The Villanovan | Volume 116, Issue 1: September 13, 2023

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 13, 2023 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan VOLUME 116 | ISSUE 1

STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916

Escaped Killer Affects Campus

Welcome Back ‘Cats! Fall 2023 Semester Begins

Sophia Tremblay Staff Writer Sofia Quaglia Staff Writer

The search continues for a murderer who escaped from prison in Chester County, PA on Thursday, August 31st. Authorities are on high alert and are using several tactics to hopefully capture the escaped convict.

Danelo Cavalcante was convicted of first-degree murder of his girlfriend on August 16th and escaped from Chester County Prison less than two weeks later.

He has been described by officials as a “very dangerous man.”

All of this information begs the question: why were Villanova students not directly informed of this event? Chester County prison is fewer than 30 miles away from campus. Given the gravity of the situation and Villanova’s close proximity to the danger, many believe that Villanova students should have been informed of the possible threat. Most students heard about the news on TikTok or did not hear about it at all.

West Chester University, a campus albeit much closer to the prison, alerted its students of the situation almost immediately on Thursday. It sent out several alerts, emails and updates since the news first broke.

The alerts gave students a description of the man: “five feet tall and weighs 120 pounds with bushy-hair and an unshaven face.” The alerts urged students to “lock their doors” and call 911 if any new information arose. The University limited building access to main doors only and encouraged students to keep their ID cards on them at all times.

While authorities believe that Cavalcante is

The University welcomed back students to campus for the beginning of the fall semester.

Graydon Paul/Villanovan Photography

Gio Pantaleon Staff Writer

August 23rd marked the first day of classes for all Villanova students. For sophomores, juniors and seniors alike, Aug. 23 represented the beginning of another year set to be filled with joyous memories, late night studying and much more.

For incoming freshmen, Aug. 23 represented the beginning of the next four years of their lives where feelings such as nerves, excitement and delight begin to kick in as their journey as part of the Villanova community

embarks and the beginning of the freshman-fifteen commences.

“It feels great being back,” junior Sidiki Konate said. “I am looking forward to resuming my student life and expanding my horizons. With just two more years ahead, I’m determined to make the most out of this opportunity. We only have one life, so we must live it to the fullest.”

University faculty are also excited for the start of the semester.

“The beginning of the semester is always exciting because the campus community reconvenes,” Michael Bradley, communication professor, said.

“I love being back in the classroom, meeting new students and working to make their experiences at Villanova as successful as possible. Some people bemoan the end of the break, but I couldn’t wait to get started again.”

This semester, Bradley will be teaching public speaking and introduction to journalism to both returning students and incoming students. He will also teach a graduate journalism course.

A return to classes means more responsibilities for some students.

“Although the curriculum and workload that comes with junior year is

extremely rigorous, I am looking forward to diving deeper into the material my classes have to offer,” student John Vigliotti said.

“I am a civil engineering major, but I am starting to take classes in partnership with the school of business for a real estate development minor, an experience I am looking forward to.”

Other students are looking forward to taking advantage of all the school has to offer.

“I’m looking forward to using many of Villanova’s many opportunities to bolster my experience in my passion,” sophomore Eric Vu said.

“The Career Fair being

Continued on p. 2

University Remembers Dr. Samuel Jay Lydia McFarlane

Co-News Editor

pleted his Ed.D from the University of Delaware, with other CASA faculty members throwing him a celebration in the library

just the week before his passing.

“This is a devastating loss to our community; Sam loved his work and was highly

dedicated to our students, going above and beyond to help them achieve personal and professional growth,” University President Rev. Peter M. Donahue, O.S.A, Ph.D said in the email to the community.

Jay was deeply committed to education and supporting underrepresented and underprivileged students on campus, which aligned perfectly with the mission of CASA. CASA provides resources

Continued on p. 13

On Tuesday, August 29th, the University community received a shocking email from the Office of the University President.

The email contained the news of the untimely passing of Dr. Samuel Jay, a faculty member within the University’s Center for Access, Success and Achievement, or CASA. Jay had just recently com-

University Members Affected by Maui Fires p. 2

SGA Brings Back Class Schedule with Photos p. 4

University Reacts to Escaped Prisoner p. 5

University Hosts Annual Fall Career Fair p. 6

Pros and Cons of Grubhub in Dining Halls p. 7

Letter from the Editors: Safety and Vigilance p. 14

A New Cova Delicacy: The “Bussin’ Box” p. 15

VillaVogue: Out with Summer p. 15

Villanova Football Looks Ahead to UCF p. 20

Volleyball goes 3-0 at Penn, Delaware Tourney p. 22

Dr. Samuel Jay was known for his good humor and kind heart.

Courtesy of Center for Access, Success, and Achievement

Continued on p. 3

2 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

NEWS

News 1 Opinion 8 Culture 15 Sports 19

PUBLIC SAFETY BLOTTER

VOL. 116 | ISS. 1 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan

COLIN BEAZLEY VIVI MELKONIAN MATT RYAN SARAH SWEENEY HAYDEN KARNES NATALIE ZICKEL LYDIA McFARLANE HANNAH SWEENEY ARDEN WEST JACKIE THOMAS BELLA IRWIN CHLOE MILLER EMMA CAHILL BROOKE ACKERMAN OWEN HEWITT MADELINE OKENQUIST GRAYDON PAUL MICHAEL BRADLEY CATHERINE COYLE CONTACT

Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Associate Editor-in-Chief Senior Editor Digital Editor Digital Editor News Editor News Editor News Editor Opinion Editor Opinion Editor Culture Editor Culture Editor Sports Editor Sports Editor Copy Desk Chief Photography Editor Advisor Advisor villanovan.eic@gmail.com

Theft By Unlawful Taking or Disposition September 5-6, DRISCOLL HALL A female resident student reported the theft of a game console. The amount of the loss is $250.00.

Liquor Underage, Public Drunkenness August 31, STANFORD HALL A female resident student, under the age of 21, was observed intoxicated in public and evaluated by VEMS Ambulance.

Liquor Underage, Public Drunkenness August 30-31, GOOD COUNSEL HALL A male resident student, under the age of 21, was observed intoxicated

in public and evaluated by VEMS Ambulance.

being raped by a known male student.

Burglary, Theft by Unlawful Taking August 25, CEER BUILDING A contractor reported a theft of copper wire from a construction site.

The value of the stolen property was $5000.00. The stolen property was subsequently recovered by the complainant. The victim declined to press charges.

Disorderly Conduct August 29, MORIARTY HALL Two male resident students acted in a disorderly manner in a campus residence hall.

Public Drunkenness August 27, WEST CAMPUS GROUNDS A male resident student, over the age of 21, was observed intoxicated in public and evaluated by VEMS Ambulance.

Harassment, Stalking August 23-30, ALUMNI HALL A former resident student has repeatedly harassed a current resident student through constant communication after being told not to do so.

Rape, Sexual Assault August 25, SOUTH CAMPUS GROUNDS A female resident student reported

CORRECTIONS Factual errors are corrected as soon as they are brought to The Villanovan’s attention. Please send an e-mail to villanovan.eic@gmail.com to report errors.

