The Villanovan 2024-25 Basketball Magazine

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from the

SPORTS EDITORS

Dear ‘Nova Nation,

V

illanova basketball is back! Once again, this season brings many new faces to the Finn as both the men’s and women’s teams utilized the transfer portal this summer. We will also see some of last year’s stars return, who know how to bring the energy on campus. Here at The Villanovan, we’re excited to see what this year has in store as we offer you this guidebook for the 2024–2025 season.

In this year’s magazine, we feature exclusive interviews with Eric Dixon and head coach Kyle Neptune. Senior Kaitlyn Orihel and junior transfer Ryanne Allen recount their journey from high school rivals to close friends and now, Villanova teammates. We also look into All-American alumna Maddy Siegrist’s life now as a member of the coaching staff in her WNBA offseason. Look inside for Big East previews and staff predictions. This magazine has everything you need to know and more.

We would like to give a huge thank you to our staff writers at The Villanovan for their contributions in writing articles for this magazine. We would also like to thank The Villanovan editorial staff for producing the pages of this magazine. Thank you to Mike Sheridan, Dean Kenefick, and the rest of the Villanova Athletics Media Relations Staff for helping us set up interviews with the student-athletes and coaches featured in this magazine. Finally, thank you to our advisors, Michael Bradley and Cat Coyle, for their unwavering support of this project.

We hope you enjoy this year’s Basketball Preview Magazine.

See you all in the Finn!

Go ‘Cats!

Owen Hewitt and Katie Lewis

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Emma Cahill Hannah Sweeney ASSOCIATE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brooke Ackerman DIGITAL EDITORS Hayden Karnes Natalie Zickel NEWS EDITORS Lauren Armstrong Finn Courtney Nicole Liddicoat OPINION EDITORS Avery Chalk Kailey Fahy CULTURE EDITORS Maggie Fitzgerald Sophie Latessa SPORTS EDITORS Owen Hewitt Katie Lewis COPY DESK EDITOR Madeline Okenquist PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Graydon Paul NEWSLETTER EDITOR Sof Quaglia CROSSWORD EDITOR Peter Reilly STAFF CONTRIBUTORS Ali Benjamin Genna Cottingham Casey Healey James Haupt Jon Hunn Madison Hodges Dylan Johnson Elijah McDow Amanda McKean Teddy Dunn Victoria Newsome ADVISOR: Michael Bradley Cat Coyle CONTACT villanovan.eic@gmail.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS MEN’S SCHEDULE---------------------WOMEN’S SCHEDULE---------------MBB LAST SEASON RECAP--------WBB LAST SEASON RECAP--------MEN’S BIOS------------------------------WOMEN’S BIOS-------------------------COACHES FAST FACTS---------------ERIC DIXON’S FIFTH SEASON----KYLE NEPTUNE’S VISION----------DILLON: REBUILDING THE CATS ORIHEL & ALLEN REUNITED------

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6 7 8 10 12 16 20 22 29 35 41

48------------MEN’S PROGRAM HISTORY 50 ------WOMEN’S PROGRAM HISTORY 52 ---------NONCONFERENCE PREVIEW 53 ---------------------------BIG 5 PREVIEWS 55 -----WOMEN'S BIG EAST PREVIEWS 61 ----------MEN'S BIG EAST PREVIEWS 68 ------------------------------FAN CULTURE 70 ---------------------------TAILGATING 101 72 --------------------STAFF PREDICTIONS 73 ------------MADDY SIEGRIST IS BACK 74 ----------------WHERE ARE THEY NOW

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Men’s SCHEDULE Nov. 4 Lafayette College Nov. 6 Columbia University Nov. 8 New Jersey Institute of Technology Nov. 12 St. Joseph’s University Nov. 15 University of Virginia Nov. 19 University of Pennsylvania Nov. 24 University of Maryland Nov. 27 Rider University Dec. 3 University of Cincinnati Dec. 7 BIG FIVE CLASSIC Dec. 8 Fairfield University Dec. 11 FDU Dec. 17 Seton Hall University Dec. 21 Creighton University Jan. 1 Butler University Jan. 4 DePaul University Jan. 11 St. John’s University Jan. 14 Xavier University Jan. 17 Providence College Jan. 20 Georgetown University Jan 24 Marquette University Feb. 1 Creighton University Feb. 5 DePaul University Feb. 9 Xavier University Feb. 12 St. John’s University Feb. 15 Providence College Feb. 18 University of Connecticut Feb. 21 Marquette University Feb. 26 Seton Hall University Mar. 1 Butler University Mar. 4 Georgetown University Mar. 12 - Mar. 15 BIG EAST TOURNAMENT 6 | The Villanovan

Villanova, PA Villanova, PA Villanova, PA Philadelphia, PA Baltimore, MD Villanova, PA Newark, NJ Villanova, PA Villanova, PA Philadelphia, PA Fairfield, CT Villanova, PA Villanova, PA Omaha, NE Indianapolis, IN Villanova, PA New York, NY Cincinnati, OH Philadelphia, PA Villanova, PA Milwaukee, WI Philadelphia, PA Chicago, IL Philadelphia, PA Villanova, PA Providence, RI Hartford, CT Philadelphia, PA Newark, NJ Villanova, PA Washington, DC New York, NY

Women’s SCHEDULE Nov. 10 Wake Forest University Nov. 13 Princeton University Nov. 16 Columbia University Nov. 20 University of Pennsylvania BATTLE 4 ATLANTIS Nov. 23 Texas A&M University Nov. 24 North Carolina or Ball State Nov. 25 TBD Dec. 1 St. Joseph’s University Dec. 6 BIG FIVE CLASSIC Dec. 8 Fairfield University Dec. 11 University of Delaware Dec. 15 James Madison University Dec. 21 St. John’s University Jan. 1 Seton Hall University Jan. 5 University of Connecticut Jan. 8 Georgetown University Jan. 11 Marquette University Jan. 15 DePaul University Jan. 18 St. John’s University Jan 22 University of Connecticut Jan. 25 Xavier University Feb. 2 Marquette University Feb. 8 Creighton University Feb. 12 DePaul University Feb. 16 Xavier University Feb. 19 Georgetown University Feb. 23 Providence College Feb. 26 Butler University Mar. 2 Creighton University Mar. 7 - Mar. 10 BIG EAST TOURNAMENT

Villanova, PA Princeton, NJ Villanova, PA Villanova, PA Nassau, Bahamas Nassau, Bahamas Nassau, Bahamas Philadelphia, PA Villanova, PA Fairfield, CT Newark, DE Villanova, PA Villanova, PA Villanova, PA Villanova, PA Washington, DC Milwaukee, WI Villanova, PA Queens, NY Storrs, CT Villanova, PA Villanova, PA Villanova, PA Chicago, IL Cincinnati, OH Villanova, PA Providence, RI Villanova, PA Omaha, NE Uncasville, CT The Villanovan | 7

By Elijah McDow

For a stretch of five seasons, playing on “The Last Monday Night” was an expectation for Villanova men’s basketball.

Nowadays, making the NCAA tournament is not a given for the Wildcats.

The 2023-2024 season led to a lot of questions, confusion and frustration from Villanova fans. The program faced calls for the firing of head coach Kyle Neptune and constant criticism from fans about Villanova’s disappointing performances against teams that were beatable.

For the second consecutive season, the Wildcats failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

With an overall record of 18-16, and a 10-10 record in conference play, Villanova finished the season seventh in the Big East. The Wildcats also started the season as a top 20 team but spent the second half of the season unranked.

The start of the season was promising. After several wins and one loss against low and mid-major competition, the Wildcats traveled to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis.

On Paradise Island, the ‘Cats faced top-tier competition, went undefeated and returned to the Main Line with a trophy.

8 8| The | TheVillanovan Villanovan

After beating Texas Tech 85-69, in the first round, the biggest win of the Neptune era came on Thanksgiving Day. On Nov. 23, 2023, the Wildcats defeated nationally-ranked North Carolina, 83-81.

As the season progressed, this win looked even more impressive.

North Carolina made it to the Sweet 16 and found itself ranked No. 3 in the country.

In the same game, graduate forward Eric Dixon recorded a career-high in points, with 34, and earned a moment in the spotlight on the national stage.

In the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game, Villanova defeated Memphis, 79-63. The win also looked more impressive the closer the ‘Cats got to March, as Memphis was also ranked in the top 10 at one point in the season. For the first time since the 2022 regional final against Houston, the ‘Cats were heading home with hardware and Neptune had secured his first signature wins as a head coach.

In the aftermath of Atlantis, it looked as if Villanova basketball was back, but things quickly changed.

In previous seasons, the Wildcats have found themselves at the top of the Philadelphia Big

Five (which now includes six teams), but this past season they found themselves at the bottom.

Despite the major wins early in the season, the Wildcats failed to record a single victory against a Big Five opponent in the 20232024 season.

The ‘Cats suffered losses to UPenn, Saint Joe’s and Drexel, and these defeats ultimately overshadowed the victories against Quad One opponents.

The Wildcats then fell on the road to Kansas State on Dec. 5 but bounced back, beating UCLA at home on Dec. 9, and picking up their first Big East win of the season on the road against Creighton on Dec. 20.

After beating Creighton, the rest of the Wildcats’ conference play was mixed.

While Villanova beat Creighton and Providence, it was unable to beat the likes of Marquette, St. John’s and national champion UConn.

In its first matchup with UConn, Villanova was narrowly defeated, 66-65. In the second meeting, the Wildcats struggled to replicate the previous performance. They fell to the Huskies, 78-55.

Following unexpected losses to Seton Hall, and Butler, the Wildcats found their NCAA tournament hopes in jeopardy.

In the final game of the regular season, Villanova matched up with Creighton for the second time. If the Wildcats could get a win at home, they would be back in the conversation as one of the last four teams

to make the tournament.

Despite trailing by 22 points, the Wildcats came back, and Creighton’s Trey Alexander nailed a game-winner shot in the final seconds of regulation. Alexander’s shot put the Wildcats in a position where winning the Big East Tournament was their only chance at making the tournament.

The Wildcats opened the Big East tournament against DePaul. In the regular season, the ‘Cats had beaten DePaul twice, once by 36 points and the second time by 25. Most fans saw the first round as an easy win, but the matchup with DePaul on a neutral court proved to be much closer.

If not for the heroics of former Wildcat Justin Moore, the Wildcats would have surely seen their season end in the first round, and Neptune’s job would have surely been in question.

More drama followed in the second round against Marquette. In the final seconds of regulation, Marquette’s buzz-

er-beater in the dying second was called off. This forced the game into overtime, giving the Wildcats a chance to secure a win. They were unable to do so, falling to the Golden Eagles, 71-65, and ultimately ending their NCAA tournament hopes.

Despite missing the NCAA Tournament, the Wildcats accepted a bid in the National Invitational Tournament, but their presence in the tournament was short-lived. For the second year in a row, Villanova was eliminated in the first round, this time falling to VCU. The loss marked the end of several long Villanova careers,

including graduate players Chris Archidiacono and Justin Moore, who were both on the 2022 Final Four Team.

Early in the offseason, Villanova established that Neptune would return for the 20242025 season. With Neptune’s status made clear, the coaching staff could now begin working on rebuilding the program.

In the coming weeks, several players from the 2024-2025 roster left the program via the NBA Draft or the transfer portal.

The departures cleared space for the 2024-2025 team to be full of mostly newcomers.

Over the spring and summer, the coaching staff attacked the transfer portal and crafted a team of two or three key returners, and several key transfers. It is a much different team than the teams of the past. Only five players have been a part of the program for more than one season.

Led by Dixon, senior Jordan Longino and redshirt junior Nnanna Njoku, the Wildcats will begin their season on Sunday, Oct. 27, in an exhibition game with Robert Morris.

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By Casey Healey

The 2023-24 Villanova women’s basketball season may not have lived up to the prior year’s Sweet 16 run, but that doesn’t mean it was anything short of successful. The Wildcats ended up making a deep postseason run in the first annual Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament (WBIT), organized and managed by the NCAA. At the end of the tournament, the women finished as the WBIT runners-up to fourth- seeded Illinois.

Villanova began its season far from home, playing two games in Oregon, facing both Portland and Oregon State. The Wildcats easily defeated the University of Portland but suffered a loss to the Beavers, 63-56. The ‘Cats then went on a four-game win streak in non-conference play, most notably against Temple, when junior guard Lucy Olsen scored her season-high of 40 points. Despite reaching this mark only three games in, she would come close to it many more times throughout the rest of the season. Along with Temple, Villanova defeated Holy Cross, Wake Forest and Richmond, but its streak was 10 | The Villanovan

interrupted by a two-point loss to Columbia. The Wildcats faced two more Ivy League teams during non-conference play, beating City Six opponent University of Pennsylvania, 68-62, and falling to Princeton, 61-58.

The Wildcats began conference play with five straight wins against Xavier, Seton Hall, Georgetown, Butler and 22nd ranked Marquette. This run was cut short

by Creighton, followed by an overtime loss to Providence.

The ‘Cats would then go on to beat the Friars later in the season but were defeated in both of their matchups against Creighton. Villanova also suffered losses in both games

against UConn, neither of which were close. The Huskies were ranked nationally within the top 15 for both contests.

They would go on to have another three-game win streak in Big East play, followed by a rather unexpected loss to Butler at home. This loss did some damage to Villanova’s March Madness prospects due to the Bulldogs’ overall performance that season. The Wildcats ended Big East play with a conference record of 11-7, putting them in the four-seed position entering the Big East Tournament.

On March 9, 2024 Villanova faced Marquette for the third time that season in the Big East quarterfinals, hosted by UConn in the Mo-

hegan Sun Arena. Although it defeated Marquette in both prior matchups, it was unable to follow through on the third.

Despite a hard fought game by the Wildcats, they fell short by just two points, ending the game with a score of 50-48. It was a defense heavy matchup, as neither team was able to lead by more than five in the first half. Once again, Olsen led the way with 22 points, marking her 21st game of the season with 20 points or higher. Regardless of the early exit from their conference tournament, Villanova was able to secure the one seed in the inaugural Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament hosted by Butler in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Villanova began the tournament at home against Virginia Commonwealth University with a 75-60 victory, giving it some confidence for the remainder of its tournament run. The Wildcats achieved two more wins to send them to the semifinals.

The ‘Cats also redeemed themselves against Big East rival Saint Joseph’s in a 67-59 defeat. On April 1, 2024, Villanova faced the Penn State Nittany Lions in the WBIT semifinals and came out on top in a battle for the championship ticket. It shot 38.5% from the field and 27.8% from the 3-point line.

Olsen once again led in scoring and assists with 21 points and 6 assists. Christina Dalce held

the rebound high with seven.

Villanova’s season came to an end in Indianapolis against fourth-seeded University of Illinois, where the Wildcats fell, 71-57.

Despite a not-so-ideal finish in the Big East and a missed NCAA tournament appearance, the Wildcats still showed up in the postseason, letting the basketball world know that they weren’t done just yet. Their performances against tougher Big 10 and ACC competition showed a lot of promise for the season to come, and exhibited Denise Dillon’s outstanding coaching abilities. Olsen had herself an especially exceptional season, earning a unanimous firstteam all-Big East selection, Big East Most Improved Player, Philadelphia Big 5 Player of the Year and Most Improved Player.

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All photos courtesy of Villanova Athletics.

2024-25 MEN’S ROSTER 12 | The Villanovan

0 1 2 Josiah Moseley

Kris Parker

Jhamir Brickus

Freshman | Forward Round Rock, Texas 6’6”

Redshirt Freshman Guard | Tallahassee, Fla. | Alabama | 6’9”

Graduate | Guard Coatesville, Pa. | La Salle | 5’11”

The top class of 2024 recruit in the state of Texas, Moseley committed to the Wildcats over offers from Texas, Southern California and Oklahoma State, among others. He was named the 2024 Texas Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year averaging 22.8 points and 8.9 rebounds in his senior season. He led Stony Point to a 38-2 season and its first UIL title.

Villanova had a serious chance to land Parker as a 2023 three-star recruit, but missed out to Alabama.

After a redshirt season in Tuscaloosa, the dynamic guard transferred to the Main Line. In his senior season at Crossroad Academy, Parker was named 2023 Florida Class 2A Player of the Year, averaging 24.8 points and 14.2 rebounds.

Brickus joins the Wildcats after a four-year career at Big Five rival La Salle.

In his senior season with the Explorers, Brickus averaged 13.9 points and 4.8 assists and was named to the All-Atlantic 10 Third Team. He posted a career-high 41 points in 53 minutes in a triple overtime loss to Temple last season.

4 5 7 10 Tyler Perkins

Wooga Poplar

Aleksandar Gavalyugov

Jordann Dumont

Sophomore | Guard Lorton, Va. | Penn 6’4”

Senior | Guard Philadelphia, Pa. Miami | 6’6”

Freshman | Guard Sofia, Bulgaria | 6’2”

Redshirt Freshman Forward | Montreal, Canada | 6’8”

Another Big Five portal addition, Perkins averaged 13.7 points in his freshman season at Penn. He scored 22 in the Quakers’ early season upset of the ‘Cats at the Palestra. Perkins scored in double-figures in 21 games for the Quakers, with five of those being 20-plus point performances. Perkins set a Penn program record for points by a freshman with 398.

