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After serving three years as the manager of basketball operations, Jason Donnelly was promoted to an assistant coaching position in September 2008. "Jason is a young, enthusiastic and experienced basketball coach," says Wright. "His organization and people skills made an enormous impact on our program over the last three years and those traits will serve him well as a teacher and recruiter. We look forward to watching Jason emerge as another great Villanova basketball assistant coach." In his three years in the operations position, Donnelly handled an assortment of duties vital to the function of the men's basketball office. In that period he was primarily focused on off-court player development, including academics and scheduling. He also served as the basketball office's link to the athletic department on day-to-day matters, including working closely with the facilities staff on the design of the university's basketball training and student fitness facility, the Davis Center. In addition, he coordinated all team travel and the Villanova Basketball camps while also fulfilling the role of assistant producer on the "Inside Villanova Basketball" television and "Talking Villanova Basketball" radio programs. Over the course of his first three seasons at Villanova, the Wildcats owned a 72-29 (.713) record. In the summer of 2007, Donnelly enjoyed the unique experience of serving as the administrative assistant/manager for the United States' entry in the Pan American Games. He coordinated the trials held in Haverford, Pa., and the team's travel en route to Brazil, while assisting the coaching staff with a variety of off-court tasks. Donnelly came to Villanova from Bishop O'Connell High School in Arlington, Va., where he served as the lead assistant coach to Joe Wootten from 1999-2005. In his final four seasons on the staff Bishop O'Connell posted a record of 116-19 (.859) and was consistently ranked in the national top 25. While on staff he focused on scouting and player development while watching numerous former players earn scholarships to play college basketball. Prior to that stint, Donnelly began his coaching career as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa. In 1998 he was part of the staff that directed Muhlenberg to the Centenial Conference championship and a berth in the Division II NCAA Tournament. As an undergraduate, Donnelly earned a history degree from Muhlenberg and played varsity basketball for coach Dave Madiera, the school's all-time leader in coaching victories. Donnelly and his wife Rachel make their home in Wayne, Pa.
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