University Members Affected by Maui Fires Kellyn Zirn Staff Writer On Aug. 8th, 2023, multiple fires struck the island of Maui, Hawaii. The harsh hurricane winds catalyzed the fires that destroyed locations on the island, including Lahaina, Kihei and part of the Maui countryside.

Natural causes are at the forefront of the event, but Maui is also fighting against the Hawaiian Electric Company for its lack of awareness of multiple weather warnings and failure to take action. The company could have disconnected the power lines, which would have prevented this event from escalating as quickly as it did.

Senior Raelynn Yoshida is from the island and was with her family in Maui when the fire started.

“At around 4 p.m., we noticed dark smoke blowing towards the neighborhood from up the mountain,” Yoshida said. “I continued watching the fire through the window, and at 4:27 p.m., I noticed new white smoke coming

Smoke from the wildfires looms throughout Maui.

Courtesy of Raelynn Yoshida

from very close by. I alerted my uncle, who went to check it out.

He came back less than five minutes later and told us to quickly pack up the car and get in. We only grabbed a few things and the kids. We tried to drive out of the neighborhood but decided that the fire was too close and ditched the car. I grabbed my eight-month-old cousin, put her under my t-shirt and began running towards the smoke to the exit, as it was the only way out of the neighborhood.”

Luckily, Yoshida’s family and close friends were safe and her house was not affected. However, there are numerous families who lost everything in the fire. The day after Yoshida’s evacuation, her family began aiding those who were left with nothing.

“I felt almost numb seeing all the people at the shelter,” she said. “I had been doing the same thing they were just a day before, escaping from the fire, but now I was in an entirely different position than them. At the same time, it was really heartwarming to see my community working 24/7 to care for each other.”

Professor Jessica Kartalija reported on the fires for CBS. Courtesy of Jessica Kartalija

Originally in Maui for a family vacation, Communication Department Professor Jessica Kartalija reported for CBS Philadelphia from Maui during the fires. Kartalija was able to speak to many locals and hear their stories.

“Every story we heard was just heartbreaking, especially those involving children,” Kartalija said.

However, Kartalija emphasized the evident involvement of the Hawaiian community.

“The more we learned about the trauma people were experiencing, the more we heard of all the ‘good’ that was happening at the same time,” she said. “Everywhere you turned, people were finding ways to help. While heavy sadness was felt on the island, a feeling of love and ‘ohana’ (family) was prevalent as well.”

While Lahaina is unrecognizable, this town could have a bright future ahead.

“Many who have visited Maui know Lāhainā town as a tourist destination, but it is so much more than that,” Yoshida said. “It is a deep-rooted community with rich Hawaiian history and importance. It would not be the place it is without the people, so I hope the people will be able to remain where they were once rooted.”

Hopefully, this unfortunate event will give Lahaina the opportunity to cultivate their culture even more than before and give

the locals a chance to share their voice regarding their home.

Even if we are not directly in Maui, we can support relief efforts in many ways. Junior Olivia Augustine, another Hawaiian native, highlighted the importance of keeping tourism alive on the island.

“While my family was all physically unaffected by the fires, my dad’s work relies on tourism, which has been severely impacted by the fires,” Augustine said.

“Right now, I know that people are again asking tourists not to cancel their vacations and to continue to come to Maui because many families and small businesses rely on tourism to make their livelihood.”

Through keeping the conversation about the fire alive, continuing to send relief packages to the island or even traveling to Maui in the near future, anyone can continue to make a positive impact on those individuals who have lost their homes and the island that is so rich in culture and history.

Following Instagram accounts such as @lahaina_ohana_ vemo, @kakoo_haleakala, @helpmauirise or @kula_ohana_venmo is a great start in staying informed about survivor stories, current conditions and ways to lend a helping hand. A small action from one person is a major action to those in Maui.

The Villanovan | 3

NEWS

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

University Remembers Dr. Samuel Jay Lydia McFarlane Co-News Editor Continued from p.1

for students of color and Pell Grant eligible students, since they are the demographic of students most likely to drop out of college. CASA provides additional support with resources such as the Lending Library, in which students have access to free textbooks and novels for their classes.

Throughout the first few weeks of the semester, CASA students frequent the Lending Library stacks within Falvey to ac-

Dr. Jay by the Alumni Fountain.

Courtesy of Center for Access, Success, and Achievement

cess their free textbooks and check them out for the semester. Jay was heavily involved in the Lending Library project, and Falvey Library honored him in a post after his passing, highlighting his dedication to the project.

“A few weeks earlier, he helped build out CASA’s lending library through a 600-pound book donation made by outgoing Villanova students,” the post read.

After his passing, CASA opened its doors to students, offering food, licensed counselors and a safe place to grieve. Students came and went all day, signing cards for family and writing notes to Jay on post-it notes that were then stuck to his door. While the office was filled with emotions, it was clear that Jay was loved by so many.

Flowers, food and notes speaking to Jay’s wonderful character made for an emotional but beautiful tribute for a truly amazing Villanovan.

Jay’s CASA coworkers, who had become more like family, honored him in an email specifically to the CASA community after his passing.

“We write today to let you know how important you were to him and how you gave life to his dream of being a teacher and educational leader,” Ms. Nicole Davis said in the email. “Though Dr. Samuel Jay has passed on, his leg-

acy of educational excellence lives The University has lost a in your aspirations and dreams for true, hardworking, big-hearted the future.”

Villanovan who will be deeply Jay touched many students, missed by all who knew him. Howand everyone who met him, even ever, his dedication and passion if briefly, felt his warmth and his for his work will live on through passion for education. the legacy he built for himself On Friday, Sept. 8th, through his work in the short year CASA hosted a celebration of life and a half that he was a part of for Jay in the Villanova Room. the CASA staff.

Students, faculty and those who knew Jay well spoke about him.

While emotional, it was clear from the event that Jay touched many people in his life and in his work.

Rev. Naomi Washington began the memorial by offering some words of comfort for those who knew Jay to manage their grief, anger, and sadness in this difficult time.

Coworkers and students stood up to speak about how Jay made an impact on them. Pictures were shared, tears were shed and laughs were had, all in remembrance of CASA’s “gentle giant,” as he was known within the CASA office. The memorial ended with a balloon release.

True Villanovans commit to the University’s motto of “Veritas, Unitas, Caritas.”

Jay went above and beyond these pillars of the University, providing support, kindness and mentorship to so many students and being a warm presence in the Dr. Jay had just finished his doctorate before CASA office and Villanova compassing.

Courtesy of Center for Access, Success, and Achievement munity.

Welcome Back ‘Cats! Fall 2023 Semester Begins Gio Pantaleon Staff Writer Continued from p.1

one example, I got to meet like-minded individuals who helped me to explore my future options.”

When asked if there are any new changes on campus implemented

by Villanova that he is looking forward to the most, Vigliotti commented on dining.

“The implementation of ordering through Grubhub at Café Nova is something I am looking forward to using more frequently,” he said. “I usually eat at Cova two to three times per week, and this ordering system allows me to wait and see and prepare times which allows me to map out my time more efficiently.”

This is the first year Villanova has implemented a new way to order a meal at Café Nova through Grubhub.

Now, students have the ability to order food as soon as they get out of classes to ensure their food is waiting for them as soon as they arrive.