Poplar, a Philadelphia native, makes his return to the area with the Wildcats after three seasons at Miami. He averaged 13.1 points and 4.8 rebounds for the Hurricanes in 2023-24, and started all but one game for the ‘Canes in 2022-23. In Miami’s run to the Final Four that season, Poplar averaged 9.6 points in tournament games.

Gavalyugov earned an offer from Villanova after a stand-out performance at the 2024 Adidas EuroCamp, where he averaged 16.7 points and 6.3 assists.

Gavalyugov has experience playing internationally for Bulgaria’s under-18 team. The three-star prospect was named to the first team at FIBA U18 EuroBasket Division B.

Dumont was the lone member of the Wildcats’ 2023 freshman class, and redshirted his freshman season. Dumont was an unranked recruit out of Hamilton Heights Christian in Tennessee, where he played for two seasons.

He represented Canada’s under-18 and under-19 national teams at the U18 FIBA Americas Championship and the U19 FIBA World Cup.

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12 13 14 15 Collin O’Toole

Enoch Boakye

Wade Chiddick

Jordan Longino

Senior | Guard Rye, N.Y. | 6’1”

Senior | Forward Brampton, Canada Fresno State | 6’11”

Junior | Guard King of Prussia, Pa. 6’4”

Senior | Guard Doylestown, Pa. | 6’5”

O’Toole enters his third season on the active roster for the Wildcats after spending 2021-22 as a practice player. He is the son of Tim O’Toole, who is currently associate head coach at Pitt. Collin O’Toole has logged six minutes across seven games for the ‘Cats.

A two time transfer, Boakye comes to Villanova after two seasons at Arizona State, followed by a season at Fresno State.

Boakye’s size makes him an interior presence. In his junior year at Fresno State, Boakye logged nine games of 10 or more rebounds. He averaged 7.5 in his lone year with the Bulldogs.

Chiddick joins the Wildcats active roster after serving as a practice player in 2023-24. He played high school basketball for Westtown School in West Chester, Pa., earning the school’s Thomas Kaesemeyer Leadership Award & Scholar Athlete Award in 2022. Chiddick is a presidential scholar and is majoring in computer science.

The second-longest tenured Wildcat, Longino has contributed sporadically throughout his career. Last season, Longino averaged 6.6 points in 21.7 minutes per game. Longino has dealt with injuries in each of his three seasons with Villanova, including a torn meniscus and a sprained knee. Longino is a skilled perimeter defender.

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20 21 33 43 Malcolm Thomas

Nnanna Njoku

Matthew Hodge

Eric Dixon

Freshman | Forward Mitchellville, Md. 6’8”

Redshirt Junior | Forward | Newark, Del. | 6’9”

Freshman | Forward Belmar, N.J. | 6’8”

Graduate | Forward Willow Grove, Pa. | 6’8”

Thomas joins Villanova as a three-star recruit out of DeMatha Catholic in Maryland, which also produced former Wildcat Justin Moore. Thomas was the second-ranked recruit in the state. He averaged 11.6 points and 4.7 blocks in his junior season at DeMatha. Thomas’ father, Etan Thomas, played in the NBA for nine seasons.

Njoku has been limited in his three seasons on the Main Line, appearing in 24 games for the ‘Cats. He appeared in a career-high 11 games last season before having knee surgery in late January. He also notched a career-high 11 minutes in an 84-48 victory at DePaul. Njoku was the top class of 2021 recruit in the state of Delaware.

Hodge committed to Villanova in September of 2023 over offers from Maryland, Marquette and Alabama, among others.

Hodge averaged 17.0 points and 6.7 rebounds in his senior season at St. Rose. Hodge’s father, Odell Hodge, played at Old Dominion and professionally in the NBA and in Belgium, where Matthew was born.

The longest tenured Wildcat, Dixon returns for his sixth year with the team and his fifth on the floor.

Since breaking out as a key piece of the Wildcats’ 2021-22 Final Four team, Dixon has been a mainstay of the ‘Cats’ offense.

Dixon has been the team’s leading scorer for the past two seasons, averaging 15.4 in 2022-23 and 16.6 in 2023-24.

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All photos courtesy of Villanova Athletics.

2024-25 WOMEN’S ROSTER 16 | The Villanovan

4 5 Kaityln Orihel

Ryanne Allen

Senior | Guard | Newtown, Pa. | 5’10”

Junior | Guard Perkasie, Pa. Vanderbilt | 6’1”

Orihel appeared in 33 games last season, averaging 6.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 23.7 minutes per game. She recorded 13 points and three blocks against Penn State in the semifinals of the WBIT. Orihel is the all-time leading scorer at Archbishop Wood, where she was named Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year in her senior season.

Allen joins the Wildcats after two seasons at Vanderbilt, where she averaged 6.4 points in 21.6 minutes per game as a freshman.

Her opportunity lessened sophomore year, averaging 2.3 points in 6.7 minutes.

Allen is second all-time on the Archbishop Wood scoring leader board to Orihel. Allen earned Philadelphia Catholic League MVP Basketball at Archbishop Wood.

7 8 11 13 Bronagh Power-Cassidy

Jaliyah Green

Jasmine Bascoe

Brynn McCurry

Graduate | Guard Dublin, Ireland Holy Cross | 5’10”

Senior | Guard St. Louis, Mo. SEMO | 5’10”

Freshman | Guard Milton, Canada | 5’7”

Sophomore Forward | Sparta, N.J. | 6’1”

In four seasons with Holy Cross, Power-Cassidy helped the Crusaders claim two Patriot League regular season championships and two Patriot tournament championships.

She holds a 13.0 point career scoring average. Her only individual scoring season below a double figure average was 2021-22.

She posted 16.8 points per game in her senior season with the Crusaders.

Green joins the Wildcats with three seasons of experience at Southeast Missouri. She was named first team All-Ohio Valley Conference in her sophomore season, leading the Redhawks with 10.5 points per game and 3.5 rebounds. In her junior season, she posted 12.9 points on average. Green scored in double figures 19 times in 2023-24.

Bascoe is a product of the same Toronto-area high school that former Wildcat and current Northeastern guard Abby Jegede attended. Bascoe was ranked as the 97th class of 2024 recruit in ESPN W’s top 100. She has represented Canada on youth national teams, and has a 2022 under-18 Americas silver medal and a 2023 under-19 World Cup bronze medal.

McCurry appeared in 28 games for the ‘Cats in her freshman season. She averaged 2.7 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 11.6 minutes per game.

McCurry logged a season and career-high 12 points in the Wildcats’ win at Wake Forest in November 2023. She recorded six assists in 22 minutes at St. John’s.

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14 23 24 25 Lara Edmanson

Maddie Burke

Dani Ceseretti

Denae Carter

Graduate | Forward Melbourne, Aus. Santa Clara | 6’0”

Graduate | Guard Doylestown, Pa. Penn State | 6’0”

Freshman | Guard Barrington, R.I. | 6’0”

Junior | Forward Philadelphia, Pa. | 6’0”

After four seasons at Santa Clara, Edmanson transferred to Villanova in the offseason. She averaged 7.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game across 32 starts for the Broncos.

In 2022-23, Edmanson led the West Coast Conference in two-point field goal percentage, connecting on 64.6% of her shots from within the arc.

Burke enters her third season with the Wildcats after playing two at Penn State. Over 72 games at Villanova, she has averaged 5.6 points in 21.0 minutes per game. Burke started all 37 games of the ‘Cats’ 2022-23 Sweet 16 campaign, shooting 36.1% from three. Burke is the second-longest tenured Wildcat, with only Orihel appearing in more games.

Ceseretti committed to play at Villanova in January of 2023. In high school, she earned first team All-State honors at Northfield Mount Hermon. Ceseretti’s father, Mark Ceseretti played basketball at Stonehill, and Dani’s three older sisters all were college athletes.

Carter transferred to Villanova in the summer of 2023 after spending her first two seasons at Mississippi State. Injury prevented her from playing for the entirety of the 2023-24 season. Carter started 10 games in her two seasons with the Bulldogs, averaging 5.0 points and 6.1 rebounds in 19.1 minutes per game.

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34 43 44 45 Maddie Webber

Annie Welde

Maggie Grant

Rachel Wirts

Sophomore | Guard Bridgeville, Pa. | 5’11”

Junior | Forward | Havertown, Pa. | 6’0”

Junior | Guard Downingtown, Pa. 6’0”

Freshman | Forward Greenwood, Ind. | 6’3”

In her freshman season, Webber was named to the Big East all-rookie team, averaging 7.7 points and 2.7 rebounds across 29 games. She is the top returning scorer for the ‘Cats this season. Webber had 11 double-figure scoring games, including a season-high 20-point performance in a loss at Providence.

Welde is entering her third season with the Wildcats after a successful high school career at Cardinal O’Hara. In her time with Villanova, Welde has appeared in 11 games for a total of 18 minutes.

She scored her first career points in a win over American in December 2022.

At Cardinal O’Hara, Welde won two state titles and was named 2022 Third Team All-State.

Grant appeared in four games for the Wildcats in 2023-24 after missing the entirety of the 2022-23 season with an injury.

She logged 10 minutes last season, and was credited with two assists and a rebound in a win over Xavier. Grant is still seeking the first points of her collegiate career. She is the niece of head coach Denise Dillon.

Wirts led Center Grove to a program-high 22-1 regular season record in her senior season. She led the team in scoring and rebounding and was named a 2024 Indiana Senior All-Star. Wirts committed to Villanova in June 2023.

She was named to the McDonald’s All-American Midwest Nominee List in January 2024.

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DENISE DILLON’S VILLANOVA DYNASTY

By Victoria Newsome

Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

Denise Dillon isn’t just coaching the Wildcats; she’s crafting a basketball dynasty. Since returning to her alma mater in 2020, she has reignited Villanova’s women’s basketball program, transforming it into a national contender. In just four seasons, Dillon led the Wildcats to a 93-36 overall record (.720) and a 52-19 mark in the BIG EAST, highlighted by two NCAA Tournament appearances, a WNIT berth, and a trip to the inaugural WBIT championship game.

Known for her intense, no-nonsense approach, Dillon has developed All-Americans and delivered record-breaking wins, cementing her reputation as one of college basketball’s elite coaches.

Entering her fifth season, she faces a challenge after the departure of key players like Lucy Olsen and Christina Dalce. However, her track record shows she thrives under pressure,

20 | The Villanovan

and this season promises to be no exception. Her overall coaching record stands at 422-247 as she prepares to lead Villanova basketball into a new era.

Dillon’s impact at Villanova was immediate. In her second season, the Wildcats went 30-7, reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and setting a school record for wins. That same year, forward Maddy Siegrist led the nation in scoring with 29.2 points per game and earned BIG EAST Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season. Siegrist was named a consensus first-team All-American and was selected third overall in the 2023 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings, showcasing Dillon’s ability to bring out the best in her players.

Last season, Dillon guided the Wildcats to a 22-13 overall record and an 11-7 BIG EAST mark. Although they didn’t make the NCAA Tournament, they had a strong run in the inaugural WBIT, with wins over Virginia Commonwealth, Saint Joseph’s, and Penn State before falling short to Illinois in the championship game. Junior guard Lucy Olsen emerged as a breakout star, finishing third in the nation in scoring with 23.3 points per game, earning first-team AllBIG EAST honors and an Honorable Mention All-American nod.

But Villanova faces significant challenges in the 2024-25 season. The team lost its two biggest stars: Olsen transferred to Iowa, and Dalce transferred to Maryland.

These departures leave Villanova in a rebuilding phase, forcing Coach Dillon to reevaluate her roster and strategies. Nonetheless, Dillon has responded by adding key transfers,

including Southeast Missouri State’s Jaliyah Green, a versatile player expected to make an immediate impact.

Green, who averaged 12.9 points and 4.5 rebounds last season, is already feeling the positive effects of Dillon’s leadership.

“Coach Dillon truly cares about her players and keeps their confidence high, which is something I really like,” Green said. “She expects me to affect the game in more than just one way.” This level of care has resonated with Dillon’s players throughout her career. She fosters a team-first mentality while helping her athletes develop both on and off the court. “[Dillon] gave me the freedom to grow as a player while holding me accountable,” former Villanova player and WNBA Dallas Wings player Maddy Siegrist said.

“Coach Dillon doesn’t just coach basketball, she invests in you as a person.”

Heading into her fifth season, Dillon aims to address the Wildcats’ struggles from beyond the arc, as the team shot only 29.4% from three-point range last season.

With the addition of Green and other incoming players, Dillon will look to retool the offense and get Villanova back to the top of the BIG EAST standings.

Whether it’s returning to the NCAA Tournament or making another deep postseason run, one thing is clear: under Denise Dillon’s leadership, Villanova women’s basketball is in good hands. Her blend of competitive fire, basketball intelligence, and genuine care for her players ensures that the Wildcats will remain a force in women’s college basketball for years to come.

KYLE NEPTUNE’S BASKETBALL JOURNEY By

By Dylan Elijah Johnson McDow

Kyle Neptune enters his third season as head coach of the Wildcats looking for his first March Madness appearance at the helm of the Villanova program.

Neptune is no stranger to Villanova. He was an assistant coach when Kris Jenkins knocked down “the shot” to win the 2016 National Championship.

Last season, Neptune put together a strong roster on paper to avenge his first-round NIT exit.

However, the Wildcats fell short of the NCAA Tournament and again lost in the first round of the NIT to VCU, 70-61.

With nine new players to the Wildcat program, Neptune has the opportunity to return to the Villanova standard and put his and the program’s names back on the map.

Neptune’s basketball journey started in Brooklyn, NY. Born and raised in Brooklyn’s Clinton Hill neighborhood, Neptune attended Brooklyn Friends School.

There, he played basketball and in 2003 won a state championship.

In 2021, Neptune would return to New York City as head coach at Fordham University.

Neptune prides himself on student-athletes’ grades and effort in the classroom. Neptune graduated from Lehigh with a journalism degree. He played basketball at Lehigh, averaging 7.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists. Lehigh has only made the NCAA Tournament three times. Neptune was a part of one of those appearances in 2003.

After graduating, Neptune took up a professional basketball career overseas for one year (20072008), playing for BC Šiauliai and Atléticos de San Germán.

Neptune pivoted to a

coaching career in 2008, joining Jay Wright’s staff at Villanova as a video coordinator. His job as video coordinator began a season before the memorable Final Four run in 2009.

His job was to collect tape from practices and games for the team to study. His efforts as video coordinator at Villanova were enough to earn him a role on Niagara’s coaching staff as an assistant coach.

Neptune spent three seasons at Niagara under head coach Joe Mihalich. Niagara had a 42-56 record during his tenure with the team from 2010 to 2013. Neptune returned to Villanova in 2014 as Wright’s assistant coach.

During his tenure as assistant coach, he helped build the program and earned a promotion, becoming Wright’s top assistant and recruiter. Neptune aided in two National Championships in 2016 and 2018. Before the two championships, Villanova had not won a National Championship since 1985.

It cemented the Wildcats as the top team in the Big East. Villanova was a school that recruits dreamed of.

Neptune still flashes his recruiting abilities to this current day, pulling in names such as Josiah Mosley, Matthew Hodge and Malcolm Thomas. His recruiting abilities also translated to the transfer portal. This recent offseason, Neptune and staff picked up Wooga Poplar, Jhamir Brickus, Tyler Perkins, Enoch Boyake and Kris Parker.

After his eight-year stint as head assistant coach and recruiter, Neptune parted ways with the Main Line and returned home to New York City, this time to Fordham.

Fordham named Neptune head coach, marking his first time in the

position. Neptune spent only a singular season at Fordham. The team finished with a 16-16 record overall.

Neptune received a call from former Villanova athletic director Mark Jackson in April of 2022. Jackson told him that Wright was retiring and Neptune was being considered as his replacement. Neptune at first did not believe it.

“Because Coach, for so many years, has said that [he was retiring] — normally in a fit of rage,” Neptune told The Athletic.

“I didn’t believe him, and didn’t even think about it, and definitely didn’t think it would be an option for me.”

Eventually, only 13 months after he departed from the Main Line, Neptune returned to what he calls “home.” On April 22, 2022, people packed the lobby of the Finn as Wright passed the head coaching torch to Neptune.

Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

The Villanovan | 21

& Counting In his sixth and final season, forward Eric Dixon builds on his legacy and chases success.

E

By Owen Hewitt ric Dixon is done after this season. For real this time. The now-second year graduate forward tested the possibility of jumping to the NBA after the Wildcats’ 202324 season concluded. He’s led the Wildcats in scoring for both of the seasons that head coach Kyle Neptune has been at the helm, and has questioned if he should go pro after both.

