro, who contacted Wright less than 24 hours after Steve Lappas resigned Friday, completed negotiations on a contract with Wright, a Bucks County native who graduated from Council Rock High.