Another added benefit to this new implementation from Villanova is that every student who signs up on GrubHub automatically receives free GrubHub Plus for the rest of the year, which makes ordering food to dorms much cheaper.

With so much hope in the air for this upcoming semester and many new events on the horizon, it is hard for students to not be smiling and laughing as they walk to their next class on Villanova’s campus.

The fall semester is officially off to a great start, and students, faculty, and staff have so much to look forward through the rest of this fall semester.

Students have returned to campus.

Graydon Paul/ Villanovan Photography

A student enjoying the nice weather of the first few weeks of the fall semester.

Brian Luppy/ Villanovan Photography

4 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

NEWS

SGA Brings Back Class Schedule With Photos Srihi Surapaneni Staff Writer A beloved online feature of many Villanova students is back and ready for use: students can now once again see their class schedules, accompanied by the official photos of everyone in their classes.

Last year, a number of students were disappointed to discover that, in MyNova, they no longer had the ability to see who was in their classes. The reasons cited for this sudden and unexpected change were concerns over privacy and conflicts with the service supplier’s contract wording. But this was changed thanks to the efforts of the Student Government Association (SGA), spearheaded by the Speaker of the Senate, Andrew Kline.

SGA is committed to representing the undergraduate student body at the University and to speaking up to the administration for the interests and concerns of the student body. So, when a feature that such a large number of students saw as being useful to them was abruptly taken away from them without being given a say in the matter, SGA stepped in to be a voice for them.

“In many cases, our ad-

ministrators and the staff are well aware of the students’ interests and ideas, but their assumption that the feature was not used and not necessary couldn’t have been more wrong,” Kline said. “I heard countless complaints about not being able to access ‘Class Schedule with Photos.’”

The fight to bring back the photo schedules began during the spring semester of 2023, with a round of emails to UNIT, the office of the registrar and even as high up as the Provost’s office.

SGA was first met with denials from the registrar’s office, which detailed the privacy concerns and contact issues that contributed to the decision. However, Kline and SGA refused to back down, and continued emailing the administration throughout the summer in order to make the students’ voices heard.

“The purpose of SGA is to address issues like these when they arise, so it was a no-brainer for me to step in and try to rectify the situation,” Kline said. “There was nothing for us to lose, so ultimately it just came down to how hard SGA was willing to work.”

These summer communications made progress on the issue feel “quite slow,” for the SGA but still determined and unwilling to quit, they pressed on. Finally after “a few promising emails,” these

schedules made their awaited return to MyNova just two days before the start of the current fall semester.

Students who had become accustomed to these schedules and were disappointed to see them go were pleasantly surprised to arrive back at school and realize the schedules with phots back.

“I love being able to see who is in my class and it allows me to easily connect with people I may not already know for study groups and help with work,” senior Ben Berlin said. “Yes, it may be weird to see everyone’s pictures, but they are going to see me in

person anyway so I don’t really mind it.”

He is surely not the only student excited about the schedules’ return.

Ultimately, this change is a result of the determination and hard work of Kline and SGA, who emphasized their commitment to representing the student body this summer so that students can once again see who’s in their classes.

“Taking no for an answer wasn’t an option, so continuously asking questions and seeking change was the plan I pursued, and ultimately it worked out in the end,” Kline said.

Class Schedule with Photos added back to MyNova.

Courtesy of Hannah Sweeney

Community Suffers Through National Heat Wave Emma Cote Staff Writer

of remaining within the classroom or taking their chances with completing class outside.

Outside of the classroom, In spite of pumpkin spice many have struggled to remain in having made a return to Starbucks, their designated study spots because the withered leaves beginning to of just how warm they have belitter the grounds of campus and come. the start to football season, it is truly Freshman Stella Smith recalled the hard to embrace autumn as Villano- intense heat in Falvey Library, notvans suffer in the sweltering heat. ing that the heat was considerably As temperatures sky rocket- worse, “especially on the top floors ed well into the 90s this week, many and in the Holy Grounds lounge.” classes were faced with the burden Though fall has just merely of continuing as normal in the begun, the current heat is abnormal heat, and the addition of difficulties in nature, specifically in comparison caused by unbearable temperatures to last year. On this past September only added to this struggle.

6th, the highest temperature was 96 “We had to go outside for degrees, whereas on the same date our lab, and I nearly fainted,” fresh- of last year, the area only reached a man Sophia Marks said. “It was high of around 77 degrees, accordhorrible.” ing to data saved by Weather UnMarks isn’t alone in her derground. struggles with the heat. Residents on Less than two months ago, South Campus have been equally as Health Commissioner Cheryl Betdissatisfied with the already burden- tigole declared a heat health emersome trudge back to their dorms gency in response to “oppressive” in the humidity, sometimes convetemperatures in the Philadelphia niently followed by trekking up five area when many braced themselves flights of stairs. Even within the for heat value indexes that predicted same dorm buildings, the state of reaching nearly 103 degrees. Now it air conditioning has been perfectly is nearly mid-September, and temcomfortable for some and unbearperatures remain in the mid-90s. ably useless for others.

Following this week, no Others have lugged sweaters statement on the heat nor lack of to class to pair with their summer air conditioning has been made by attire for the starkly different state Villanova, and class cancellations, of temperature in buildings such as relocation and general policies have Tolentine Hall, where the climate differed among professors. of each classroom seems to differ Though certainly a tough tremendously. climate for Villanovans to endure, For others with classes in especially with the addition of the buildings such as Mendel Hall or pace picking up in classes as they White Hall, some students found get in the groove of the semester, themselves attending classes with temperatures are expected to drop no air conditioning whatsoever, and back down into the mid-70s as the many professors weighed the benefit week progresses.

Students walk to class during last week’s heat wave, trying to keep cool.

Brian Luppy/ Villanovan Photography

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

NEWS

The Villanovan | 5

University Reacts to Escaped Prisoner in the Area Lauren Armstrong Staff Writer On August 31st, 2023 at approximately 9 a.m. Danelo Cavalcante made his escape from the Chester County Prison, about 25 miles outside of Philadelphia.

Cavalcante was in prison due to murdering his ex-girlfriend in 2021, stabbing her 38 times in front of her two young children. Also wanted for a murder in Brazil in 2017, Cavalcante was sentenced to life in prison before making his escape on August 31st.

After his initial escape, law enforcement deemed him highly dangerous and said he would be seen wearing a white t-shirt, gray shorts and white sneakers, since then changed, and was spotted wearing green pants, and either a green or yellow sweatshirt. Early on, there was worry amongst law enforcement that Cavalcante would receive help from friends and family, similarly to how he did prior to his initial arrest. However, this fear died down quickly as the search went on.

On Friday, September 1st, the United States Marshals announced they would be joining the search for Cavalcante. This led to multiple sightings of Cavalcante to be reported during Labor Day Weekend.

“It is frightening knowing that there is an escaped murder within a close proximity to Villanova,” sophomore Nadia Balduf said.

“I trust that all that can be done is being done, but it is fearful being on campus without definite answers.”

Late on the night of September 1st, local resident Ryan Drummond saw Cavalcante inside his home, walking through the living room and kitchen, before leaving through his French door outside.