“I’ve been saying ‘this is it’ for the last three years,” Dixon deadpans. “When I graduated, and I got my diploma, I was like, ‘I’m out. This is great.’ Then you go through it, and it’s like ‘alright, maybe not.’ Last year, I was like ‘I’m definitely done, There’s nothing that can happen.’ Then it’s like, ‘Yeah, you’re going back

22 | The Villanovan

to school.’ I’m like, “Me? School? Can’t see it.’ And here we are.”

This summer’s testing of the pro waters was far more intense, with Dixon declaring for the NBA draft in April. He worked out for multiple NBA teams but ultimately made the call to return to Villanova after it appeared unlikely that he would be able to secure an NBA opportunity.

Now that Dixon is back, his goal is clear.

“For me to be able to come back and make myself more desirable for guys at the next level by winning games here…” Dixon said. “Because that’s really what it all comes down to. Winning. Winning teams, winning players, that’s all everybody wants. So I think just winning just a little bit more, accomplishing a few more things, and being a better leader can put you right there at the doorstep.”

At first appearance, much has changed about Eric Dixon since his arrival at Villanova.

His hair, once carefully clipped within a quarter-inch of his skull, has been shaped into neat braids running from the top of his forehead to the back of his neck.

In Dixon’s first five years, his beard progressed from a suggestion to a feature.

Now, for his sixth season, Dixon has neatly restricted it to his upper lip and his chin.

Dixon’s status has changed too. The Abington product committed to Villanova 16 days after the Wildcats claimed their third national title in April 2018. Dixon, who was a four-star recruit and the second-ranked prospect in the state of Pennsylvania, redshirted his freshman season.

He emerged as a contributor in 2021-22, his

redshirt sophomore season. Dixon started all 38 games for the Wildcats as they made their way to the Final Four in New Orleans, averaging 9.1 points and 6.4 rebounds. In Kyle Neptune’s first season, Dixon emerged as the top offensive option. He’s led the team in scoring for the past two seasons, accruing two Second-Team All-Big East selections in that time.

A lot has changed in the half-decade he’s been in the program. The adjustment from a hallof-fame coach in Jay Wright to an unproven one in Kyle Neptune, going from redshirting to the end of the bench to the starting lineup, the introduction of name, image and likeness policies and the creation of the transfer portal allowing for more freedom of movement for players. Dixon’s been through it all.

Through the coaching transition it faced after Wright retired, Villanova has maintained its core identity. However, it has struggled with remaining a force in the landscape of college basketball.

The ‘Cats have lost 33 games over the last two seasons, one more game than the team lost over the final four seasons of Wright’s tenure from 2018-19 to 2021-22.

“We didn’t change any words.

We didn’t change any posters,” Dixon said. “Our beliefs are still our core beliefs.”

Villanova was absent from the 2024-25 preseason Associated Press poll, marking the first time since 2013-14 the program was not in the year-opening AP top 25.

The on-court struggles haven’t been for a lack of talent. In Neptune’s first season at the helm, the Wildcats retained 65% of their minutes played and 61.5% of their scoring output from the previous year’s Final Four team. Dixon, guard Justin Moore and forward Brandon Slater, three-fifths The Villanovan | 23

of 2021-22’s starting five, all returned for 2022-23.

Add on the return of key depth pieces and a top-20 incoming freshman class, and it should have been a smooth handoff.

However, the ‘Cats were banged up. Moore, who tore his Achilles in closing moments of the

NBA draft, exhaustion of eligibility or the transfer portal.

The reality of name, image and likeness policies is that rosters have to be rebuilt on a yearly basis.

Many have bemoaned an era of collegiate athletics where it is no longer an option to slowly build up a team’s culture and develop talent. However, the other factor in the NIL equation is that it might enable teams to persuade players looking to make the leap to the pros to come back, especially if that player is projected to go undrafted.

Dixon is the prime example of this. He is currently worth far more to Villanova than he is to any pro squad, which would likely send him to a developmental team.

“It’s just new,” Dixon says, referring to the NIL era. “New is always scary.

I’d be lying to say that I was all on board with it right when it came in, but obviously I’m happy, I’m a beneficiary of it.”

In building its roster for this season, Villanova took on a more even balance of freshmen and experienced transfers than in its past two off-seasons.

The ‘Cats added four freshmen, including four-star forwards Matthew Hodge and Josiah Moseley, and five transfers to round out its roster. Villanova had one freshman on its roster in 2023-24.

“We haven’t had a young team like this in a long time,” Dixon said. “I haven’t had a chance to lead young guys like this. I haven’t been really excited to watch someone grow the way I’m excited to watch these young guys grow this year.”

Dixon is also familiar with two of the transfers that Villanova brought in this offseason. Guard Wooga Poplar, who is two classes below Dixon, was a force in the Philadelphia Public League before his career at Miami. Dixon and guard Jhamir Brickus, who started his career at La Salle in the fall of 2020, both played for the Philadelphia-area AAU program

“The only thing I want to do is win. And I think I understand coming into this last year, I can’t just put my head down and look at myself.” previous season’s Elite Eight win, did not make his return to the court until late January. He only played 13 games in 2022-23, and never returned to his pre-injury form. Forward Cam Whitmore, who was the prize of the ‘Cats’ 2022 recruiting class, missed seven weeks, including the team’s first seven games, after having surgery on his thumb in early October.

After the 2022-23 campaign closed at 17-17, Villanova leveraged its brand and resources and took advantage of the fledgling NCAA transfer portal in hopes to avoid another down season. Neptune and his staff pulled out the fifth-best transfer class in the nation, per 247sports.com. It included forward Tyler Burton, guard TJ Bamba, forward Hakim Hart and forward Lance Ware. Everyone but Ware posted a double figure scoring average the previous season.

Only Bamba managed to keep his scoring average above 10, dropping from 15.8 in his junior season at Washington State to 10.1 in his senior season.

A lackluster 18-16 season led to an exodus, with the Wildcats losing eight players to either the 24 | The Villanovan

WE R1. “[Brickus] played on the team below me, obviously being a year younger,” Dixon said. “We played each other a lot in high school. We played three times in the district playoffs. I won all three times. Put that on the record.”

Despite all the visual cues that would tell the viewing public Dixon has changed – hair, beard and stature – hearing him speak is a signifier that his personal core remains.

He sits in the media room of the Finneran Pavilion at a low table against the wall that is smaller than his six-foot-eight frame would prefer. He extends his leg out toward the center of the room, avoiding contact with the thin leg of the table. Dixon is understated, projecting a gentle confidence. He speaks in a low, muted voice that occasionally pitches up to signify interest or engagement, or something in between.

None of it is a substantive departure from the way Dixon carried himself in the start of his redshirt sophomore season, when he began to emerge as a factor.

Across 127 games over four seasons with the Wildcats, Dixon scored 1,499 points. With his first point of the season, he’ll usurp Moore as the most recent Villanova player to tally 1,500 points over the course of his career.

“Going through the draft process this year, I really thought I was going to be a pro,” Dixon said.

“I was like, ‘Dang, 1,499, it’s going to sting.’ Definitely a chance to break that threshold will be nice. You don’t really think about it in the moment, but I know when I look back on it, ten, fifteen years down the line, I’m sure it’ll mean something to me.”

A 1,500-point career isn’t the only milestone left to reach for Dixon. After serving a single-game suspension for participating in the Portsmouth Invitational, a non-certified pre-draft camp he played in during his evaluation process, Dixon needs to appear in 23 games to reach 150 games with the Wildcats.

Forward Jermaine Samuels and Guard Collin Gillespie, two of Dixon’s former teammates, are the only other Wildcats to reach the 150-game mark with the program. If Dixon can play in 30 of the 31

games he is eligible to appear in this season, he’ll pass Gillespie on the program’s all-time games played list, totaling 157.

“It’d be good bragging rights to get a leg up on [Gillespie] on anything,” Dixon said. “It’s a great program, and for me to be able to leave a legacy…

I think that was something I always wanted to do wherever I was at. I’m blessed to have the opportunity to do it again at the college level.”

Part of building and leaving a legacy – especially at a place with a history book as thick as Villanova’s – is the impact you make on others. Leadership, in the traditional sense, is not a natural aspect of Dixon’s personality. However, it is something that he decided he needed to improve on.

“I never thought I’d be in this position,” Dixon said. “Leadership is one of the things that I always kind of deferred. I’ve always been a guy to just come to the gym, do my job, do what I’m supposed to do, and kind of get out of the way. Being able to grow here as a man, as a person, just seeing the value that being a leader can have. As a young guy, watching [Gillespie] and watching [Saddiq Bey], it gave me a lot of experience. It gave me a lot of ideas, helped me see how they did it.”

Gillespie, the leader of the 2021-22 Final Four team, encouraged Dixon to step up as a leader after he aged out of the program.

“When [Gillespie] was on his way out, he’d be like, ‘E, you’re going to be a leader of this team, you need to step up,’” Dixon said. “I’d be like ‘Ah, I’m good.’ I just kept coming in and worrying about myself, focusing on me, keeping my head down, leading by example. Even last year I struggled with being a vocal leader. Coming into this year, [I’m] just really focusing on making sure I’m there for everybody, and making sure that I’m somebody everyone can look to for whatever they need.”

Dixon’s been a redshirt, he’s sat on the end of the bench, he’s been a role starter, a contributor and a top option. He’s also had the benefit of six years of personal growth since his start at Villanova.

“For me, to be able to relate to whoever is in the gym, relate to whatever situation you’re going through, there’s not many things that you’re going to go through that I haven’t gone through,” Dixon said.

“Self-doubt, worrying what other people think, I’ve The Villanovan | 25

thought about it all.”

The Wildcats have a youthful roster for the first time in a few seasons, with seven underclassmen players. The youth of the team inspired Dixon to reflect on what he wanted to contribute to his teammates in his final season.

“When I got back to campus in June, I looked at the younger guys that we have coming in... I just want to leave them with something in the same way that [Gillespie] and [Daniels] and [Samuels] left me with something,” Dixon said. “I just want them to feel like, ‘E gave me something that I can look back on.’”

As the on-court face of the most embattled stretch the program has faced in a decade, Dixon understands that the onus is on him to lead the team to wins this season. He knows that he won’t be able to do it passively.

“I’ve scored however many points, I’ve got a bunch of rebounds, I’ve got all these accolades, all that kind of stuff,” Dixon said. “The only thing I want to do is win. And I think I understand coming into this last year, I can’t just put my head down and look at myself.”

Dixon is back in the media room, this time in a barstool at the team’s podium after defeating Robert Morris, 87-73, in an exhibition matchup. He’s been there many times before. This particular time, he sits stage left of Neptune.

He was far and away the best player on the floor, leading the Wildcats with 28 points. He ran the offense from the perimeter, created his own shot, backed down smaller defenders in the low post, and hit from three all afternoon. In pairing him with sixfoot-eleven transfer forward Enoch Boakye, Dixon finds a bit more freedom than he had last season. A lack of size on the 2023-24 roster meant that Dixon was often restricted to the shadow of the stanchion.

“Everyone here has known [Dixon] for a long, long, long, long, long, long time,” Neptune says. It gets a good chuckle out of the smattering of journalists in the media room, and even a smile from Dixon himself.

Outside of that, Dixon is stoic. He and Boakye, who sits stage right of Neptune, field ques26 | The Villanovan

tions from reporters. It’s business. It’s not as business as the next level, Dixon has learned. Pro ball is ruthless.

“I look at Eric Dixon as the most versatile player, possibly, in the country,” Neptune said. “Offensively, there’s nothing that he can’t do. Catch and shoot, post up, he can isolate from the perimeter, finish around the rim, and I think he’s a much improved passer. Anytime you can fill that many boxes, it makes it tough on the defense.”

Carving out an NBA career remains improbable for Dixon. His offensive versatility and experience are the things he’ll rely on as he gives the pre-draft evaluation process another go. The biggest obstacles remain his size and his age. They’re the two things that he can’t outwork.

With the NBA’s roster size limits, teams value production, youth, or in the ideal case, both.

Dixon, who will be 24 before the season’s end, is older than five-year NBA veteran and two-time AllStar Anthony Edwards.

The other obstacle for Dixon is that he would not thrive in many NBA offenses. Dixon is best with his back to the basket, but teams don’t frequently work in the post, instead worrying about perimeter spacing.

His proficiency from three will be a positive in NBA evaluation, but he’ll need to show in his final season that he can do it efficiently in high volume. He shot 48.6% on 35 attempts in 2021-22. In the next two seasons he attempted 100 or more threes, but converted at a clip lower than 40%.

Dixon will have to market his intangible skills, something that has worked for his former teammates.

Gillespie, who is viewed as a ‘winning player,’ has spent three years on two-way contracts for the Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns.

An NBA opportunity comes down to a balance of opportunity, talent and luck. Just as Dixon has thought for the past three seasons, he’s got nothing to lose.

“I’m going to put everything into this season.” Dixon said. “I want to prepare myself to be the best player I can be. It’s a business at the next level, and it gets very serious. I come into every single year focused on being ready to handle that kind of business, and doing whatever is asked of me.” n

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28 | The Villanovan

GAME BY GAME In his third season as head coach, Kyle Neptune embraces change.

By Katie Lewis t is a tumultuous time in college basketball, but Kyle Neptune is providing steady leadership at Villanova and is approaching the season with a strong focus.

Over his first two seasons as head coach, Neptune’s Wildcats have recorded 35 wins and 33 losses and have not reached the NCAA Tournament. In both years, Villanova ended its season in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).

“Honestly, pressure is something that I don’t really think about,” Neptune said at Big East Media Day on Oct. 23.

“I just look at attacking each day, trying to be the best we can each day, and whenever that day is over, whatever the result, come back the next day and attack it again.”

Despite Neptune’s first two seasons as head coach ending the same way, the Villanova roster has looked very different each year as the transfer portal and NIL money have changed the landscape of the college game. The NBA draft is no longer the only siren luring players from their collegiate homes.

Last season, Neptune added four new players through the transfer portal, none of whom are on the roster this year. Nine members of the team left Villanova last May due to graduation, joining the NBA draft or entering the portal.

Continuing the trend, the 2024–2025 squad will also feature a new wave of freshmen and transfer players. This year’s team will include even more new faces on the court, as Neptune brought in a more balanced group that includes five transfer players and four freshman recruits.

Fortunately for the Wildcats in 2024–2025, Neptune also has veteran leadership in a pair of seasoned

I

The Villanovan | 29 Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

“THINGS WILL ALWAYS CHANGE, IT’S JUST A MATTER OF HOW YOU’RE GOING TO DEAL WITH IT.”

players: graduate forward Eric Dixon and senior guard Jordan Longino, who are entering their final seasons of college eligibility with accomplished Villanova careers behind them. Notably, both Dixon and Longino were on the squad for Villanova’s Big East Championship and Final Four run in the 2021-2022 season.

“Those two guys [Dixon and Longino] are stabilizing forces for us,” Neptune said.

“They know what we do here and they’ve been a part of a lot during their time here. They’re kind of our anchors.”

Neptune also described 30 | The Villanovan

Dixon’s decision to return to Villanova for a sixth year as “extremely important” for his hopes for this year’s team. After entering the NBA Draft in April, Dixon withdrew from the draft on May 28 and opted to use his final year of college eligibility back at Villanova.

As the only sixth-year player on the team, Dixon has fully witnessed the coaching transition from Jay Wright to Kyle Neptune. Wright coached Dixon during his first three seasons, including one redshirt year.

Although Neptune had a brief head coaching stint at Fordham in 2021–2022, he was

an assistant coach at Villanova for the eight previous years and learned under Wright’s tutelage. Neptune’s presence during the height of Villanova’s latest success, in which it won two national championships, gave him close familiarity with the university and its culture as he replaced Wright.

“There’s nothing really different [from when I started at Villanova],” Dixon said.

“Our beliefs are still our core beliefs and still our core values.

So I think that [Neptune] does a great job of keeping that the same for me.”

Neptune anticipates that

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

the duo of Dixon and Longino will lead the Wildcats toward the top of the Big East, and each has for himself what it is like to succeed. Dixon and Longino’s longtime loyalty to the Villanova program in the era of the transfer portal also sets them apart as leaders on the team.

Other than their talents on the court, one quality that Neptune scouted for in his recruiting was a connection to Philadelphia and Villanova’s culture as a university. With the emergence of NIL in 2021 and the transfer portal being a viable way out for even a minimally disgruntled player, developing players for several years is no longer guaranteed for a head coach.

Despite the lack of consistency in the roster year-to-

year due to the transfer portal, Neptune sees brand partnerships and compensation for athletes through NIL as an exciting new frontier in college sports.

“Kids are getting paid, in some cases, an exorbitant amount of money,” Neptune said. “If you’re just saying that,

why is that bad? So, things will always change, it’s just a matter of how you’re going to deal with it.”

Although the landscape of college basketball has transformed over the last three years, Neptune said as players come and go, he leans on the same Villanova system that has existed since he was an assistant coach.

