[4] Wenzel resigned to be an assistant with the New Jersey Nets for the 1987–88 NBA season, but returned to college the following year to be the head coach of his alma mater.

In 1991, Rutgers returned to the Big Dance as a #9 seed, but fared no better as they were defeated by Arizona State in the first round.

The first of those (1990) saw the Scarlet Knights advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament, falling to eventual third-place finisher Penn State.

The team struggled for the next four seasons – with a move from the Atlantic 10 to the Big East Conference in 1995 not making things any easier – and after an 11–16 finish to the 1996–97 campaign, Wenzel was fired and replaced by Kevin Bannon.

[5] Shortly after his firing by Rutgers, Wenzel jumped into broadcasting and was hired by ESPN as a color commentator for its college basketball coverage.

[11] Wenzel was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame on Long Island in the Basketball and Coaches Categories with the Class of 2004.