During the long weekend, many more law enforcement officers were added onto the manhunt, and a state trooper caught sight of Cavalcante, leading to a brief chase until Cavalcante ultimately got away. He was seen about a mile and a half away from the prison with a backpack, and later that weekend, another local citizen reported seeing Cavalcante in a creek bed behind their house in Pennsbury Township.

On Monday, September 4th, Cavalcante was caught on a trail camera in a popular tourist area called Longwood Gardens.

According to Longwood Gardens security, Cavalcante was seen entering around 8:21p.m. and leaving at approximately 9:33p.m., with a backpack, duffle bag and hoodie.

“I grew up going to Longwood Gardens with friends and family,” sophomore Kara McGoldrick said. “It is scary how Cavalcante is turning places I grew up going

to into parts of a crime investigation”.

On Tuesday, September 5th, law enforcement shifted their search more south, and from helicopters blasted a voice message from Cavalcante’s mother, which told him to surrender and turn himself in peacefully, spoken in their home language of Portuguese.

“There is nothing stronger than a mother’s voice telling you to do something,” sophomore Claire Gaza said. “I hope that through these continued attempts it leads him into agreeing to peacefully surrender.”

Since the beginning of the search, and up until now, the family of Cavalcante’s ex-girlfriend whom he murdered has been barricaded in their home, with constant security and watch.

On Wednesday, September 6th, the video of the escape became public, showcasing Cavalcante crab walking up against two walls, leading him to then scale up razor wire, run across the ceiling of the prison, cross more razor wire and then escape. The officer who was in the watchtower and did not see Cavalcante leave is currently on administrative leave. There is current work being done to ensure the prison becomes more secure and harder to escape.

As the week went on, and the heat grew worse and worse, law

enforcement hoped that Cavalcante would come forward hot, hungry, thirsty and tired, yet he is still out there. Many of the local school districts that had closed due to his escape reopened Thursday, September, 7th with increased security.

The heat ended up messing around with technology being used to track Cavalcante, causing more hot spots to appear, when truly it was due to the temperature and not his body being detected.

As of Saturday, September 9th, law enforcement has publicized that Cavalcante has changed his appearance, is now clean shaven and most likely in a new collection of clothing. He was driving a stolen dairy van, and was sighted in Northern Chester County. The registration on the stolen Ford van is ZST8818, and according to law enforcement they believe it was stolen from Baily’s Dairy near West Chester, more than 20 miles away from where he was being searched for previously. However, the van was found abandoned Sunday.

As of Sunday, September 10th, there were over 400 federal, local and state officers using dogs, horses, drones and helicopters to try to find Cavalcante. While the repeated sightings around the state have frightened citizens far and near, law enforcement are putting all their resources into looking to catch Cavalcante.

Department of Public Safety Hosts Safety Talk Julie Prendergast Staff Writer Last Tuesday, the University hosted its first Community Conversation of the school year, discussing the Safety Alert sent out by Public Safety on September 1st. This alert addressed the report of sexual assault on campus and functioned as a compliance responsibility of campus Public Safety.

“Public Safety will send out a Safety Alert to ensure it reaches every member of the community,” David Tedjeske, Chief of Public Safety, said. “Hosting these Community Conversations is another way that we stay committed to prevention education initiatives and work to safeguard students.”

Reaching the entire University is crucial for these Community Conversations, which are tools the University implements to work through important topics as they pertain to campus. They can be requested by students to be hosted, but in this case, Villanova partners proactively put on the event.

Recognizing that students had recently arrived on campus, the hosts of the event worked to start the conversation in a safe space for all University members.

“It can be very jolting to see that Safety Alert two weeks into your school year, but these proactive talks exist to reassure the community and acknowledge these difficult conversations,” Ryan Rost, the University’s Title IX coordinator, said.

Students that attended this past Tuesday’s event learned that

Safety Alerts are a requisite that Public Safety sends out, but that follow-up conversations only exist to facilitate a culture of openness and education on campus. The hosts of the event hope that the conversations they had in the Connelly Center this past Tuesday have the power to trickle out into other aspects of campus life; having informal dialogue with one’s peers will help the safe space expand to the entire campus. The Title IX office highlights that, the more spaces that can be provided to promote these conversations, the better the campus nature surrounding influential conversations will become.

The hosts of Tuesday’s conversation were the University’s Title XI coordinator and the Chief of Public Safety, who have both facilitated on-campus talks like one in the past. These Community Conversations don’t only address Safety Alerts, but also have training and outreach efforts, which in the last academic year were hosted 64 times, with over 4,300 community members attending. Programs put on through the community include: “Moments that Matter,” “Where is the Love? Bystander Intervention Training,” “One Love Escalation Workshop,” “Bystander Moment” film and discussion, “Trauma-Informed Response to Sexual Misconduct” and “Understanding, Preventing and Responding to Sexual Misconduct.”

While Villanova puts on copious informational events, student-led initiatives also work to bring together the student body, and focus on significant topics

as well. POWER (Peers Offering Wellness Education & Resources), SAPA (Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness (Instagram: villanovasapa)) and Survivors Supporting Survivors, to name a few. All students are encouraged by these program leaders to take initiative and start conversations that they want to hear and partake in.

To report a sexual assault or an act of sexual misconduct, call Public Safety at 610-5195800, Rost at 610-519-8805 or a Deputy Title IX Coordinator.

To get in contact with those hosting the University’s self-de-

fense course, email the Deputy Chief of Police, Debora Patch, at debra.patch@villanova.edu.

To gain any more information on reporting, protocol or outreach on campus, contact tRost at ryan.rost@villanova.edu. Support resources can be reached through Sexual Assault Resource Coordinator (SARC) at 484-343-6028, or by viewing the University’s sexual assault website at www.villanova. edu/sexualassault, which includes information on Delaware County Victim Assistance Center, University Counseling Center and UWill telehealth counseling.

A Public Safety vehicle drives through campus.

Ryan Sarbello/ Villanovan Photography

6 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

NEWS

University Hosts Annual Fall Semester Career Fair Hannah Sweeney Co-News Editor This past Thursday, students flocked into the Finneran Pavilion in their blazers and sport coats, despite the heat wave, for the semi-annual Career Fair. The Career Fair is typically held at the beginning of each semester as a way for Villanova students and alumni to connect with companies that are hiring. This year, the fair featured 152 booths of different companies hiring for full-time jobs, part-time jobs and internship positions.

The Career Fair is organized by Villanova’s Career Center, which is located in Garey Hall, Suite 117. It serves as a resource for Villanova students seeking guidance on present or future career and employment decisions.

According to the statement on its website, its “mission is to provide high quality, comprehensive career services, empowering members of the Villanova University community to choose and attain personally rewarding careers.”

The Career Center advises students to use Handshake as a platform for receiving information regarding on-campus events and employment opportunities. The 2023 Fall Career Fair was posted on Handshake as a way to spread information to the students. This information included which companies would be attending, how to dress, what to bring and when the

The Career Fair was hosted by the University.

Brian Luppy/ Villanovan Photography

fair would take place.

Economics major Julie Soutter found the event on Handshake and used the company list to proactively make a list of companies of interest.

“I thought the Career Fair was extremely helpful and allowed me to connect face-to-face with alumni and employees,” Soutter said. “[It] provided me with a holistic view on some of the companies I’ve researched and really brought to life company culture.”