“We haven’t changed our thought process in terms of recruiting [since 2021],” Neptune said. “We try to recruit guys who we feel will fit Villanova as a whole, in terms of just our culture as a university.”

Neptune’s newest additions to the roster share some of these local connections, possibly more than ever in his time as head coach.

Senior guard Wooga Poplar returned to his hometown of Philadelphia after playing his first three seasons at the University of Miami. Two of the new transfers even defied city rivalries by joining the Wildcats from other Philadelphia Big Five programs: graduate guard Jhamir The Villanovan | 31

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Brickus came from La Salle, and sophomore guard Tyler Perkins played at Penn.

“I love our chemistry,” Neptune said. “It’s really hard to tell before the season starts, but I will say this group is for sure bonding with each other and want to compete for each other.”

Additionally, guard Kris Parker transferred to Villanova after redshirting his first year at Alabama. Although Parker did not make the decision to transfer until August, Neptune was already familiar with Parker after recruiting him just over a year ago.

Meanwhile, Neptune is also bringing in his largest freshman class yet. Villanova’s only freshman from the 2022–2023 roster, forward Jordann Dumont, redshirted and did not appear in any regular season games.

“Any freshman coming into college basketball, it’s a challenge to overcome,”

32 | The Villanovan

Neptune said. “They’re going against bigger, stronger guys, more intelligent, and guys that have been coached at this level, and then you’re learning the system just like anybody else would be. I think [our freshmen] have all been unbelievable.”

Fortunately, Neptune’s latest freshman class have had plenty of opportunities to adjust to college-level play before the

season starts, practicing alongside the likes of the 23-year-old powerhouse Dixon.

Knowing from experience how suddenly a promising season can go awry, Neptune is hesitant to make any definitiveprojections for how the 2024– 2025 Wildcats will look.

Other questions entering the new season circulate around the athletic director position.

In August, Mark Jackson announced that after filling the role since 2015, he would be moving to Northwestern University.

Jackson was a constant presence during the season for Neptune, who said that they would converse multiple times a week and at certain points, every day.

In the meantime, Lynn Tighe is serving as Interim Athletic Director with over 25 years of experience working at Villanova.

But a team of nine new additions and a leadership transition in the Athletic Department leaves room for more of what Neptune knows best:

change.

“Mark [Jackson] was a huge piece of our campus and the men’s basketball team specifically,” Neptune said. “But at the end of the day, this is a sport and a business that is transient…

We’ll miss him and we acknowledge that he did an unbelievable job while he was here, but it’s time to look forward to the future.”

Neptune’s plans for the

early part of the season are, instead, to acclimate the new players as he determines what this year’s recipe for success will be. After two intense seasons in which Villanova failed to make the NCAA Tournament, Neptune knows how to tune out his critics and focus solely on what happens on the court each game.

“If you go back to last year, our goal was to be playing our best basketball by the end of

the season, and we didn’t reach our goal,” Neptune said. “With our new group, the goal is the same. We’re at work doing that now, trying to get our guys acclimated to our system. We [the coaching staff] definitely like where this team is.”

For Neptune, there is no looking back. The only way is forward. n

THE ONLY WAY IS FORWARD. The Villanovan | 33

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What will Denise Dillon’s Wildcats look like without last year’s stars?

by Elijah McDow

W

hen Villanova women’s basketball takes the court in its season opener against Wake Forest on Sunday, Nov. 10, the team will look different. Former Wildcats Christina Dalce, Lucy Olsen and Zanai Jones will all put on other schools’ jerseys. Dalce is at No. 18 Maryland, Jones is at Southern Methodist, and Olsen is at Iowa, as the Hawkeyes look to replace the prolific scoring of WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark.

In the new era of name, image and likeness and the transfer portal, losing star players to other teams has become inevitable. Many coaches, including Villanova head coach Denise Dillon, have had to accept that players may leave, even when it is unexpected. “‘You never anticipate players exiting… especially that far into their time here at Villanova, academically standing and athletically,” Dillon said.

“The truth of it is you focus on the present. I think that’s the one lesson we learned. Don’t project too far out as to prepare for what’s ahead. Pivot is a great term. We certainly did that in

the spring and brought in some high caliber players and greater people.”

The 2023-24 roster had 14 players. In the days following the team’s season ending loss in the WBIT championship game in April, six Wildcats entered the transfer portal. Olsen was the first, with reports of her decision surfacing April 9.

In addition to Dalce, Olsen and Jones, sophomore

forward Megan Olbrys, redshirt freshman guard Abby Jegede and senior forward/center Kylie Swider also left the program.

The ‘Cats also lost guard Bella Runyan, who graduated.

In her senior season, Runyan was one of the team’s most important players as a high-intensity perimeter defender. Olbrys had become an important role player and someone who always provided a spark

All Photos Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

The Villanovan | 35

off the bench. Jones had been a starter and one of the team’s primary ball handlers. Olsen averaged 23.3 points per contest as the top offensive option for the ‘Cats.

When asked what was behind all the departures, Dillon emphasized that there was not a collective reason. All six players who transferred had different reasons for choosing to finish their college careers elsewhere.

“Every situation was unique to its own,” Dillon said.

“Zanai Jones graduated, so she was looking to go. Two younger players, Megan and Abby, were just looking for different geography… [and] one went closer to home. So it’s not for one reason or the other.”

The notable players who stayed include senior guard Kaitlyn Orihel, graduate guard Maddie Burke and sophomore guard Maddie Webber. All three

36 | The Villanovan

players are expected to fill the void left by Dalce, Olsen, Jones and Runyan.

“We’ve been fortunate to have some veteran players like Kaitlyn Orihel [and] Maddie Burke,” Dillon said. “Even Denae Carter, coming back from injury, but being familiar with

what we’re doing, has been refreshing because they have that understanding of what it takes to be successful.”

The unexpected losses forced Dillon and her staff to reconstruct their team and the program as a whole. The loss of leading scorer Olsen and leading rebounder Dalce left a lot of production for the Wildcats to replace.

Fortunately for Villanova, Dillon wasted no time recruiting players from the portal.

By the end of the summer, Dillon had landed several transfers to go along with the key returners. She also welcomed her 2024 recruiting class, which included three freshmen.

The transfers included senior guard Jaliyah Green from Southeast Missouri State, junior guard Ryanne Allen from Vanderbilt, graduate guard Bronagh Power-Cassidy from Holy Cross

and graduate forward Lara Ed- dited the chemistry of getting manson from Santa Clara. to know each other off the court The 2024-25 team spent and having some games on the the summer practicing and court.” getting to know one another, but The 2024-25 season the work officially began earlier will also mark the end of “the this month.

COVID year.” The NCAA’s “We’re three weeks in, decision to grant athletes affectso you can see each practice ed by the pandemic shortened that this group is getting more 2019-20 season an extra year comfortable playing together,” of eligibility is the reason why Dillon said. “We were really for- many players have been able to tunate to have our foreign tour come back to school for a fifth back in August in Italy. or sixth season. Even with the That time together really expe- end of the extra year, the trans-

fer portal is expected to play an even bigger part in teams’ off-seasons going forward. Dillon will continue to utilize the portal on a season to season basis.

“I think it’s a different situation each year,” Dillon said.

“I’m not going to approach this season or the next thinking I’m going to lose two or three [players] you’re figuring out what this looks like in the big picture of how the NCAA’s running it and most importantly how things are being run here at Villanova.”

The Villanovan | 37

Before the NCAA changed its rules regarding transfers during the pandemic, players who transferred were required to redshirt an entire season before being able to play for a new team. In 2024, players can transfer and are immediately eligible to play.

The old rule prevented many players from transferring to other schools. Before COVID there was far less movement than there was today. The new rule means players do not miss an entire season. This has many benefits such as allowing players to develop more quickly. It also has a number of downsides such 38 | The Villanovan

as its effect on programs who have built a certain culture or identity.

Analysts and fans have often compared college basket ball’s transfer portal to the free agency that exists in the professional leagues. Player movement is now the reality of college basketball and something that Dillon and the Villanova program must deal with.

Despite seeing a new season ticket record, more interest from the student body and being well supported by the University, Villanova women’s basketball still lost its two best players in Olsen and Dalce. These players

transferred to schools whose teams are regularly televised and consistently playing in the NCAA Tournament.

Villanova was hit particularly hard by player movement, retaining 28% of its scoring output from last season. However, Villanova is not the only program dealing with retaining players. Oregon State, Stanford and Michigan all lost their leading scorers from 2023-24 to the portal. Those schools, including Villanova, have turned to the portal themselves and created teams hungry to compete in their respective conference.

Dillon has replaced

Olsen and Dalce with experienced college players who are already making their impact on the court, in the classroom and in the community. Power-Cassidy averaged 18.6 points in her senior year at Holy Cross, leading the Crusaders to a Patriot League title. Green averaged 12.9 for Southeastern Missouri State. Edmanson posted 7.7 a night for Santa Clara on 53.9% shooting from the field. Allen appeared in 30 games for Vanderbilt as a sophomore.

“It’s their maturity factor,” Dillon said. “These are players who have had experience elsewhere but first and foremost just being natural leaders because of who they are as people and their foundation and their upbringing within their families has been refreshing and an area we haven’t really needed to hone in on. They’re taking care of business off the floor and it’s up to use to help them on the floor be the best team we can ” This year’s team looks

different. It is not a Villanova team of the past, but it is a reflection of the current era of college basketball. Some are freshmen, some are transfers and some are veterans.

With this combination it’s clear that Dillon is trying to build a team who can compete for championships and qualify for the postseason. It has not always been easy but it is something that has needed to be done and something that will help preserve the tradition of the program. n

The Villanovan | 39

40 | The Villanovan

REUNITED

Senior Kaitlyn Orihel and junior Ryanne Allen will be teammates again after winning a high school state championship

by Amanda McKean

W

ith all of the changes Villanova women’s basketball has experienced over the past year, one of the best things to come out of the shuffle was the reunion of senior guard Kaitlyn Orihel and junior guard Ryanne Allen, former high school teammates and Pennsylvania state champions.

In May, Allen announced her decision to transfer to Villanova after playing her first two seasons at Vanderbilt.

“It’s exciting,” Orihel said. “We had a lot of fun in high school, a lot of success. I was trying to get [Allen] here the first time she committed, but I’ll take what I can get.”

Despite all of the love and friendship the pair share now that they are

courtesy of Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group

The Villanovan | 41

Senior guard Kaitlyn Orihel and junior guard Ryanne Allen celebrate Orihel’s 1000 career points as high school teammates at Archbishop Wood (Warminster, PA) in 2020. courtesy of Kaitlyn Orihel on Instagram

“Once I got to Archbishop we clicked...We just knew what each other were capable of, what each other wanted.”

Ryanne Allen

42 | The Villanovan

reunited, things did not start off so smoothly when they first started playing together over six years ago, in high school.

“We used to hate each other,” Allen said. “But once I got to Archbishop we clicked. We were able to do different things together, play off each other. We just knew what each other were capable of, what each other wanted.”

During their time at Archbishop Wood High School, the pair cemented themselves as two of the top players across the state.

As Orihel and Allen shared a competitive spirit while working toward the same goal of sealing the state championship, their rivalry eventually turned into camaraderie.

“I think [Archbishop

Wood] has such a special basketball tradition that you know going in you wanted to uphold that tradition,” Orihel said. “I think you buy into that tradition from the beginning. Like she said, we actually hated each other, but we ended up playing so well together, playing off each other and our other teammates too. All of us played so well, especially our last year. We had such a great group connection, we were all like best friends. I think that just helped us.”

Apart from winning the state championships during her senior year of high school, Orihel earned all the accolades from Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year, Pennsylvania 4A State Player of the Year, and Archbishop Wood girl’s all time leading

scorer.

Right behind Orihel’s ranking as second in scoring for the girl’s program is Allen.

During her high school career, Allen earned awards from Miss Pennsylvania Basketball, and was named the Pennsylvania Sportswriters 4A State Player of the Year and Pennsylvania Basketball Coaches Association PA Player of the Year. She holds the school record for three pointers made in a season, with 83, and was named to the Nike Tournament of Champions All-Tournament Team.

Now reunited after Allen decided to return home and join Orihel at Villanova, the two have seen how each other have changed since last playing as teenagers in high school.

“Going into college is already a big adjustment,” Allen said. “Being a transfer here has definitely taught me a lot of things and I’ve grown in a lot of different aspects. I’ve seen [Orihel] grow so far as well, just being able to see where we’re at compared to being eighteen and in high school.”

Orihel also noticed how Allen’s game had developed during her two years playing for Vanderbilt.

“She plays defense now,” Orihel said. “But I think nothing has come as a crazy surprise.

I’ve been following her since we stopped playing together. I watched her grow in the first two years, so it’s cool to be able to play together again at a higher level.”

In addition, the reconstruction of the basketball team

“I watched [Allen] grow in the first two years, so it’s cool to be able to play together again at a higher level.”

Kaitlyn Orihel

Orihel and Allen were on the Archbishop Wood team that won the PIAA Class 4A Girls Basketball Championship over Villa Marie in 2021. courtesy of Kaitlyn Orihel on Instagram

The Villanovan | 43

has also brought together a multitude of former opponents, since half of Villanova’s roster is from Pennsylvania. Many of the players have competed in the same leagues for years. One Villanova teammate who both Orihel and Allen crossed paths with in high school was junior forward Denae Carter, who played for St. Basil Academy in Philadelphia.

“I’ve played against [Denae Carter] since I was in fourth grade,” Orihel said. “I’ve known her for a while.”

“It’s funny because we played against [Maggie Grant] at Archbishop Carroll and [Annie

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

44 | The Villanovan

Welde] when she was at Cardinal O’Hara,” Allen said. “And I played against [Denae Carter] when she was at St. Basil’s. I thought it was funny, just seeing all of these connections. We went to a Big Five event with all of the other teams. It was like a clinic.

You could see all of the other teams, all of the other people that you played against growing up.

[Bronaugh Power-Cassidy] and [Jasmine Bascoe] were like ‘why do you know all these people?’

You grow up against them and they’re all in the area so it’s cool to be around that.”

Out of all of the Pennsylvania players on the team, Orihel and Allen seemed to always come out on top in high school. In 2021, Archbishop Wood defeated junior guard Maggie Grant and Archbishop Carroll in the Pennsylvania Catholic League (PCL) semifinals and then went on to beat junior forward Annie Welde and Cardinal O’Hara in the championships.

“It’s a friendly rivalry with us,” Orihel said. “The PCL is so strong. I think anyone who is part of it understands it. I would take winning the PCL again over the state championship. I think it’s just a special moment for us. We’ll bicker back and forth all the time about it.”

Besides players like Allen and junior forward Denae Carter who are coming back home to the area, the rest of the team is made up of transfers from all over the country as well as freshmen who are just starting their collegiate career.

“It’s a friendly rivalry with us.

The PCL is so strong. I think anyone who is part of it understands it.”

Kaitlyn Orihel

Orihel (back middle) and Allen (front middle) played their first college games on the same team during the Wildcats’ Italy Tour this summer.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

As a result, the team had to learn how to bond fast within the course of just a couple months. But becoming a close-knit group would prove not too difficult, especially during the team’s trip around Italy. In the summer tour around Italy, the Wildcats played three games and toured cities from Rome, Florence, Milan, and Venice.

“It was an amazing experience,” Allen said. “Being able to experience it with these people was really special. I think being one of the new people here, I had to adjust to a new group, a new culture, a new scheme, everything.

I think Italy was just great to be around everyone. We got very close. We’re still very close.”

During one of her first games as a Wildcat in Italy, Allen scored 17 points in Villanova’s 91-56 win against Rīga Stradiņš University.

“I think the first game was all of us adjusting to each other, playing together for the first time in a game setting,” Allen said. “By the third game, I think we all got really comfortable. I wasn’t in my head as much. I was just playing the way [head coach Denise Dillon] had taught us.”

Now heading into their first season reunited, Orihel and Allen are excited to show people just how much this Villanova team has improved and how much depth they have.

“I’m excited to play with

the new girls,” Orihel said. “I think we have a lot of fun playing together, and it’s going to be different than last year. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun to get to play with [Allen] again, finally.

A lot of teams don’t know who we are yet, so I think that’ll be exciting to go into some of those games with a new identity.”

In the Instagram announcement of her decision to transfer to Villanova in May, Allen used the phrase “Coming Home.”

“I’m just excited to be part of this team, to be at this school,” Allen said. “I’m excited for a new opportunity and just being able to play with the team. I think we’re going to take a lot of people by surprise.”

