NEW YORK, N.Y. – Villanova head coach Jay Wright was named Coach of the Decade by the Associated Press on Friday.
 
In the course of a decade that began for the Wildcats on Jan. 2, 2010 at Marquette – the same BIG EAST opponent the Wildcats will face to open the decade of the 2020's on Saturday – Villanova amassed 269 victories against just 85 losses.
 
In the course of the span that closed with Monday night's 68-62 BIG EAST victory over Xavier, the Wildcats earned five BIG EAST regular season and four BIG EAST Tournament titles. From its entry into the conference in 1980 through 2010, Villanova produced four BIG EAST regular season titles and one postseason tournament title. 
 
Villanova earned the school's second and third NCAA national championships in the decade. In 2016, Ryan Arcidiacono's pass found Kris Jenkins for the game-winning triple in a 77-74 victory over North Carolina. Two years later, Villanova capped a brilliant run through the NCAA Tournament with a 79-62 victory over Michigan in San Antonio to again take home the championship trophy.

In its story announcing the honor, the AP noted that Wright received 16 of 24 votes from a panel of Associated Press poll voters, well ahead of Duke's Mike Krzyzewski with five votes. Gonzaga's Mark Few, Kentucky's John Calipari and Virginia's Tony Bennett had one each.
 
When asked recently about the success of the last decade, Wright's answer was succinct: "We've had great players."
 
Indeed, eight members of the 2016 and 2018 title teams are in the National Basketball Association, including 2017 first team All-American Josh Hart (New Orleans), 2018 consensus National Player of the Year Jalen Brunson (Dallas), and 2018 All-American Mikal Bridges.
 
Wright is now in his 19^th season at the helm of the Wildcats. He became the program's all-time wins leader, surpassing Alexander Severance, in March 2018. The product of Bucks County, Pa., is the only individual to be named BIG EAST Coach of the Year six times and his 229 BIG EAST victories rank fourth in league history.
 
Villanova meets Marquette Saturday at 2 p.m. eastern time (Fox television and 610 ESPN Radio).
 
The 2019-20 season – Villanova's 100^th college basketball campaign – is presented by Hartford Funds and Coca-Cola.