Other students heard about the fair from an email sent out to students from the Career Center.

In the email, Career Center staff member Alex Karlesses said

that the fair was the “largest recruiting event of the season.”

Karlesses also added that the fair was to include “roles in education, client services, human resources, business, sales, consulting and more.” Examples included the FBI, Moderna, Comcast, PwC and Teach for America.

Having a wide range of companies in attendance allowed both students and alumni to explore different opportunities based on their interests and majors.

“As an environmental studies major, I was a little nervous to attend the Career Fair because I thought it was only for business [and] economics students,” junior

Ryenn Engles said. “Although a majority of the companies there were business-focused, I was able to talk to a few people about their sustainability departments. Additionally, there were a few environmental consulting companies present, which was pleasantly surprising.”

“I found it very helpful to be able to speak to different companies and see what they look for in new employees [and] interns,” sophomore Val Berishaj said. “Many of the companies had Villanova alumni which was also helpful knowing that they were once in my shoes and also looking for jobs. Every company I spoke to asked for my resume and gave me very useful general information, as well as information to apply for internships.”’

“All in all, I do not regret going to the Career Fair, and I do think it was helpful to have the opportunity to talk to employers about their internship opportunities in person,” Engles said. “However, I don’t think I would have been at a disadvantage to other students in my major if I did not attend the fair.”

While most students gained helpful information from the fair, it was not a mandatory event. If one wanted to go and was unable to attend, they can review the companies on Handshake, make an appointment with the Career Center or wait until the spring to attend the next Career Fair.

Blow-Up Rat on Campus Symbolizes Union Strike Caitlyn Foley Staff Writer This August, Villanova students moving back to campus were greeted with familiar faces, new dorm rooms and a giant rat outside the Jake Nevin Field House.

This rat has acquired a reputation on campus, appearing on private stories, Instagram posts and even a personalized dating account on Tinder.

The small group of men and women that have been returning each morning with the rat spoke on their reasoning for protesting since early August.

“Wages and standards,” an anonymous male protester said. “Just trying to keep the wages and standards at a certain rate. There is a certain rate for the area, but then certain contractors come in and they’ll lower the rate by paying their guys less and the guys aren’t aware of what they should be making.”

A female protestor who also requested anonymity reasoned that the differences in wages might not seem that significant on paper but can negatively impact the livelihood of these workers.

“When you make less money, first of all, families suffer, and you’re not spending in the community,” she said. “The trickle-down effect of it all is bigger than what it appears to be.”

Student reactions to the rat on campus have varied from confusion to entertainment, while some did not even notice the rat at all.

“I didn’t even know there was a rat,” senior Hope Walker said.

“Why was it there?” senior Elsa Fernandez said. “Why the rat?”

These students were not the only ones with questions. During Orientation Week for the Class of 2027, new Villanova parents were shocked by the presence of this rat while saying goodbye to their children. The male protester said that he recalls parents approaching him with concerned looks, asking if there was a rat problem on campus.

“A lot of people don’t get the concept of what it means,” the female protester said when recounting how members of the Villanova community have interacted with the sign of union protest.

The inflatable rat, also referred to as a union rat or “Scabby the Rat,” has been a symbol of union protests since the 1980s. If union members disagree or dislike the hiring practices of labor contractors, they will set up this rat until the issue is resolved.

“We are just trying to help the workers out, which helps everyone out,” the male protester said.

“Everyone deserves to have family security or to send their kids to dance class or not have to work two jobs,” the female protester said.

However, as is typical of college students, a variety of memes have been created about the rat that sits outside Jake Nevin. Some have even approached the protestors themselves and asked if they could take a picture of them with the rat.

“I don’t really understand how the rat is symbolic of fair pay,

The rat blow-up is located outside of Jake Nevin Field House.

Natalie Zickel/ Villanovan Photography

but I do support their cause,” senior Hannah Bisson said.

Students might wonder why those who work for Villanova have not been able to get rid of what some might consider an eyesore on the edge of their campus.

The protestors stated that this is mostly a contractor and worker issue, and although they said Villanova could do more, they had no concrete answers as to what they believe the University could do to satisfy their protest.

“The wage difference to the worker and to the whole project isn’t that big, but how it is spread amongst employees is a lot different,” the male protester said.

If students wonder why this rat is on Villanova’s campus, the answer is simple: three protestors typically arrive in the morning and blow up the rat, which can be seen as students exit the I-1 garage. The rat is there due to an issue of labor, union beliefs and people protesting something they

feel is unjust.

“This group is exercising their right to protest on public property near campus,” the University said in a statement to The Villanovan. “The University cannot control public space. Other groups or individuals have used this space in past to also exercise their free speech.”

However, the University added in their statement that they followed their typical procedures when selecting the contractors for this construction project.

“As Villanova always does when selecting the best partners for our construction projects, the University used a competitive bidding process—which includes and encourages participation from union contractors and sub-contractors,” the University stated. “Identifying the ‘best partner’ means we seek to work with the most qualified contactors across a number of areas, including experience, training, safety record and capacity – in addition to financial considerations.”

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

The Villanovan | 7

NEWS

An Update on the CEER Construction Jadyn Ramos Staff Writer The Fall 2023 semester is underway on campus, but while the student body was home for the summer, the Center for Engineering Education and Research, or CEER, construction team was hard at work making significant progress on the CEER transformation project. When the initial plans were released last year, the projected finish date was fall of 2024.

Significant progress has been made and the new projected finish date is spring of 2024, with an official move-in anticipated to begin in the summer of 2024.

Over this past summer, the construction crew was successfully able to complete the initial installation of the project, replacing the roof and completing Phase 1

of the project. The construction progress is visible from all around campus, as the building frame has expanded significantly and the walkways in front of Tolentine Hall leading down to Campus Corner have been reworked to accommodate the expanding construction site.

There have been information releases on the specifics of the renovation. The exterior has been mostly completed, so the focus is being moved to the interior. Phase 2 will begin this fall and involves installing precast panels and windows into the new portions of the building. This is significant progress and many students are getting very excited to see the new building when it is open.

The renovations will create more space for the Engineering Department and will allow for offices and departments within engineering to be relocated into

The construction on CEER has made progress over the summer.

Natalie Zickel/ Villanovan Photography

CEER from Tolentine. There will be more collaborative spaces, labs, classrooms and study areas. The lab space is projected to increase significantly, allowing for more research.

Within the new building, there will be designated spaces for graduate students, improving their Villanova experience, as well.

The renovations are very exciting and looking into the near future, there are some restrictions and dates regarding CEER that the students and faculty should be aware of.

The next few months will be geared towards landscaping improvements, as well as elevator and bathroom renovations that will close down those aspects on the third floor from the end of August

The construction last semester.

Graydon Paul/ Villanovan Photography

through the third week in October.

Following those dates, the second floor will be closed from October through the first week of December to renovate those same areas. From December through May, the focus will be on the office renovations in the existing portion of CEER, with the expansion construction projected to be completed in the spring.

The anticipated move-in for faculty and staff is around May and June, while completing renovations over the summer of 2024 before opening the building for classes in the fall of 2024.

This is an amazing project for the University and will not only improve the Engineering Department, but will create a new, updated space for all students.