The Villanovan | 45

Men’s Basketball

of notable players across his time at Villanova, including Chris Ford, Tom Ingelsby, Wali Jones, Hank Simeontkowski, Jim Washington, Bill

By Finn Courtney George Jacobs. At this time, the team Melchionni and legendary center Howard Porter. In those 12 seasons, As most people know, basket- played in Alumni Hall, the oldest ball is a huge deal at Villanova. How building on Villanova’s campus. In Kraft’s team failed to earn a postseason bid on just one occasion, makdid it all start, though? Well, let’s go 1932, the Wildcats moved to the ing five NIT tournaments and six back 104 years to 1920: the president Villanova Field House, which was later renamed the John “Jake” Nevin NCAA tournaments. Those NCAA was Woodrow Wilson, gas was 21 tournament runs included two Elite cents a gallon, and sound hadn’t yet Field House, in honor of Villanova’s athletic trainer of more than 50 Eights and for the first time in school come to movies. years. history, a trip to the championship In 1954, Villanova became Prior to the start of the game. a founding member of the PhilaDespite a heroic 25-point delphia Big 5, alongside St. Joseph’s 1936-37 campaign, Villanova hired performance from Porter, the WildUniversity, La Salle University, Tem- Al Severance, a Wildcat himself, from 1926 to 1929, as head coach. cats could not fend off the mighty ple University and the University of Pennsylvania. In 1980, Villanova Under Severance, the beginnings of 28-1 UCLA Bruins under coaching joined the Big East Conference. Al- the high esteem and high regard for icon John Wooden. It was Wooden’s though much has changed in the 44 basketball at Villanova can be found. fifth of seven straight national chamyears since, Villanova has remained To an outstanding record of 413-201 pionships: an unprecedented mark deeply intertwined with the Big East. (.673) over 25 seasons of coaching, that is likely never to be broken.

Villanova won three national Severance led his team to the 1939 That season was ultimately tarnished Final Four, as well as four NCAA when it was learned that Porter illechampionships (1985 under Rollie gally signed a professional contract Massimino and 2016 and 2018 un- tournament appearances and two while still a collegiate athlete, forcing der Jay Wright), reached seven Final NIT appearances.

Under Severance were many the NCAA to strip him of his Most Fours (including the first-ever one in notable players in the pantheon of Outstanding Player award from the 1939) and appeared in the NCAA Villanova basketball, namely Hall tournament. The 1970-71 Wildcats tournament 39 times — eighth allare still the crown jewel of Kraft’s time among all programs. Villanova of Fame icon Paul Arizin, Hall of Famer George Raveling, Bob Scha- time as head coach. also won the Big East Tournament fer, Tom Brennan and Joe Ryan.

After Kraft departed Villaeight times, including a three-peat In 1961, Villanova hired Jack Kraft nova in 1973, the University hired from 2017 to 2019 and is 14-time to succeed Severance. Despite just Massimino to follow as head coach, conference regular season champi12 seasons of coaching compared to opening the door for an unpreceons. more lengthy terms of other coaches dented run in school history. Joining From 1920 until 1936, in Villanova history, he accomplished the Big East in 1980 was one thing, Villanova had three head coaches: a great deal. Kraft had a number but three Big East teams (GeorgeMichael Saxe, John Goodman and town, St. John’s and Villanova) reaching the Final Four in 1985 was the true beginning of one of college basketball’s most competitive conferences.

In the 1984-85 season, the Wildcats weren’t expected to make it past the first weekend, let alone become title contenders. However,

PROGRAM HISTORY

46 | The Villanovan

All Photos Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

fueled by all-time greats Ed Pincktant Steve Lappas was named head ney, Dwayne McClain, Gary Mccoach. While initially leading the Lain and Harold Pressley, this team Wildcats to success, namely the 1994 knocked off nine-seed Dayton on its NIT Championship and the 1995 own court. Villanova then upset one- Big East Championship, Villanova seed Michigan, four-seed Maryland, met trouble in the NCAA tournatwo-seed North Carolina and in the ment. In four appearances, Lappas’ Final Four, overcame two-seed Mem- team failed to advance past the first phis State to advance to the National weekend, including a low-point in magnum opus as coach and one of Championship. program history in 1995 where after the best seasons in college basketball Awaiting Villanova was bitter winning the Big East tournament, history, cruising past every opponent Big East rival Georgetown, which the three-seed Wildcats suffered a in the NCAA Tournament field by had already knocked off the Wildcats triple-overtime loss to 14-seed Old double digits, including Michigan in twice in the regular season and were Dominion in the first round of the the championship game. nine-point favorites against Villano- NCAA Tournament.

Wright had dozens of Villava. In what would later be dubbed Despite great players, such nova all-timers under him as coach.

“The Perfect Game,” the Wildcats as legendary guard Kerry Kittles, The 2000s brought Kyle Lowry, shot an absurd 78.6% from the floor, Michael Bradley, Tim Thomas and Allan Ray, Randy Foye and Scottie including nine of 10 shots in the sec- Alvin Williams and a solid 174-110 Reynolds. The 2010s were led by ond half. This is still an NCAA tour- (.612) record as head coach, Lappas the likes of Darrun Hilliard, Ryan nament record to this day. Fueled by resigned after nine years at the helm Arcidiacono, Daniel Ochefu, Josh that historic offensive performance, in 2001 and jumped to coach at the Hart, Mikal Bridges, Donte DiVinVillanova beat Patrick Ewing and University of Massachusetts-Amcenzo, Eric Paschall, Phil Booth the Hoyas in a 66-64 victory to raise herst. and Jalen Brunson. In the 2020s, their first-ever national championThis opened the door for Jay Wright coached Saddiq Bey, Jereship. It was widely considered one of Wright, was hired as head coach in miah Robinson-Earl, Justin Moore, the greatest upsets not just in college March of 2001. A long-time MasEric Dixon, Jermaine Samuels and basketball history, but in the history simino disciple, the Wildcats got off Collin Gillespie. of sports period. Villanova still stands to a mediocre start under the future All told, Wright retired as the lowest seed ever to win the Hall of Famer with three straight following one more Final Four run national championship. seasons of NIT appearances. This in 2022. He secured his place as a Massimino became the most prompted calls for Wright’s firing Villanova icon amongst the greatest successful coach in Villanova histoahead of the 2004-05 campaign. coaches in college basketball history. ry up to that point, and across 19 From there, no one ever Wright passed the torch to former seasons as head coach, the Wildcats called for Wright’s head again. assistant and current head coach marched into the NCAA tournaAcross Wright’s next 18 seasons as Kyle Neptune. ment 11 times, reaching the Elite head coach, Villanova missed the While the Neptune era has Eight five different times. It also NCAA tournament just once. Along gotten off to a rocky start (35-33 marked a time of change for Villathe way, Wright became the lonacross two seasons, 10-10 in Big nova, with its basketball reputation gest-tenured coach in Villanova his- East conference play and two NIT under Massimino’s tutelage reaching tory, won 520 games as head coach first-round losses), there is some national prominence and marked and made four Final Fours. Famous- optimism heading into Neptune’s a new location for playing for the ly, he led the team to two national third season. Villanova is still among Wildcats, namely the now-named championships. One in 2016, on be- one of the nation’s best in reputaFinneran Pavilion in 1986. half of “The Perfect Shot” from Kris tion and hope remains to bring back After Massimino departed Jenkins’ buzzer-beating three-pointer, the glory days of Villanova men’s for UNLV in 1992, former assisand the other in 2018. Wright had a basketball.

The Villanovan | 47

Women’s Basketball

PROGRAM HISTORY

By Amanda McKean

Villanova’s women’s basketball team first formed in 1969, but its roots go back to the small colleges surrounding the university.

Alice Finore Brogan ’70 BSN, MSN, RN started the team back in 1967, and by 1969, she helped bring it into the women’s league at Eastern University. The team's inaugural 1969-70 season, led by head coach and former Cabrini athlete Liz Crawly, ended with a 4-6 record. From 19701975, new head coach Jane Senfranek led the team to a 51-23 overall record. From 1975-1978, head coach Joan King faced some setbacks, finishing her first

two seasons with a 7-7 and 6-11 record. However, by her last season, King had brought the team to a 15-7 record before handing the team off to the next head coach: Harry Perretta.

In 1978, at the age of 22 and two months out of college, Perretta became the youngest coach to ever head a women’s program at Villanova. However, he soon made up for his inexperience, finishing 88-23 in his first four seasons. His team reached the 1982 AIAW Final Four just before women’s basketball joined the NCAA in 1982. One of the brightest eras for Perretta’s team came from 1984-1988, with the

Courtesy of Falvey Library Archives

48 | The Villanovan

Courtesy of Falvey Library Archives recruitment of Mary Michelle “Shelly” Pennefather. Pennefather, a high school student with four state championships and a 96-0 record, scored 504 points in her freshman season as a Wildcat. By the end of her second year, she had already collected more than 1,000 points. Her junior year, she scored 685 points, the most she would score in a single season during her time at Villanova. In her senior year, she barely missed the mark with 675 points.

At the end of her career in 1987, Pennefather and the Wildcats were Big East regular season champions three times, Big East Tournament champions two times and was named Big East Player of the Year threeseasons in a row. The team also made two NCAA Tournament appearances in her junior and senior year, making it to the

second round each time. Up until 2023, Pennefather held the record for most points scored between men and women’s basketball for 36 years with 2,408 points.

Following Pennefather’s era, the team had difficulty rebuilding for over a decade and only recovered around the early 2000s, making it back into the NCAA Tournament and even making the Elite Eight in 2003.

After this peak, soon fell back into a slump for the next fifteen years, occasionally appearing in the NCAA tournament. By 2019, after 42 years of coaching the Wildcats, Perretta finally decided to retire, finishing with an overall record of 783489.

To replace Perretta, Villanova looked to a former player under Perretta, Denise Dillon, who was a Wildcat from 1992-1996. As a player, Dillon was one of only a few players at Villanova to have scored over 1,000 points and is enshrined in the Big 5 Hall of Fame and Villanova Varsity Club Hall of Fame. At the time she was hired, Dillon had been coaching women’s college basketball for over 15 years, beginning at Drexel in 2004, where she led the Dragons to 11 winning seasons and in 2012-13 clinched the WNIT title. By her last year in 20192020, Dillon earned her fourth CAA Coach of the Year award.

This success transferred effectively over to Villanova, leading the Wildcats to a 17-7 record in her first season and a 24-9 record and a NCAA

Courtesy of Falvey Library Archives

Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

Tournament appearance in her second. In 2022-23, Dillon had her most successful season to date, finishing with a 30-7 and led the team to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.

In the 2023-24 season, the team finished 23-11 with Lucy Olsen becoming the third leading scorer in the country and averaging 23.3 points per game.

Perretta had left Dillon with the gift of one of Villanova’s greatest basketball players in history: Maddy Siegrist.

Although she was probably the best player in her hometown of Poughkeepsie, NY, Perretta told her straight up that she was “probably not going to play a lot.”

But after redshirting her freshman year due to an ankle injury, Siegrist worked hard and

scored 578 points in her inaugural season, earning first-team all-Big East honors.

Similar to Pennefather, as a sophomore, Siegrist crossed the 1,000 point mark and, as a junior, only missed Pennefather’s single season scoring record by one with 684 points while finishing as the Big East Player of the Year.

In her last year as a Wildcat, Siegrist had a breakout performance, finishing the season with 1,081 points and obliterating Pennefather’s record with 2,896 points, setting the new school record for both men and women’s basketball. At the end of the season, Siegrist declared for the WNBA draft, and she was selected third overall pick by the Dallas Wings.

The Villanovan | 49

Men's Basketball Non-Conference Previews On Dec. 3, the Wildcats will take on the Cincinnati Bearcats at the Finneran Pavilion as part of the Big East-Big 12 Battle.

All time in the Battle, Villanova stands at an overall 3-2 record, with a close loss last year against Kansas State.

This will mark Villanova’s first game against the Bearcats, in more than a decade, when Cincinnati was a member of the old Big East Confer-

ence. That last game was one to forget, marking the Wildcats’ third straight loss against the Bearcats, but with 11 years between matchups, both teams have drastically changed.

Cincinnati is currently coached by fourth-year head coach Wes Miller, who has been unable to crack the NCAA tournament field since being hired. Miller has reached the quarterfinals of the NIT in back-toback seasons, and is coming off a 22-15 campaign.

It will be an uphill battle this season, as four members of their

starting lineup either exhausted their eligibility or transferred out, leaving 6’6” junior Dan Skillings Jr. as the sole returner. Skillings has plenty of talent and is likely to be an NBA Draft pick after this year, after posting a 12.9 ppg and 6.4 rpg performance last season.

Aziz Bandaogo and USC transfer Arrinten Page will also be big for the Bearcats underneath, with Page being a highly touted four-star prospect out of high school. He didn’t make as big of an impact as expected, not getting more than 10 minutes a game last season.

Maryland

play.

The Terrapins were led in scoring by Julian Reese (10).

Last season, Reese led the team in rebounds per game (9.5) and was second in points per game (13.7).

Reese returns to Maryland’s roster this year as a senior. Reese is projected to be joined by junior guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie, sophomore guard DeShawn Harris-Smith, fifth-year guard Selton Miguel and freshman forward Derik Queen in the starting lineup.

The Terrapins will be without Jahmir Young, who graduated.

Young averaged 20.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists last year.

He was one of the biggest losses for a Big 10 team this offseason.

Kevin Willard is entering his third season as Maryland’s coach.

In his two seasons with the Terrapins, Willard has a 38-30 record (18-22 in the Big 10). During his coaching career, Willard has taken his teams to seven NCAA Tournament appearances. Willard will rely on his veterans to step up if Maryland wants to compete for a spot in the NCAA Tournament come March.

Four” loss to Colorado State in Dayton. The Cavaliers were blown out, 67-42, by the Rams. Virginia finished the season 23-11, overall, and 13-7 in ACC play.

Virginia will be without legendary head coach Tony Bennett, who led the team to an NCAA championship in 2019. He announced his retirement on Friday, Oct. 18.

This year’s team, under new head coach Ron Sanchez, includes

a young and talented roster. The Cavaliers lost six players in the offseason while also bringing in seven more.

The only returning starter is junior guard Isaac McKneely, who averaged 12.3 points per game last season.

The Wildcats are 3-5 against Virginia overall, with Villanova taking the most recent win in 2017 on a Donte DiVincenzo buzzer-beater.

Cincinatti

By Finn Courtney

By Dylan Johnson

This season, the Wildcats will participate in the Empire Classic, taking on the University of Maryland on Nov. 24, marking the seventh time in program history the teams have met. Villanova leads the all-time series against Maryland, 5-1. The Empire Classic will take place in Newark, NJ, at the Prudential Center.

Last season, Villanova hosted Maryland at home, beating them, 57-40, in non-conference

Virginia

By James Haupt

Villanova’s first real test of the year comes on Friday, Nov. 15 against Virginia, which is projected to finish fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference preseason media poll.

The game will be played at CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore as a part of the Hall of Fame Series.

The Cavaliers are coming off a 2023-24 campaign that ended in a NCAA Tournament “First 50 | The Villanovan

Women’s Basketball Non-Conference Previews Battle 4 Atlantis

By James Haupt

A year after the Villanova men’s basketball team won the “Battle 4 Atlantis” tournament in the Bahamas, the women’s team will look to claim its own tournament title in the event.

The annual tournament will take place Nov. 23 to Nov. 25 at the Imperial Arena at Atlantis Resort. Baylor, Southern Mississippi, Indiana, Columbia, North Carolina, Ball State, Texas A&M and Villanova will compete in the women’s tournament.

Wake Forest

By Genna Cottingham

After going 7-25 and claiming a last place finish in the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2023-24, Wake Forest women’s basketball is hoping for a more successful 202425 season.

The team is led by senior guard Elise Williams, who led the Demon Deacons per game in points (13.3), rebounds (5.0),and assists (3.7) in her junior season. Redshirt junior forward Malaya Cowles also returns for the Deacs. She averaged 8.2 points and 4.3 rebounds last season. After her second season at the helm, Wake Forest head coach Megan Gebbia added Southern Methodist transfer graduate guard Tamia Jones and two-time all-Patriot League graduate forward Emily

Villanova will face off against Texas A&M at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, followed by game two against either North Carolina or Ball State the next day.

The team’s final game on Monday, Nov. 25 will be determined by the Wildcats’ performance.

The tournament will include three teams currently ranked in the AP preseason poll. No. 12 Baylor, No. 15 North Carolina and No. 25 Indiana will all prove to be formidable foes if the Wildcats match up with them. The tournament will allow the ‘Cats to face an early-season challenge against quality teams.

This is the fourth year that Battle 4 Atlantis will feature a women’s tournament. The men’s tournament, which dates back to 2011, is considered one of the best Thanksgiving week non-conference tournaments. This season will be the first time Villanova women’s basketball is participating in the Battle 4 Atlantis. The men’s team has appeared in the tournament in 2013, 2017 and 2023, winning the event in all three appearances.

Last year’s women’s tournament saw Ole Miss take home the trophy over Michigan, 60-49. The ‘Cats will look to impress in their first appearance.

Johns from American to solidify this season’s roster.

Wake Forest lost 13 consecutive league games before earning its first ACC win of the season, at Pittsburgh in late February. The Demon Deacons did manage to upset Virginia, 58-55, in the first round of the ACC tournament but were routed by second round opponent Florida State.

