Patrick Aylward returns to Villanova as an assistant coach under James Wilkes for his eighth season in 2024-25.
Aylward has helped to push the Wildcats to unprecedented success in his years on the Main Line.
The 2022-23 season was a record-breaking one for Aylward and the 'Cats, as the coaching staff led Villanova to its best season scoring average at 294.39. The Wildcats also set single season records for most birdies (408) and highest win total (two) while winning the first ever consecutive team titles in program history.
The team's performance at the fall's Doc Gimmler marked the second lowest team round, 36-hole total and 54-hole total in Villanova golf history.
Aylward assisted in guiding Peter Weaver to an All-BIG EAST First Team selection as the third-ranked player in the league as well as a conference All-Tournament Team selection while breaking the individual season scoring average and setting four other single season bests.
In addition to Weaver, Aylward helped coach Ryan "Coop" Pamer to Villanova's first ever BIG EAST Freshman of the Year honor as well as an All-BIG EAST Second Team nod and the program's second best scoring average against par and lowest average by a freshman.
Aylward also oversaw a group that placed first in the Explorer Invitational and second in the Metropolitan Intercollegiate in 2018-19.
In 2020-21, Aylward assisted in coaching Ambrose Abbracciamento to an individual title at the ABARTA Coca-Cola Collegiate Invitational.
In a season affected heavily by the COVID-19 pandemic, Aylward helped guide Weaver to an All-BIG EAST Second Team nod in addition to medalist honors at the 2022 Golden Horseshoe Invitational.
A native of Highland Falls, N.Y., Aylward earned a bachelor's degree in health and fitness management at NCAA Division III Marymount following an outstanding four-year playing career.
Prior to Villanova, Aylward served as a volunteer assistant coach at Marymount for two years before becoming head coach at his alma mater in 1999. He left as the school's all-time winningest coach and his golfers set six school records for lowest match score by a team and an individual during his tenure.
Directly before his stint at Villanova, Aylward functioned as the top assistant at the University of Delaware for 10 seasons.
During his time at Delaware, he helped the Blue Hens finish among the top five in eight of 10 tournaments in the 2008 year. The 2009-10 season was even more successful for Delaware, who captured four tournament titles in consecutive weeks during the fall and compiled 11 top-10 finishes under Aylward.
Aylward helped lead the Blue Hens to another strong year in 2011-12, which featured six top-five finishes including a defense of the team title at the Navy Fall Classic.
In 2014-15, Aylward assisted in leading a team that set a UD-single season record with a 75.66 team average and featured three players with an average round below 75 for the first time in school history.
He and his wife Maribeth reside in Newark with their two daughters Emma and Annie and son Davis.