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

OPINION

8 | The Villanovan

OPINION

Club Fair Brings New Opportunities Avery Chalk Staff Writer Rain or shine, the bi-annual Villanova Involvement Fair proved to be a success, as more than 250 clubs gathered in the Finneran Pavilion to welcome students for the fall semester. The afternoon was the perfect way to kick off the school year, complete with interactive booths, creative informational marketing and even a Judo demonstration.

While historically held on Mendel field, fair tables were brought inside due to scattered showers and late-August humidity.

Thankfully, there was no shortage of space in the pavilion. Club and intramural sports teams were placed outside of the basketball court with the remainder of organizations residing inside the arena.

Clubs were color-coded and organized by category for easy navigation. Greek life, service, advocacy, media, culture and several other categories of groups were included.

Most tables had poster boards or other large promotional displays that informed passersby about the nature of the club, with several participating members acting as spokespeople. People quite appreciated the ease of which they were able to find and receive information.

“As a freshman, I found the involvement fair to be incredibly well-organized,” freshman Dianna Regan said. “This was my first time seeing all of the student organizations on campus, and I’ve already

Members of the Villanova Sirens are pictured at the 2023 Involvement Fair.

Courtesy of Kayla Verga

joined several clubs that I wouldn’t have otherwise known about.”

While a majority of clubs were well-established, several newfound organizations also made their debuts. They were diverse in nature, spanning from a fishing club to a new chapter of Alpha Delta Pi. Villanova makes it incredibly easy to become involved and fill an open niche. Not only can students restart a previously existing program, but they can build their own organization from the ground up.

For more information about starting a club, students can visit the Office of Student Involvement in Dougherty Hall.

Unlike typical high school clubs, Villanova offers countless

academic organizations that focus specifically on job preparation and networking. These clubs host workshops, guest speaker meetings and other career-centered programs that help to prepare students for internships and other pre-professional opportunities.

Such clubs include the Business Analytics Society, Undergraduate Nursing Senate, Villanova Accounting Society and more.

Of course, there are also many “just for fun” organizations.

These are some of the campus favorites, as these clubs bring students with similar hobbies together to bond over mutual interests.

They also tend to be more relaxed, with involvement depen-

dent on personal interest rather than pre-meditated commitment.

Examples of such include spikeball, rock climbing and the Villanova Gaming Society.

Clubs have also taken to tabling outside of the Oreo and inside of the Connelly Center. Most notably have been various a cappella groups, TedxVillanovaU and Special Olympics. With similar displays to the involvement fair booths, these stands are a great way to learn more about an organization in a more relaxed setting.

One standout club was the Association for Change and Transformation (ACT). This organization is most known for its yearly diversity skit, in which members participate in identity and sensitivity training in preparation for guided conversations with orientation members.

ACT is one of several identity and activism-based clubs on campus, and an ideal option for students like myself who are interested in sparking social change.

Another noteworthy club is RUIBAL. This is a weekly program that allows students to travel to K-8 schools in the Philadelphia area to participate in tutoring, mentorship and other community outreach initiatives. This is a unique opportunity, and some are excited to learn more about it in the future.

Simply put, there is truly something for everyone on campus.

Whether it is trying a new sport or committing to a volunteer project, Villanova’s plethora of involvement opportunities make it easy for new (and returning) students to find their place and form lasting connections.

Villanova’s Transportation is Underappreciated Caroline Pirtle Staff Writer It seems that every time I need to pick up a prescription, grab a snack or crave Lovebird, the same scenario plays out: I walk to Conn, maybe text a friend to come, pull up the shuttle schedule and realize that it’s Saturday.

Why doesn’t the off-campus shuttle run on weekends? Weekends seem to be when a lot of students finally have time to run errands, so there must be an answer.

There are many forms of transportation on campus, ranging from NovaVan on Demand to Zipcars, but the shuttle is the most popular. Seven years ago, the Saturday shuttle went to Giant, Minella’s Diner and the Wayne Theater­­­, a major difference from the current King of Prussia (KOP) bus.

The off-campus shuttle was centered around giving freshmen access to the world outside of Villanova when South Campus was too far for many students to walk.

Around four years ago, the decision was made to make Connelly Center the new transportation hub.

At this time, the off-campus weekday shuttle was changed from Suburban Square in Ardmore to Rosemont Plaza in Bryn Mawr. Due

to traffic, it could only run from 3p.m.to 9p.m., which made it inconvenient for many students. “[This change focuses] on the needs of the [graduate] students who live in Rosemont and the students in the Villas,” Lindley said.

This new shuttle route allowed for more off-campus students to not rely on cars, freeing up parking spaces.This student-centered approach was a common thread between each decision made by transportation. This was best demonstrated when Lindley advocated for a stop by CVS, instead of Rosemont Pharmacy, to account for non-local students.

Moreover, every time a student boards a shuttle, they are counted towards the total number of riders. This allows Lindley to determine which shuttles and time are the most popular.

She then uses this data to advocate for changes, such as creating an early-morning express shuttle from South and the Villas to Connelly. The KOP shuttle was carefully planned to hit every errand a student could have, while also running at convenient times. She considered details like stores available and how safe the crosswalks were when choosing the stops. Eventually, Lindley created the ultimate student transportation service: NovaVan on

Demand.

NovaVan on Demand is a service that lets students order latenight shuttles that go directly from one stop to another. Don’t want to walk to your friend’s apartment on West Campus at midnight? Call a van to have a student drive you. The idea is rooted in student safety, and it also creates new jobs on campus for night owls.

“The only limiting factor is the number of student drivers, so the more students who drive, the better the service can be,” Lindley said.

Lindley also emphasized that the service is student centered, so drivers don’t have to worry about scheduling conflicts. The NovaVan solves the issue of having empty late-night shuttles during less active hours and makes students safer.

Yet, I’ve noticed that many students don’t know about this service, or don’t understand that it is open to everyone. I’m hoping to use this service often, especially during the winter. Lindley hopes that more students will take an interest in this service again, as it was very popular until the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

Going back to my original question of why the off-campus shuttle does not operate on weekends, the answer was shockingly

Students can use this QR code to submit their thoughts about the off-campus shuttle.

Courtesy of Caroline Pirtle

simple.

“Nobody was riding it,” Lindley explained.

The transportation office relies on student feedback and rider numbers to determine where resources should go. Lindely encourages students to email shuttles@ villanova.edu with any suggestions, concerns or complaints. She wants to work with students to make transportation the best it can possibly be on campus.

So, if you, like me, want to pick up your prescription on a Saturday, cut down the walk to lunch or just get off campus, email transportation your thoughts.

“As the campus changes, so can we,” Lindley said.

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

The Villanovan | 9

OPINION

EDITORIAL BOARD

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

The Villanovan encourages all members of the Villanova community to voice their opinions. LetVIVI MELKONIAN Editor-in-Chief ters to the editors may be submitted via e-mail to villanovan.eic@gmail.com. Letters must not MATT RYAN Associate Editor-in-Chief exceed 500 words and must be signed. No anonymous letters will be published. All submissions beJACKIE THOMAS Opinion Editor come property of The Villanovan and are subject BELLA IRWIN Opinion Editor to editing for clarity and space.