Villanova faced Wake Forest in non-conference play last season, with the ‘Cats claiming a 74-65, late-November win over the Deacs in Winston-Salem. Cowles scored a game-high 22 points in the matchup. The 2025 matchup will be the third all-time meeting between the two teams, with the other taking place in the first round of the 1988 NCAA Tournament. No. 9 Wake

Forest claimed a 53-51 win over the No. 8 Wildcats in Norfolk, Virginia.

The 2023-24 season was the final season for Wake Forest’s Kaia Harrison, the team’s second leading scorer. In her five-year career with the Deacs, Harrison appeared in 145 games and logged more than 3,000 minutes.

Villanova and Wake Forest have had only two prior meetings.

Their inaugural game took place in Tacoma, Washington during the 1988 NCAA Tournament.

The Demon Deacons defeated the Wildcats, 53-51, knocking the ‘Cats out in the first round of the tournament.

The Wildcats will kick off their season against Wake Forest in the Finneran Pavilion on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 2 p.m.

The Villanovan | 51

Men’s Big 5 Preview

By Genna Cottingham

Big 5 basketball is renowned for its traditional game with a local, competitive edge.

The Big 5 is a group of NCAA Division I basketball schools in the Philadelphia area. After its founding in 1955, the Big 5’s original members consisted of Villanova, Saint Joseph’s, La Salle, UPenn and Temple. Last year, Drexel was added to this elite group, making it six teams. However, the Big 5 kept its iconic name.

Prior to 2023, the Big 5 would occasionally have double-headers consisting of four teams but never a cumulative tournament. Last year, Wells Fargo Center hosted the inaugural Big 5 Classic on Dec 7, 2023 in a triple header. For the 2023-24 season, the six teams broke into two pods, with three teams in each. Each team played the other two teams in their pod prior to the Classic date. Thus, the matchups for the Classic was formed based on the outcomes in the pod games.

The 2023 Big 5 Classic started out with Villanova falling to Drexel, 55-57, resulting in a last-place finish. In the fight for third place, La Salle defeated UPenn, 93-92, in OT. Lastly, St. Joe’s overpowered Temple, 74-65, giving the Hawks the Big 5 title.

Villanova head coach Kyle Neptune is entering his third season after replacing Jay Wright in spring of 2022. Neptune has a make-or-break season ahead, after losing several starters: Brendan Hausen, TJ Bamba, Mark Arm52 | The Villanovan

strong and Justin Moore.

This season, the ‘Cats welcomed five transfer students and four freshmen to the team.

One standout is transfer from UPenn and sophomore guard Tyler Perkins. During his time at UPenn, Perkins set a program record for highest freshman scorer with 398 points. Another powerful addition to the team is 6’8” rookie forward Mathew Hodge. Originally from Belgium, Hodge now resides in Belmar, NJ where he led his high school, St. Rose, to the state championship. With new players on the roster, the ‘Cats are eager for the upcoming season and looking forward to having competitive games against the local teams.

Villanova’s closest neighbor is Saint Joseph’s, which is seven miles away. The Hawks are led by head coach Billy Lange, and last year had the best season record of all the teams, going 21-14. The Hawks are part of the Atlantic 10, where they made it to the semi-finals of their conference tournament, before losing, 60-66, to VCU. Villanova will play St. Joe’s on Nov. 12 at the Philly Hagan Arena.

The newest addition to the Big 5 is Drexel, where its head coach Zach Spiker is entering his ninth season. The Dragons had an overall record of 20-1 last season and went 13-5 in their conference.

Drexel is a part of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA), and in its tournament they lost in the

first round, 88-91, against Stony Brook. The Dragons managed to defeat the ‘Cats on Dec 2, 2023.

For the 2023-24 season UPenn had a record of 11-18. Led by head coach Steve Donahue, the Quakers compete in the Ivy League, but failed to make the conference tournament. Villanova lost to UPenn, 72-76, on Nov. 12, 2023, and are scheduled to play them again on Nov. 19 at the Finn.

Along with St. Joe’s, La Salle is a part of the Atlantic 10 conference. The Explorers had an overall season record of 1617 under the leadership of Fran Dunphy. La Salle made it to the second round of its conference tournament in March before losing, 73-75, to St. Bonaventure.

The Explorers will begin their Big 5 play this season with a game against Drexel on Nov. 16.

Lastly, the Temple Owls are under the leadership of Adam Fisher, who is entering his sophomore season as head coach. The Owls had an overall record of 11-16 last season and went 5-13 in conference play. However, they managed to make it to their conference championship game where they lost, 69-85, to University of Alabama-Birmingham.

During the 2024-25 season, the Big 5 Classic will use the same pod structure it utilized for this past season. The second-annual Big 5 Classic is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 7 at Wells Fargo Center.

By Ali Benjamin

Women’s Big 5 Preview

Villanova women’s basketball will make history by hosting the inaugural Women’s Big 5 Classic at the Finneran Pavilion on Dec. 6.

The Big 5 Classic, which is known as a fan-favorite event, was previously reserved only for the men’s teams. In the 2024 season, it will be expanded to draw attention to the women’s teams in the area, as well. The structure of the tournament will closely resemble the structure of the newly adapted men’s tournament, with games between the first, second and third seeds of each pod facing off in Friday afternoon’s triple-header.

The pod structure is one that was recently adopted for the men’s tournament, making it the most obvious choice of structure for the reimagined women’s tournament. Drexel joined the women’s Big 5 in June 2024, and following the addition, this winter’s tournament was officially announced. Increasing the number of teams from five to six lends itself perfectly for the twopod, round robin style of gameplay that has worked so well for the Big 5 in the past.

Last season, the ‘Cats went 3-1 against the locals, falling only to Saint Joe’s on the Hawks’ home court.

Villanova’s wins against University of Pennsylvania and

Temple were both at home. The Wildcats beat La Salle on the road, and came back for a win against Saint Joe’s in the postseason.

All of Villanova’s Big 5 matchups during the 2023-2024 regular season took place early on before Big East play and playoffs were in full swing. The same is true for the upcoming season, as each Big 5 team will face the other two schools in its pod in the weeks leading up to the Big 5 Classic.

Villanova is grouped with UPenn and Saint Joe’s. The Wildcats will host the Quakers at home for the fourth game of the season and face the Hawks on the road less than two weeks later for their first game after the Battle 4 Atlantis. This season’s classic will also mark ‘Nova’s potential first engagement with Drexel since head coach Denise Dillon’s return, having not played the Dragons since the 2019-2020 season.

The ‘Cats have had great success in the Big 5 in previous years, with consistent wins against both of their pod opponents since Dillon came back to Villanova in 2020.

Villanova has not lost to UPenn since 2017, and is 46-3 against the Quakers all time. In the last 15 years, ‘Nova is 13-4 against the Hawks, holding a

seven-game winning streak that dates back to the 2015-2016 season that was broken by its regular season loss early in the 2023-2024 season.

However, in ‘Nova’s postseason run in the WBIT, the ‘Cats and the Hawks faced off again where Villanova’s 67-59 win helped it advance to the next round of the tournament.

After ending last season with a 22-13 overall record, 11 of which were Big East wins and three coming from Big 5 matchups, there are high hopes for the women’s 2024-2025 season.

With a competitive lineup ahead and several new additions to the team after losing many key players at the end of last year, the beginning of this season leading up to the Big 5 Classic is a perfect indicator of how well the team has rebuilt. Villanova’s roster has adapted to the addition of both first years and players coming in via the transfer portal, expanding upon the skill of remaining players built over the last several seasons.

Hosting the inaugural Women’s Big 5 Classic will allow the ‘Cats to demonstrate this talent on their home court and will be an exciting event for both the immediate Villanova community and women’s basketball fans in the greater Philadelphia area.

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WBB: Big East Previews Butler After a losing Big East season last year, Butler, currently ranked eighth in the Big East, will be looking to build up. Austin Parkinson, former all-time winningest coach at IUPUI, will begin his third year as head coach of the Bulldogs.

Last year, Butler made it to the second round of the NIT tournament before losing to Purdue, 62-51. It finished conference play with a record of 6-12.

Standout guard Caroline Strand will play her fifth and final season with the Bulldogs. Last year, she achieved a Second Team all-Big East Selection and ranked second place in the conference in

Creighton Coming off of three straight NCAA tournament appearances, Creighton’s women’s basketball team enters the new season with hopes of returning to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2022, and ultimately, to compete for a national title.

Head coach Jim Flanery returns four out of five starters from the 2023-24 season, but will sorely miss the production of All-Big East First Team forward Emma Ronsiek, who departed for Colorado State via the transfer portal during the offseason for a chance to suit up with her younger sister Hannah, who is a junior

By Casey Healey three-point field goal percentage (44.7). Strand is expected to be a key player for Butler once again, as hopefully her sharp shooting abilities will guide the Bulldogs towards a winning record. She also led her team in rebounds with 7.1 per game and assists, 2.3 per game, in the 2023-24 season.

Parkinson was able to land three freshman recruits this season, including 5’11” guard Lily Carmody from Melbourne, Australia.

Carmody competed for two seasons at the Senior Women’s Level in Australia, and played and trained with multiple WNBA players such as Jordan Canada and Naz Hill-

man. Along with that, Mckenzie Swanson and Jocelyn Land will join the ranks for their freshman year.

Butler also gained one transfer this year, senior Kilyn McGuff from Belmont University.

McGuff earned CSC Academic all-District recognition both her sophomore and junior seasons. She averaged 9.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game her junior year. McGuff is expected to play a leadership role this season due to her experience in post season play and seniority.

Butler will host Villanova on Feb. 5, and will travel to face the ‘Cats on Feb. 26.

By Jon Hunn with the Rams. Still, 24-25 stalwarts Mallory Brake, Lauren Jensen, Molly Mogensen and Morgan Maly return. Flanery has said that fifthyear Jayme Horan has the inside track at the fifth starter spot. Jensen is coming off of a season in which she poured in 17.4 points a night and will no doubt be considered the primary source of offense for the squad this season. Maly added 15.1 points a night of her own and will likely be considered the secondary scorer behind Jensen. Morgensen will be the primary point guard option, as she looks to build on her team-leading 4.3 assists a night from last year.

The Bluejays did not have a particularly active off-season but did manage to add two Division II transfers in the portal: former Fort Hays State Tiger Syndey Golladay and former Central Missouri Mule Brooke Littrell. Golloday is a 5’8” guard coming off a season in which she averaged 7.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Littrell is a 6’2” forward and finished last season averaging 20.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

Ironically, Littrell’s Mules were eliminated in their conference tournament by Golloday’s Tigers.

Both players will aim to compete for minutes behind the starting five.

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DePaul On Jan. 15 at 11:30 a.m., Villanova will host DePaul at the Finneran Pavilion. On Feb. 12 at 8 p.m., the Wildcats will play DePaul away at the Wintrust Arena.

DePaul is looking to bounce back after winning its fewest games since the 1998 season.

The Blue Demons finished the season with a 12-20 record and a 4-14 Big East record. It was DePaul’s fewest wins in a season since 1998.

The Blue Demons lost some key players, including its leading scorer, Anaya Peoples, this offseason. Peoples averaged 16.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists last season.

Sixth-year forward Jorie

Georgetown As Darnell Haney starts his first season as head coach after serving as the interim head coach, Georgetown’s women’s basketball team enters its 2024– 25 campaign with high expectations.

Last year, the sixth-seeded Hoyas advanced to the Big East championship game for the first time in program history after winning three straight games under Haney’s leadership. The Hoyas hope to maintain their upward trajectory in the fiercely competitive Big East league, coming from a strong conference performance.

This year’s squad features a combination of experi56 | The Villanovan

By Dylan Johnson Allen is the only returning double-digit scorer. In 32 games, Allen averaged 11.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Allen scored a season-high 18 points against Butler last season, hitting six shots on eight attempts.

Head coach Doug Bruno is preparing for his 36th season as DePaul’s head coach and 50th season overall. He has led the Blue Demons to four Sweet Sixteen appearances, 18 straight NCAA Tournaments and a three-peat of the Big East tournament title (20172019). He is the 10th most-winning coach in women’s basketball history.

Bruno suffered a medical incident in September and is away

from the team indefinitely. During his absence, associate head coach Jill M. Pizzotti will be the interim head coach.

DePaul will rely heavily on young talent. Eight new names join the roster, six of whom are freshmen. Freshman guard Angelina Smith leads the class of six freshmen. DePaul is used to winning.

Before the last two seasons, the last time the Blue Demons had back-toback losing seasons was 1997 and 1998. Never in school history has DePaul had three losing seasons in a row. DePaul has history on its side, but young talent will need to step up at the college level.

By Madison Hodges enced veterans and bright young players. The Hoyas return their leading scorer, graduate student guard Kelsey Ransom, who averaged 14.1 points, 4.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game. Ransom’s playmaking abilities, scrappiness and leadership will be key to the Hoya’s success this season.

Another pivotal return is 6’4” forward senior Brianna Scott, the second-leading rebounder for the Hoyas last season, averaging 5.9 rebounds and 8.8 points per game.

The Hoyas had a strong recruiting class this offseason, welcoming five freshmen to the team. One stand-out freshman

is 5’6” guard Amanda Ajobiewe, who averaged 13.9 points, 3.4 assists and 6.6 rebounds per game in high school. Another impactful addition to the team is 5’9” freshman guard Khadee Hession.

Hession averaged 8.6 points per game, 6.8 rebounds per game and 3.9 assists per game at the guard position.

The Hoyas are positioned to be even more competitive in the Big East this season. Georgetown aims to claim the Big East Championship and secure a postseason spot thanks to strong leadership, an influx of young talents and an emphasis on honing its offensive game.

Marquette Villanova women’s basketball will look to remain at the top of the Big East this season, after placing fourth behind Marquette in 2023-24. To do this, it will have to win its tough conference matchups, including those against the Golden Eagles.

The two opponents will play on Jan. 11 at Marquette and on Feb. 2 at the Finneran Pavilion. Although neither teams are ranked this preseason, both remain at the top of the Big East.

Providence Providence’s women’s basketball team enters the 2024-25 season under second-year head coach Erin Batth with a new sense of purpose.

To help the Friars compete in the fiercely competitive Big East, Batth has made significant changes and brought in a strong recruiting class after a rebuilding year in her first season.

Returning for the Friars is senior forward Olivia Olsen, who was the team’s leading scorer last year. She averaged 13.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. She also recorded a team-best 12 dou-

By James Haupt The Wildcats are 16-19 overall against Marquette, but have had much more success recently. In the last seven games they are 6-1, although they dropped the most recent matchup, 50-48, in the Big East tournament.

Villanova will hopefully bounce back against a Marquette team with a new head coach. Cara Consuegra has taken over Marquette and brought in a bunch of new talent. She has six returning players, but none of them were major pieces from last year’s roster. Only

sophomore forward Skylar Forbes and senior guard Lee Volker were rotation pieces last season.

One of the main new additions is junior forward Ayuen Akot, who averaged 9.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game over two seasons with Frank Phillips College. She is joined by sophomore forward Jada Bediako, who transferred after playing at Georgia Tech. She didn’t have much of a role with that team but will aim to earn a spot on the Golden Eagles rotation.

By Madison Hodges ble-doubles, the second-highest total among Big East players.

Another notable returner is the second-leading scorer, Grace Efosa, who averaged 12.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. She also earned Big East all-Tournament Team honors last season, making her the first Friar to earn this title since 1993.

Not only are the Friars getting their leading scorers back this season, but they are also adding a talented group of newcomers to their squad. Freshman Audrey Shields, who plays both the guard and forward position, is a new addition to the team.

She averaged 30.7 points, 15.0

rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in high school and is the all-time leading scorer for her high school. The other newcomer is Orlagh Gormley, a freshman guard who averaged 22.1 points, 9.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game in high school.

After finishing 13-21 overall and finishing ninth in the Big East with a record of 6-12, the Friars hope they will improve from last season with new talent.

The Friars have the potential to do well in the Big East and aim to gain a postseason berth thanks to a combination of experienced players and exciting young talent.

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St. John’s St. John’s is looking to make an impact for the 202425 season after tying with Marquette and Villanova for third in the Big East and finishing with an overall record of 1815.

The team is looking for new leaders after the departure of the two top scorers, Unique Drake and Jillian Archer. Drake led the Red Storm in scoring, (18.4 per game) and three pointers (2.4 per game) Archer followed with 11.3 points per game and led the team in rebounds (7.8 per game) and blocks (1.5 per game).

Seton Hall Seton Hall’s women’s basketball team is gearing up for an exciting 2024-25 season under head coach Anthony Bozzella, now entering his 12th season as the head coach. The team earned a berth in the WNIT last season after finishing 17-15 overall and 8-10 in the Big East.

This year, the Pirates are aiming for a deeper postseason and return to the NCAA tournament.

