University of Connecticut Athletics
Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- michael.nardi@uconn.edu
Mike Nardi joined the UConn men's basketball staff as an assistant coach in April 2025.
Nardi spent the last 10 seasons on the coaching staff at his alma mater of Villanova after an eight-year professional career. He initially joined the Wildcats under Hall of Fame head coach Jay Wright ahead of the 2015-16 season as the Director of Student-Athlete Development. He then spent a year each as the Video Coordinator (2016-17) and Director of Basketball Operations (2017-18) before moving into an assistant coaching position.
When Wright retired in 2022, Nardi was retained as an assistant for three years under Kyle Neptune. He took over as the interim head coach for VU’s run at the 2025 College Basketball Crown and went 2-1.
During Nardi’s time on the Villanova bench the Wildcats were one of the elite programs in all of college basketball. He was a part of two national championships (2016 and 2018), three Final Fours (’16, ’18 and ’22), five BIG EAST regular season titles and five BIG EAST Tournament crowns. He played a role in the recruitment and/or development of future NBA standouts including Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, Donte DiVincenzo, SI’lSaddiq Bey, Collin Gillespie, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Cam Whitmore.
A native of Linden, N.J., Nardi starred at St. Patrick’s in Elizabeth, N.J. and was named 2003 Newark Star Ledger Prep Player of the Year before matriculating at Villanova. While with the Wildcats he was a four-year starter and helped lead VU to the 2005 Sweet 16 and 2006 Elite Eight. He scored 1,306 points at VU and dished out 423 assists, good for 12th in program history. Following his graduation in 2007 he spent eight seasons playing overseas in Italy and the Netherlands.