COLIN BEAZLEY Editor-in-Chief

POLICY

The unsigned editorial that appears is the opinion of The Villanovan as determined by the majority of the Editorial Board. Other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of The Villanovan.

COVID Rise Should Cause Caution, Not Panic Zoe Manning Staff Writer It looks like it may be time to bring masks out of retirement because COVID-19 is making its official return. In recent weeks, COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have been increasing throughout the United States and, as the fall months approach, cases are predicted to be on the rise.

Over the past year or so, it seems that many Americans have pushed the thought of COVID-19 to the back of their minds. After all, cases have dwindled since the December 2021 and January 2022 Omicron variant surge, and 70% of the United States population is now considered fully vaccinated against the virus.

However, variants are constantly changing, decreasing in infection rate and then reemerging.

Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that “COVID-19 has never really left us,” according to Dr. Graham Snyder, the Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

A new Coronavirus variant known as BA.2.86, also called Pirola, is responsible for the recent spike in

cases. Unlike past variants, BA.2.86 has more than thirty mutations to its spike protein, which is how it enters human cells. This is worrisome because scientists are concerned that these mutations allow the virus to easily avoid immune defenses.

In the past, when variants evolved, there were only one or two mutations to its spike proteins, but a massive shift like this from XBB.1.5, the previous highly contagious variant, to BA.2.86, is quite alarming. Fortunately, the results of a new clinical trial revealed that this new variant is not as bad as it originally appeared. The updated Moderna vaccine caused a ninefold increase in neutralizing antibodies against this variant, so fall booster shots should be able to protect against it.

A higher rate of infection may cause citizens to wonder whether mask mandates will be making a comeback, but the White House stated that it is up to local officials to decide whether they will be following mask guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

“It is up to the schools,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said last Wednesday. “It is the decisions of the districts to decide what they want to do with the guidelines they’ve been provided by the CDC.”

Here at Villanova, though we should definitely be more careful, masking and other pandemic restrictions should not be reinstated unless cases drastically increase.

With the fall and winter months approaching, the flu and the common cold also spread like wildfire, so taking preventive measures such as frequent handwashing and staying home when sick would definitely be beneficial against all sicknesses, including the new Coronavirus variant.

Thankfully, the new variant does not seem to pose a very serious risk at this point. However, we should remain cautious and continue to monitor its progress.

Furthermore, the COVID-19 vaccine and booster are highly recommended for Villanova students, faculty and staff, and vaccine information for each student is entered into the Student Health Form that all undergraduates submit. Villanova has guidance as to which COVID-19 vaccines are recommended on their website. In January, Villanova changed its protocol for how to proceed when a student tests positive for COVID-19 “Our approach will be much like a family or household strategy that is supporting a family member who is ill,” the website stated.

Students who test positive are permitted to remain in their residence halls during the isolation period, and are allowed to leave their dorms on day six while masked, if they feel up to it. However, students can also choose to go home or travel elsewhere during this time. This protocol seems to be far better than sending infected students to a hotel, as was done previously, and as long as students who test positive try to stay away from others, it is fair.

Social distancing, not sharing personal items, cleaning surfaces and frequent handwashing are also encouraged. For students who are exposed to the virus, their routine does not change. They are not required to isolate themselves and are allowed to attend classes while wearing a mask, which remains unchanged from the Fall 2022 semester.

As always, it is important to consult the Student Health Center with questions regarding testing or quarantining.

Currently, the CDC recommends testing if symptomatic or exposed to someone with COVID, and high-risk individuals should think about masking in crowded settings.

In the meantime, medical experts are continuing to monitor the current surge of infections and will update guidelines as necessary.

Pros and Cons of Grubhub in Dining Halls Sofia Krzewicki Staff Writer The start of a new semester at Villanova promises endless, wondrous possibilities and opportunities for those that have come to call it home.

Whether it is the newly paved Wildcat Path or the undertaking of an “inthe-works” project for a new library, students and faculty have returned to the University to find it in a state of constant augmentation and improvement, like the empires of old.

Perhaps the most intriguing innovations of the new semester can be found in our beloved Café Nova, which has entered its digital age.

Sayonara to unbearable queues and the incessant, chaotic cacophony of verbal ordering, as Café Nova has implemented Grubhub as its primary medium for ordering, which is aimed at improving establishment efficiency.

“Over 4,700 students, staff and faculty [have] download[ed] the app within the first few weeks of the semester,” Michael McGuckin, Director of Dining Services, said.

Using the Grubhub app via a cell phone or one of the kiosks on-site, Villanovans can place an order for their favorite bowl of nachos, a slice of bbq chicken pizza or a scoop of strawberry cheesecake gelato. Grub-

peeved about it shutting down without notice.

However, the paramount qualm is Grubhub’s ability to shut Café Nova down completely if the application experiences a bug or glitch.

The inconvenience of the system’s complications may outweigh its benefits for some students, as was seen after a shutdown just last week.

Another student commented that she hasn’t downloaded the Grubhub app, nor visited Café Nova since hearing about its transition to mobile ordering, because she “doesn’t want to deal with the extra steps.”

Dining Services is aware of the system’s fallibility; this is partially While occasional issues may arise, Grubhub is a good step for Villanova Dining. due to it being relatively new for VillaSofia Occttaviani/Villanovan Photography novans to navigate. the high volume of demand has “Our dedicated staff is adapthub makes meal payment seamless: impacted Grubhub’s promised effiing to the updated ordering process the app connects directly to a Villanociency.

Students have expressed their and order flow,” McGuckin said. van’s meal plan and allows for comcomplaints verbally to friends and via “Over the coming weeks, we will patibility with Apple or Google Pay. Fizz, an anonymous discussion and closely monitor the system to fine-tune “Individuals can track an news feed application popularized by it as needed.” order’s live wait-time and receive a students at colleges and universities.

As the adage goes, “Rome notification once it’s ready for pickA poll was posted last wasn’t built in a day,” but they were up,” McGuckin said.

Wednesday asking users their opinion laying bricks every hour. With each This is especially beneficial about the new system.

74% respondnew improvement to Villanova’s if students are rushing from place to ed negatively.

The subsequent “Fizzcampus comes some sort of kink that place as they can order their food in es” that followed shared sentiments of needs to and will be ironed out over advance, so that it is ready by the time frustration and impatience, with some time.

In the meantime, the additions they arrive at Café Nova. to Café Nova prove to have great poNevertheless, with Café Nova claiming that Café Nova is the only chance for students to get “good food tential for collective satisfaction with being one of the most popular places on campus,” so they are particularly the ordering process on campus. to dine on campus during the week,

10 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

OPINION

Wherever You Are, Freshman Dorms Build Community Riley Haubert Staff Writer The first month of school is almost complete for freshmen. This milestone is distinctive for its tapestry of new opportunities and lifestyle changes. This is an exciting and nerve-wracking time, and for many, the cherry on top is dormitory life.

The transition from one’s own home to sharing a space with a complete stranger can be scary, but is often remembered as the capstone of the freshman experience. Everyone has heard at least one story from their parents about their first year, and we are all developing our own “When I was young…” stories during this time.