Bozzella landed three freshmen recruits to fill the void left by Seton Hall’s two leading scorers from last season. Fresh-

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By Amanda Mckean Returning for the Red Storm is graduate guard Ber’Nyah Mayo, who finished as the third leading scorer, averaging 10.9 points per game, and led the team in assists (3.5 per game) and steals (1.7 per game). Other starters rejoining the roster include junior guards Jailah Donald and Skye Owen, who were part-time starters that contributed an average 5.8 and 5.4 points per game respectively, while Donald finished third in assists (1.5 per game), and Owen finished second in both assists (1.9 per game) and steals (1.4 per game).

Other potential players who

could make their way into the starting five are junior guard Tara Daye and senior forward Phoenix Gedeon, who finished behind Archer in rebounds (3.4 per game). Freshman guard A’riel Little may earn a starting position, after averaging 19.4 points and 7.2 assists per game in high school, along with graduate guard transfer Ariana Vanderhoop, who was a starter in her four years at Monmouth.

Head coach Joe Tartamella returns for his 13th season.

Villanova will host Saint John’s on Dec. 21 and will then travel to Queens, NY on Jan.18 to play in the Carnesecca Arena.

By Madison Hodges man Ja-Kahla Craft is coming off a huge high school career, and averaged 26.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game last year. Another addition is freshman and McDonald’s all-American nominee Jada Eads. In high school, Eads scored more than 1,500 career points and averaged 5.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists.

A star on the rise for this team includes sophomore transfer Savanna Jones, who averaged 3.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists while playing for North Dakota State College of Science.

Another standout for the team is sophomore Savannah Catalon.

Catalan is coming off of a solid freshman-year performance, averaging 7.4 points and 2.2 rebounds per game and finishing third in the Big East in freethrow percentage. She was also selected for the 2023-24 Big East All-Freshman Team.

This season, the Pirates will have many new faces and a new dynamic, but still have a strong chance of making it to the NCAA tournament. Seton Hall will play Villanova on Jan. 1.

UConn After its narrow Final Four elimination last March, UConn is looking to restore its dominance in college women’s basketball and make it back to the championship round. Last year, the Huskies claimed the Big East with an undefeated, 18-0 record and finished the year 33-6 overall.

The Huskies lost two of its fundamental players, with Aaliyah Edwards and Nika Mühl graduating in the spring. Last season, Edwards led the Huskies in rebounds, averaging 9.2 per game while finishing second in scoring with 17.6 points per game. Mühl left the Huskies with two Big East Defender of the Year Titles and broke Sue Bird’s

Xavier Xavier’s women’s basketball team had a rough 2023-24 season, finishing with a 1-27 record and going winless in the Big East for the second straight year. The Musketeers were ranked number 348 out of 360 Division I teams, with a 19-game losing streak and a 62-40 loss to Georgetown in the conference tournament. In the wake of this disappointing campaign, the Musketeers saw significant departures from the roster, including leading scorer Mackayla Scarlett, who transferred to Providence, and rebound leader Nila Blackford, who graduated. Several other players, such as Shelby

By Amanda McKean all time assist record at UConn with 686.

The Huskies will remain without redshirt junior guard Azzi Fudd, redshirt senior guard/forward Aubrey Griffin and redshirt junior guard Caroline Ducharme due to injury.

Graduate guard Paige Bueckers led the team last season in points (21.9 ppg), three pointers (2.2/game) and blocked shots (1.4/ game), while finishing second in rebounds, assists and steals. Other returning starters include sophomore guards KK Arnold who led the team in steals (2.3/game) and Ashlynn Shade who finished third in points (11.0/game) and second in

three-pointers (1.3/game). Redshirt freshman sophomore Ice Brady will move into the starting lineup after stepping up in the NCAA Tournament. Likely finishing out the starting five is freshman guard Sarah Strong who was the number one recruit last year. Returning for his 40th season, head coach Geno Auriemma is looking to add to his record as the winningest NCAA women’s basketball coach with a 12th championship.

In the AP preseason poll, UConn is currently ranked second overall. Villanova will host UConn on Jan. 5 in the Finneran Pavilion, then will travel to Storrs for an away game on Jan. 22.

By Teddy Dunn Calhoun, Kaysia Woods and Aanaya Harris, transferred to other schools.

Redshirt sophomore Aizhanique Mayo, one of the team’s leading scorers last season after joining mid-year, is back, but her contributions may not completely turn the tide.

Graduate Tae’lor Purvis, the top rebounder at just 3.1 per game, and sophomore Daniela Lopez, the top-minutes player, return but lack standout performances. Xavier also welcomes new transfers Petra Oborilova and Irune Orio (and several first-year students from overseas), who showed potential at their previ-

ous schools. It remains uncertain how much the new additions can elevate the program.

Head coach Billi Chambers enters her second season after a tough debut, where Xavier not only continued its losing streak but decreased in national rankings. Injuries and roster limitations hindered the Musketeers last season. While the team has added fresh talent, Xavier faces an uphill battle to become competitive in the Big East. Any improvement from last year would be a significant step for this struggling program, as the Musketeers are set to face the Wildcats on Jan. 25 and Feb. 15.

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Vilanova Study Abroad

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Villanova University offers a wide range of faculty-led summer and short-term programs in locations across the globe. These programs vary in length and academic focus and some include an international internship!

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Begin an application for a Villanova program in Passport Villanova Complete and submit all application requirements by the program deadline*

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*Some programs have specific curricular, deadline or participation requirements. Please refer to the specific program page for more information.

Summer program opportunities are also available through our Partner Programs all over the world!

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MBB Big East Previews Butler

attack and anchor the defense as the primary rim protector. Creighton head coach Greg McDermott and his staff did an admirable job attempting to replace Scheierman and Alexander, recruiting transfers Pop Isaacs and Jamiya Neal from Texas Tech and Arizona State, respectively, to plug into the starting

lineup in their places. Isaacs averaged nearly 16 points a night for the Red Raiders a season ago, while Neal put up 11 a night for the Sun Devils, so Creighton will count on the transfer duo to make up some of the offense the team lost in the off-season. The Bluejays will also return Mason Miller on the wing and Steven Ashworth at the point to round out the starting lineup.

Kalkbrenner could vie for Big East POTY and DPOTY, and Bluejays fans will hope for the big man to be a reliable source of buckets, boards and blocks all season long if the squad wants to compete for a Big East title and ultimately a national crown.

focal point of the Bluejays’ offensive attack and anchor the defense as the primary rim protector. Creighton head coach Greg McDermott and his staff did an admirable job attempting to replace Scheierman and Alexander, recruiting transfers Pop Isaacs and Jamiya Neal from Texas Tech and Arizona State, respectively, to plug into the starting lineup in their places. Isaacs aver-

aged nearly 16 points a night for the Red Raiders a season ago, while Neal put up 11 a night for the Sun Devils, so Creighton will count on the transfer duo to make up some of the offense the team lost in the off-season. The Bluejays will also return Mason Miller on the wing and Steven Ashworth at the point to round out the starting lineup.

Kalkbrenner could vie for Big East POTY and DPOTY, and Bluejays fans will hope for the big man to be a reliable source of buckets, boards and blocks all season long if the squad wants to compete for a Big East title and ultimately a national crown.

By Casey Healey Fresh off a loss to Tennessee in the Sweet 16 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Creighton’s men’s basketball team is looking to push further into the tournament in 2025 in search of its first Final Four appearance in team history. Gone are last year’s first and second-leading scorers Baylor Scheierman and Trey Alexander, with both having made their way to the NBA. Returning for his fifth season is the big man in the middle, 7’1” Ryan Kalkbrenner, who will no doubt be the focal point of the Bluejays’ offensive

Creighton

By Jon Hunn Fresh off a loss to Tennessee in the Sweet 16 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Creighton’s men’s basketball team is looking to push further into the tournament in 2025 in search of its first Final Four appearance in team history. Gone are last year’s first and second-leading scorers Baylor Scheierman and Trey Alexander, with both having made their way to the NBA. Returning for his fifth season is the big man in the middle, 7’1” Ryan Kalkbrenner, who will no doubt be the

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DePaul

By Dylan Johnson DePaul wants to improve on the worst season in school history. The Blue Demons finished with a 3-29 overall record and a 0-20 mark in the Big East. It was DePaul’s fourth consecutive losing season.

Since 2007, DePaul has only had one winning season, finishing the 2018-19 campaign with a 19-17 record (7-11 Big East).

Halfway through last season, DePaul saw a head coaching change. Tony Stubblefield stepped down and was replaced by assistant head coach Matt Brady to finish the season on an interim basis.

This offseason, DePaul hired Chris Holtmann as its new

head coach after he was let go from Ohio State last winter. Holtmann has a long list of accomplishments and brings more than 25 years of coaching experience. In 2016, Holtmann was named Big East Coach of the Year after helping lead Butler to a NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance and a 22-11 record.

With last season not going as the team expected, nothing can be held against the team as it enters this season. The Blue Demons have a complete rebrand, adding 13 new players over the offseason. Redshirt junior guard Conor Enright and fifth-year guard Isaiah Rivera are projected to start in the backcourt.

Enright averaged 6.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists at Drake last season. Rivera averaged 15.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists at UIC last season. Junior NJ Benson transferred from Missouri

State, after averaging 8.6 points and 7.9 rebounds. Senior forward Troy D’Amico averaged 9.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists while at Southern Illinois last year. The duo is projected to start in the frontcourt.

This season will be a tone-setting year for Holtmann’s tenure as head coach.

Villanova will face DePaul on Jan. 4 at 12 p.m. in the Finneran Pavilion and on Feb. 5 in the Wintrust Arena at 9:00 p.m.

Cooley landed 7 ‘0’’ center Julius Halaifonua out of the NBA Global Academy in Australia in 2024.

He averaged 12.8 points per game and shot 57% from the floor. He is ranked No. 59 nationally and is listed as the No. 14 center in the 2024 recruiting class.

Another huge player the Hoyas were able to land was freshman Thomas Sorber, who could play both the center and forward positions. He is ranked the No. 50

prospect overall in the class of 2024 and the No. 3 prospect out of Pennsylvania. As a senior, Sorber averaged a double-double as he tallied 18.9 ppg and grabbed 11.2 rpg all in his senior year.

With several new additions, the Hoyas hope to help out returner Jayden Epps, who was the leading scorer last season. Epps averaged 18.5 points and 2.6 rebounds per game and finished third in scoring in the Big East.

The Hoyas want to improve their disappointing results in previous seasons by assembling a group of young and veteran players.

As Georgetown aspires to regain national prominence, its success will depend on how well it can quickly incorporate the new players and foster chemistry among the group.

Georgetown

By Madison Hodges After a transformative offseason under head coach Ed Cooley, who is in his second year as head coach, Georgetown’s men’s basketball team is starting the 2024–2025 season with newfound hope. After the Hoyas finished last season 9-23 overall and 2-18 in conference play, Cooley has given the program new life with high-profile transfers and recruitment after a difficult 20232024 season.

The Hoyas’ revamped roster is one of the key storylines this season. With nine freshmen on the team this year, Cooley has many options for the team’s lineup.

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Marquette

By James Haupt The Big East, home of the reigning national champs, is arguably the toughest conference in college basketball. It’s inevitable that the Villanova men’s basketball team will have its hardest matchups of the season against its conference rivals.

One of the tougher challenges will come against Marquette, which ranks 18th in the AP Preseason Poll. The Wildcats will first play the Golden Eagles on the road on Jan. 24, followed by a home matchup at Wells Fargo Center on Feb. 21.

Marquette has a win streak of seven games over Villanova, dating back to the 2021-22 season.

Last season the Golden Eagles won

Providence

By Madison Hodges Second-year head coach Kim English leads the Providence Friars men’s basketball team into the 2024-25 season. After a solid first season as head coach, English hopes to make this season even more robust than the last.

The Friars have made major roster additions, bringing in top recruits and significant transfers to balance out returning players.

This past offseason, the Friars lost their key player and leading scorer, Devin Carter. He decided to forgo his remaining college eligibility and enter the NBA draft, where he was the 13th pick and went to the Sac-

three games against the Wildcats, including in the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden.

The good news is Marquette has lost one of its most dangerous weapons, especially against Villanova. Star point guard Tyler Kolek was drafted by the New York Knicks this offseason, taking away major offensive production. Kolek averaged 15.3 points and 7.7 assists per game last season, including a monster game against the Wildcats with 32 points, nine assists, six rebounds and three steals.

Marquette also lost center Oso Ighodaro, who was drafted by the Phoenix Suns after averaging 13.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. The Golden Eagles will look for a different dominant center to replace the talented big man.

With that being said, senior guard Kam Jones will be returning to Marquette this season after aver-

aging a team-high 17.2 points per game last year. He will be the main threat to a Wildcats victory in this year’s matchups.

Marquette didn’t lose or gain any notable players via the transfer portal, which is rare in the modern era of college basketball.

Despite their two major losses, the Golden Eagles will look to bring the same dominant team to the court, something that can prove to be dangerous for Villanova. The Wildcats will aim to break their losing streak this season as they compete with one of the toughest teams in the Big East, and all of college basketball.

9.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game at Eastern Arizona College.

Graduate student Jami Abdur-Rahim is another transfer to the team, and he averaged 12.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game at Georgia.

These new additions will be helpful for senior Bryce Hopkins, ramento Kings. one of the leading scorers for the So, with a key player gone Friars’ last season. As a primary and others graduated or transcomponent of Providence’s attack, ferred, English had some work to Hopkins is a dynamic forward who do and landed three new freshcan score and play strong defense. men and a few transfers. One He averaged 15.5 points and 8.6 renew addition is a 6’6” freshman bounds last season before having a forward, Ryan Mela. He averaged season-ending knee injury last year.

19 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.3 The Friars have a mix of youthful assists per game, with a career-high and veteran talent to be effective of 42 points. Another addition is contenders in the Big East and even the transfer center, Anton Bonke. earn a spot in the NCAA TournaStanding at 7’2”, Bonke averaged ment.

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St. John’s

By Amanda McKean St. John’s is looking to rebuild in the 2024-25 season after finishing fifth in the Big East and not qualifying for the NCAA tournament last season. At the middle of the conference pack, the Red Storm finished 20-13 overall and 11-9 in the Big East.

Villanova’s Big East rivals are facing a similar problem with departures and rebuilding the team.

St. John’s lost all but one of its top scorers, due to an end to eligibility or transfer. Leading the Red Storm was Daniss Jenkins, averaging 14.9 points and 5.4 assists last season.

Joel Soriano and Jordan Dingle, averaged 13.8 and 11.6 points, re-

spectively, with Soriano leading the team in rebounding at 9.5 rebounds per game. Just behind Soriano on rebounds was Chris Ledlum, who averaged 6.9 rebounds. The Red Storm is also losing Nahiem Alleyne and Glenn Taylor Jr., two players whose contributions off the bench will need to be replaced.

Out of last year’s starting five, only junior guard/forward RJ Luis remains. He averaged 10.9 points and 3.3 rebounds on the season. A key transfer for the Red Storm is graduate guard Kadary Richmond, who posted 15.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game with Seton Hall and earned all-Big East first team honors last season. St. John’s added senior guards Aaron Scott from North Texas and Deivon Smith

Seton Hall

By Madison Hodges Seton Hall head coach Shaheen Holloway, entering his third year with the Pirates, is looking to steer the team to the top of the Big East this season. Last year, the Pirates finished fourth in the conference with a record of 13-7.

Despite not reaching their goal of winning the Big East and making it to the NCAA Tournament, the Pirates ended the 202324 season on a high note. Seton Hall beat Indiana State, 79-77, to win the National Invitation Tournament championship.

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several transfer players. One of the most promising freshmen is 6’5” Jahseem Felton. As a four-star recruit and No. 24 combo guard in the class of 2024, Felton could play a significant role in the Pirates lineup to help them get an NCAA bid this season.

The Pirates lost all three of last season’s top scorers. The next potential big playmaker for the team is Dylan Addae-Wusu.

Addae-Wusu averaged a career-best

from Utah. St. John’s also gained some height with 7’1” junior center Vincent Iwuchukwu from USC and freshman center Khaman Maker from South Sudan. Head coach Rick Pitino will celebrate his 37th season as a Division I head coach and second season at Saint John’s.

The Wildcats travel to New York for an away game on Jan. 11 at Madison Square Garden and will host St. John’s in the Finneran Pavilion on Feb. 12. of 5.3 rebounds per game and was ranked second on the team in three-pointers made with 42.

He also recorded a season-high 20 points last season.

Addae-Wusu will also get some help from graduate transfer Chaunce Jenkins. Jenkins averaged 15.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while playing for Old Dominion. Another talented transfer is junior guard Zion Harmon. Harmon averaged 14.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game while playing at Bethune-Cookman.

With a lot of talent coming into this season for the Pirates, they will be contenders for the Big East Championship. Seton Hall opens up conference play against Villanova on Dec. 17 at the Finneran Pavilion.

UConn

By Amanda McKean Fresh off back-to-back National Championships in 2023 and 2024, UConn is aiming to become the second team since UCLA to three-peat. Last year, the Huskies posted a 37-3 record and breezed through the NCAA Tournament.

UConn dominated every game by double-digits, including its final 75-60 victory over No. 1 ranked Purdue.

However, this season, the Huskies enter with only one returning starter from the Championship game, as top scorers Tristen Newton, Cam Spencer, Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle graduated last spring. Newton and Spencer, who led the team with 15.1 and 14.3 points per game, were drafted

in the 49th and 53rd rounds of the NBA draft. Clingan and Castle, averaging 7.4 and 4.7 rebounds, respectively, went No. 7 and No. 4 in the NBA draft.

This season, key returners include redshirt junior forward Alex Karaban, who averaged 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 38% from three-point range. Graduate guard Hassan Diarra, last season’s sixth man, is likely to step into a starting role, along with senior forward Samson Johnson who, standing at 6’10”, could fill 7’ 2” Clingan’s role.

Junior guard Aidan Mahaney, a transfer from St. Mary’s, and junior center Tarris Reed, who comes from Michigan, will also be vying for a spot in the starting five.

After rejecting an NBA coaching offer from the Los Angeles Lakers earlier in June, head coach Dan Hurley will be returning for his

Xavier

By Teddy Dunn Xavier’s men’s basketball team enters the 2024-25 season with several major roster changes and injury concerns. In the aftermath of last year’s disappointing, 16-17 campaign, the Musketeers have lost several key players — including Quincy Olivari, Desmond Claude and Abou Ousmane — while retaining only three players from last season’s active roster.

Returners Dayvion McKnight, Trey Green and Dailyn Swain will be joined by Zach Freemantle and Jerome Hunter who are both coming off serious injuries.

Hunter is returning from recovery after an Achilles tear and cardiac event. Meanwhile, Freemantle, who has not played since January of 2023 due to foot surgeries, projects as a potential Big East Player of the Year candidate.

The Musketeers added seven transfers for this season, with some uncertainty, specifically regarding the health of Cam Fletcher and John Hugley. Despite these concerns,

seventh season at UConn. With the Huskies, Hurley has posted a record of 141-58 and an overall record of 292-163 in Division-I basketball.

In the AP preseason poll, UConn is ranked third overall and are trying to hold onto the winning streak it has held since Feb. 20. Villanova will host UConn at the Finneran Pavilion on Jan. 8, then will travel to Hartford for an away game at the XL Center on Feb. 18. expectations remain cautiously optimistic for the team, with projections placing Xavier in the range of 24th to 38th nationally. The Musketeers’ fate this season hinges on the health of their key players, with too much uncertainty regarding how their lineup will look.

Head coach Sean Miller is entering his third season in his second stint with the team. Pressure is rising on Miller to make the NCAA tournament to ensure his future with the program. With a talented roster, several injury concerns, oneyear transfer deals and the future of the program in flux, Xavier faces a season of a mix of optimism and uncertainty. The Musketeers are scheduled to face the Wildcats on Jan. 14 and Feb. 9.

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FAN CULTURE:

Everything You Need to Know About Being a Part of ‘Nova Nation

By Sophie Latessa

What do you get when you combine passionate cheering, cutout Father Peter heads and “Swag Surfin’?” You get Villanova basketball, of course.

The Villanova basketball fanbase is unlike any other.

Where else do students count down the days to enter ticket lotteries in the hopes of getting to see their team play up close and personal?

Whether it’s below freezing temperatures or an early wakeup call to make it to a Wells Fargo tailgate, nothing can keep Villanovans from their beloved team. The support for the basketball team around campus is palpable, and to really be a part of ‘Nova Nation, there are a few customs students must master.

1: When “Swag Surfin’” comes on before the start of the game, put your arms around your neighbors, strangers or not. In the Nation, we are all family.

2: When the Villanova lineup is being announced, go crazy.

When it’s time for the other team’s lineup, turn around with your back to the court. This might seem rude at first, but Wildcat fans must be willing to go to great lengths for their team.

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Welcome to Nova Nation! Let’s get you prepped for Game 1.

3: When James Jackson, the emcee, shouts out “‘Nova,” respond with “Nation.” Play along with any games he puts up on the jumbotron, too. (The basketball shuffle is a personal favorite.)

4: When a ‘Nova player is shooting a free throw, send them some good energy by reaching out your arms and wiggling your fingers in his direction. When it goes in (obviously), say, “whoosh, go” in celebration.

5: All true ‘Cats fans will learn the fight song quickly, as it is played at the conclusion of every game. Be ready to put your Vs up and sing along proudly with the band.

Whether it’s Wells Fargo or the Finn, Villanovans bring the energy wherever they go.

“Being part of the student section at Villanova basketball games is truly an indescribable feeling,” senior Katie Stump said. “It’s an amazing experience to come together with friends and cheer for our

team.”

In college basketball, Villanova’s fan culture is truly in a league of its own.

Whether you’re a new member of The Nation or a seasoned pro ready for one last ride, get those jerseys ready and practice cheering - it’s almost that time of year again.

The atmosphere of the Villanova student section at basketball games is unmatched, bringing the student body together for one shared and unified goal: cheering for their team and doing it as loud as they possibly can.

Villanova is often referred to as a basketball school, but this does not even begin to describe the school spirit that game day brings to campus.

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Tailgating 101

By Emma Cahill No one does a basketball tailgate like Villanova does. To your average Joe, waking up at 6:00 a.m. to bundle up with several layers of sweaters and scarves, to overheat in a sweaty pregame and to navigate a sea of students in a stench-filled parking lot might just be the epitome of a worst nightmare. But Villanovans are built different. Wells Fargo Center (WFC) games aren’t just other basketball games. They are rituals. They are tradition. They are a Villanova way of life. After all, in the words of former head coach of Villanova’s men’s basketball Jay Wright: “Only at Villanova - the best tailgate in college basketball.” So, here is your tried and true guide for how to master these iconic tailgates.

Step 1: Transportation Nation Located in the City of Brotherly Love, the WFC is more than just a hop, skip and a jump away from your dorm, as opposed to the Finn. Don’t waste your money on an Uber all the way to Philly. Plan ahead and buy a ticket on one of the student-run buses. On-campus organizations like Blue Key, club sports and Greek Life all offer bus tickets for a fair price. And what’s more fun than arriving at a tailgate in a giant yellow school bus? Whether your bus pickup is at The Courts or at Clem Macrone Park, schedule an Uber the night before to beat the traffic and save money. SEPTA is another good (albeit more time-consuming) option. You can hop on the train from West Campus and take the Paoli-Thorndale Line into Suburban Station. From there, you transfer onto the Broad Street Subway Line until you reach the NRG stop.

Step 2: Warming Up Do not underestimate the deep freeze of a Wells Fargo tailgate. While your heart might call you to wear your favorite pair of sneakers and a light coat, ignore your heart and listen to the weather app. Boots are a must for all Wells games, and investing in a thick pair of socks is crucial. Buy some hand warmers, and throw on a wooly hat. No one will judge you if you look like the kid from A Christmas Story, but you’ll be sorry if your hands turn purple and you get frostbite.

Step 3: Tailgate Style Guide No one ever said you can’t be stylish while you’re bundled up. Layers are key to a warm and fashionable Wells outfit. If you’re like me and find tailgates to be your personal Met Gala, go for it. Throw on a pair of overalls paired with a sweater and ribbons in your hair for a great choice, but make sure to wear leggings underneath and have your mittens ready. Leather pants are another classic choice because they are stylish but thick enough to keep you warm. For those who like to keep it simple, the classic Villanova jersey is a tailgate fashion staple. It’s going to be sunny out in that good ol’ Wells Fargo parking lot, so bring a pair of Ray Bans, or my favorite, a pair of oversized aviator sunglasses.

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Step 4: Fuel Up Unfortunately, the dining halls will likely not be open early enough to grab a quick bite at Spit pre-Wells game. But don’t make the mistake of heading to a game on an empty stomach. For early birds who like to make the most of the day, head to Spread or UpRyes in Bryn Mawr for a delicious array of bagels and cream cheeses. But for those late risers who find the 6 a.m. wakeup a challenge, DoorDash some Dunkin’ or Wawa with your hall neighbors, and go and pick it up in your PJs. Step 5: Communication is Key When zipping through a sea of Villanovans, it can be easy to get lost or separated from your friend group at WFC. In case of this, it’s always good to share your location with your friends and make sure you have a “stick together” mindset. For this same reason, it’s a good idea to bring a portable charger to make sure you’re always able to stay in touch with your group.

Step 6: Foodie Fun For those who come with an appetite, the WFC is your playground. In the parking lot, you can find a lot of parents from the tri-state area (whether it be your parents, your friends’ parents or even a friend of a friend of a friend’s family friend) who come with their cars chock-full of bagels, cookies, hoagies and more.

Some students even bring their own cars with grills to make hot dogs - if you’re not afraid of a grillery that’s being run out of a car.

Step 7: Villanova’s Golden Ticket The last, and in my opinion, most crucial tip for a successful tailgate experience is to screenshot your ticket. With tons of students packing the WFC parking lot, the arena’s internet connection often can’t hold up to the test.There will be no game without your ticket, so don’t let finicky Wifi deem the end of your tailgate experience. May the games begin!

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STAFF PREDICTIONS Men’s

Big East Champion: UConn Big East Runner-Up: Marquette Big East Last Place: DePaul Big East Surprise Team: Butler Leading Scorer: Eric Dixon Assists Leader: Wooga Poplar Leading Rebounder: Enoch Boakye

Women’s

Big East Champion: UConn Big East Runner-Up: Creighton Big East Last Place: DePaul Big East Surprise Team: Villanova Leading Scorer: Bronagh Power-Cassidy Assists Leader: Kaitlyn Orihel Leading Rebounder: Denae Carter

HOT TAKES “Josiah Moseley wins Big East Freshman of the Year.”

— Dylan Johnson “Hodge is top three on the team in scoring.”

—Teddy Dunn “Villanova will win the Battle 4 Atlantis.”

— Katie Lewis “Maddie Webber wins Big East Most Improved Player.”

— Elijah McDow “Denae Carter makes an all-Big East Team.”

— Madison Hodges “Villanova WBB makes a Sweet 16 appearance.”

— James Haupt “Men will have a game where all starters are transfers.”

— Genna Cottingham “Both teams win the Big 5 Classic.”

— Angie Perlman “Eric Dixon makes an All-America team.”

— Owen Hewitt “Jasmine Bascoe makes the Big East all-Freshman Team.”

— Casey Healey Bronagh Power-Cassidy 72 | The Villanovan predicted leading scorer

Enoch Boakye predicted leading rebounder

Maddy Siegrist

BACK IN THE FINN

W

The All-American forward has been continuing to work with the Villanova program in the WNBA offseason.

by Katie Lewis

hen Maddy Siegrist graduated from Villanova in 2023, the Wildcats had to transition to a new era without their star player on the court.

In her illustrious five years (including one redshirt year) with the program, Siegrist scored a total of 2,896 points as the Big East’s all-time leading scorer. She led the Wildcats through a historic Sweet 16 run before starting her WNBA career with the Dallas Wings.

But Siegrist wasn’t finished with Villanova just yet. She has continued to contribute to the program in the WNBA off-season and is helping guide the next generation of Wildcats. `“I had a great experience [playing at Villanova] and I had so many great people to lean on and be resources for me,” Siegrist said. “I want to be that for the players now.”

She returned to Villanova last October with a newly created role as Special Assistant to former Senior Women’s Administrator Lynn Tighe. Siegrist’s duties involved the promotion, branding and marketing of Villanova women’s basketball.

For the 2024–25 season, Siegrist is stepping into a different role centered on player development.

So far, Siegrist says she has been enjoying the

more “hands-on” aspects of her new position with the team. “[I hope] just to be a resource and be an asset the best I can,” Siegrist said. “Whether that’s sharing from my own experience or trying to see the game in a different lens.”

With only four of Siegrist’s former teammates on the current roster, an important part of her role will be ushering in head coach Denise Dillon’s new group of Wildcats.

Siegrist understands that the landscape of college sports has transformed since she first came to Villanova in 2018. The watershed moment of the emergence of NIL in 2021 coincided with Siegrist’s Villanova career.

“Luckily, I caught the first two years of [NIL], which was great and gave me a lot of opportunities to make money in college,” Siegrist said. “[College basketball] becomes more of a business when you have it, but I think I had the best of both worlds in terms of being the last of one generation and the first of another.”

Siegrist also believes she made her WNBA debut “at a perfect time,” alongside the rapid rise in the popularity of women’s college basketball in recent years.

Although she reached legendary status at Villanova and in the NCAA, Siegrist went back to being a rookie in Dallas. In her second season with the Wings, she averaged 9.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in 23.8 minutes per game.

“It’s all built on the players before, but it’s so exciting to be part of this new wave and see wom en’s sports get the attention that I think it de serves,” Siegrist said.

Apart from stints with USA Basketball and Athletes Unlimited, Siegrist plans to stay close to Villanova until she returns to Dallas in April.

Courtesy of Villanova Ahtletics

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WHERE ARE

Cam Whitmore

Villanova fans remember Whitmore from his one-and-done season two years ago. Whitmore joined the Wildcats in the first year of the Kyle Neptune era and was labeled as one of the best freshman recruits the program had seen in a while. Although Whitmore and the Wildcats had a disappointing season, the Big East Freshman of the Year was an exciting player to watch. The ultra-athletic forward electrified the crowd with his monster dunks and high motor. After the 2022-23 season came to an end, Whitmore declared for the draft, in which he was the 20th pick by the Houston Rockets. The Houston team was loaded with young talent, forcing Whitmore to spend some time in the G-League. In his first season on the Rockets roster, Whitmore averaged 12.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in 47 games, two starts and 18.7 minutes per game. He shot 45.4% from the field and 35.9% from three-point range. Whitmore is poised for a second-year breakout. He is a Wildcat that has potential to be a star in the NBA.

Ryan Arcidiacono

The Villanova legend was a part of college basketball history, as his pass to Kris Jenkins for a buzzer-beater three-pointer to win the 2016 National Championship will live on in Villanova fans’ memories forever. Arcidiacono is the definition of a Villanova Wildcat, proven when he earned captain honors his freshman year. He went on to become one of the most successful players in program history. After Arcidiacono’s last season with the Wildcats, he declared for the NBA draft. He went undrafted, but eventually signed with the San Antonio Spurs for the NBA Summer League. He was later waived by the Spurs and eventually signed with the Chicago Bulls to play in the 2017-18 season. Arcidiacono carved himself a solid role with this squad as he averaged 4.8 points and 2.2 assists in 17.6 minutes per game over four seasons. He then played a small role on the New York Knicks for three seasons, and was a part of the Josh Hart trade that kickstarted the “Nova Knicks.” Arcidiacono is now still playing in the G-League, eyeing a return to the NBA.

Collin Gillespie

Collin Gillespie was just a freshman when he won the 2018 National Championship with the Wildcats. As he saw many of his teammates take their talents to the NBA, Gillespie was thrust into a lead role. He became a full-time starter in his sophomore season, averaging 10.9 points and 2.8 assists, followed by a standout junior year with 15.1 points and 4.5 assists per game. Gillespie finished out his last two seasons as one of Villanova’s best players. In 2022, he went undrafted in the NBA but eventually signed a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets. Despite not receiving much playing time with Denver, Gillespie finished his rookie season as an NBA champion. He’s now on a two-way contract with the Phoenix Suns, still working to earn a larger role on an NBA team.

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THEY NOW?

By James Haupt

Alex Louin Louin was a Wildcat from 2014-18, where she earned All-Big East honors all four years. She led the way for Villanova’s first NCAA tournament berth in five years in 2018, when she averaged 11.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Louin went on to play professionally overseas with Luxembourg’s BBX Grengewald Hueschert and Torpan Pojat of the Finnish Leagues. In Luxembourg, Louin won a league championship in 2018 while leading the league in scoring at 28 points per game. After her professional career came to an end, Louin began a coaching career. She started as a player development coach for Fordham men’s basketball, where she spent one season. She then earned an assistant coach position at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. Prior to the start of last season, Louin was named an assistant coach for the University of Richmond’s women’s basketball program. She still remains with the team. The Spiders are coming off a March Madness appearance, only the fourth in program history and first since 2005.

Lucy Olsen Lucy Olsen is a name fresh in Villanova fans’ minds. She is coming off a career year with the Wildcats where she averaged a team-high 23.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Despite Olsen’s strong performance, the Wildcats failed to make the NCAA tournament. Olsen entered the transfer portal after Villanova ended its season in the inaugural WBIT championship game. On April 17, Olsen announced her transfer decision to Iowa, the former home of legendary women’s college hooper Caitlin Clark. With Clark graduating and leaving to join the Indiana Fever in the WNBA, there was a dire need for offensive production for the Hawkeyes. Olsen’s high numbers made her one of the most enticing prospects in the portal, and now puts her in a high-pressure position entering the 2024-25 season. Leading the Wildcats after Maddy Siegrist, Olsen will now have to fill the void of a star player once again. Olsen is off to a promising start, as she was named First Team Preseason all-Big Ten. The Villanovan | 75

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