We experience newly-developed challenges with living with a roommate: the dividing of amenities, working around each other’s sleep schedules and managing oneself so as to not disturb the other half of your room. Due to this, the essence of your freshman year experience can be largely shaped by one’s dorm location due to their variety, location, roommate(s) and other factors.

This leads to the big question: “Where are you living? South or Main?” Some eavesdropping upperclassmen may flinch as a stress response to this question, remembering its frequency their first year, asked again and again during orientation, but it remains unmatched in gravity.

The usual freshman response is that they are on South Campus. A portion, however, lives in dorms such as Delurey or Fedigan Hall, which are on Main Campus. This has sparked conversation: Which is better?

The opinions of students understandably vary based on a few points. On South Campus, the residents of Good Counsel Hall seem satisfied with their placement.

“I would live anywhere in Bryn Mawr if it meant I had a sink in my room,” freshman Hannah Sullivan said.

The sink may compensate for those painful 8:30 a.m. walks to Main Campus for classes, but what about those in residence halls on South Campus without sinks? Freshman Savannah Serf, who lives in Stanford Hall, agrees that South Campus is a good area because of the comradery among students there.

“It is a community of freshmen,” Serf said. “Spit is always filled with people I recognize and the lawn is a great way to hang out and meet people.”

The proximity to the dining hall where you can be around so many similarly-adjusted students can be comforting in this changing time.

Sounds like the place to be, right?

While South Campus residents seem to have overwhelmingly positive experiences, the opinions on Main Campus are more mixed. For example, Delurey Hall resident Paige Corcoran dislikes the forced-triple roommates and location, although she has positive things to say as well.

“I would definitely prefer to live on South [Campus],” Corcoran said. “[However, Delurey is a] tightknit, little community… I feel like I wouldn’t be able to have that in Stanford, for example.”

She is not the only one who feels this way.

“I like being on Main [Campus],” freshman Maggie Dirkes said.

Still, Main Campus has its downsides.

“Construction definitely wakes me up in the morning,” Dirkes said. “They are always on time right at 7.”

The construction she is referring to is the development of the new engineering building. Students housed

Stanford Hall on South Campus is one of the most common dorms for freshmen.

Ryan Sarbello/Villanovan Photography

near the site on main are receiving a $500 discount on housing this semester, and get first-day slots for choice in housing next year, according to Krissy Woods, University Director of Public Relations. Despite any inconvenience, Dirkes prefers Main Campus.

“Even if it is a farther walk to friends, it just means leaving a little earlier so I don’t mind being far away,” she said.

Being closer to classes and only a short walk from the shopping center seem to balance out the scale.

After all, it may be nice to take a break from the sound of the default Apple alarm for “the beeping trucks, construction and yelling” instead.

For obvious reasons, these students may be biased for their respective residence. To offer an outlook with increased neutrality, commuter student Kristen Webb has a more impartial perspective to offer. When asked where she would want to live, she responded “definitely South.” She had similar reasoning to Serf. “[South Campus is] where a

majority of the freshmen are,” Webb said. She also shouts out the Wildcat Path, saying it is “such a peaceful morning walk.”

Whether that settles the debate or not, both Main and South Campus offer many opportunities to build new communities of ambitious and interesting people.

Villanova has so many ways to get involved and craft one’s own unique college adventure. Attend social events, even though they may seem questionable. Students can make great friendships from various social events. Look for a holistic approach to making friendships, and even if one already has an established friend group, they should still make friendships whenever they can. The more people expand their outreach, the more Villanova feels like home.

In the end, it is not where one is forced to live that determines the quality of their journeys here, but rather the people, clubs and new beginnings they choose to partake in and surround themselves with.

Is Bidenomics the Economic Answer?

Zoë Kim Staff Writer Last week, President Joe Biden’s Labor Day speech sought voter support in Pennsylvania to win next year’s election. A self-proclaimed champion of unions, Biden spoke to workers in Philadelphia, despite stagnating inflation and low unemployment rates.

Pennsylvania is one of the handful of swing states that will end up deciding who wins the presidency.

Coming to Pennsylvania over the three-day weekend was a critical and deliberately scheduled campaigning event for Biden.

Economics will be pivotal to winning the votes of Americans in 2024, and Bidenomics is the forefront of the campaign. In July of this year, Biden delivered a major speech to an audience in Chicago, saying that the Republican policy of “trickle-down economics” has “failed America.”

Despite this, voters seem to be unsatisfied by the Biden administration’s economic performance. Voters have repeatedly given Biden poor feedback when it comes to the economy. This has raised the question of whether Bidenomics can win in what will be another cut-throat election.

There are three pillars to Bidenomics, as laid out by the ad-

ministration: “Making smart public investments in America, empowering and educating workers to grow the middle class, promoting competition to lower costs and helping entrepreneurs and small businesses thrive.” In contrast to “trickle-down” economics, Bidenomics works under the slogan of building the economy bottom-up, not top-down. Biden has defended this far-reaching policy, saying that through demand-and-supply, trickle-down economics has cost America jobs and has hurt the working class.

Over the past year, Biden, who has called himself “middle-class Joe,” has signed laws, few of which are bipartisan, that allocate billions of American tax dollars to semiconductor factories, roads, bridges and clean energy. In July, Morgan Stanley praised Bidenomics and this “boom in large-scale infrastructure” for an upward forecast in its GDP. The administration has vowed that Bidenomics is a policy that serves America’s working class, adding 800,000 manufacturing jobs to the economy.

To further attest to this, the country is facing the biggest post-pandemic boost of any leading economy in the world, with inflation falling for the past 11 months.

This is not an accident nor a coincidence, the White House stated.

“Rather than taking us back to the failed trickle-down policies of the

past, President Biden is committed to finishing the job and continuing to build an economy that finally works for working families— with better jobs, lower costs, and more opportunities.” Lower costs and more jobs are what economists want to see, but is this too good to be true?

“As with any policy, it is important to distinguish between the stated goals and the actual implementation,” Pete Zaleski, professor in Villanova’s Economics Department, said.

Zaleski encourages us to ask two necessary questions: “Do the added government programs and government spending associated with the plan actually achieve the stated goals? And if they do, do they do so efficiently? That is, are the costs worth the benefits and are there less costly ways to achieve these goals?”

We need to ask ourselves these questions before writing Bidenomics off. However, because the economic policy is so young, it is difficult to quantify its long-term effects.

But Zaleski raised one red flag that should worry all of us: debt.

Rising debt is often associated with soaring prices for stocks, property and other assets as well as stagnating economic growth.

In the past year, Bidenomics has cost $617 billion. If the administration proceeds with this current

spending, federal debt will be raised higher. It has been forecasted that by 2053, debt held by the public could reach up to 181% of our GDP. There are pros and cons with all policies, but in two words, Bidenomics is frustrating and uncertain.

For many Americans, the basic costs of food, shelter and healthcare are higher than their paychecks.

For Villanova graduates, this means fewer jobs and economic opportunities. Compared to the 2020 fiscal year, American households are paying $768 more for goods and services, costs that will only rise in the coming years.

Though Bidenomics is fairer than Reaganomics, we cannot turn a blind eye to its price. One other critique of Bidenomics is that it does not solve our principal economic challenges. By pledging a “once in a generation investment,” Bidenomics is not necessarily an anti-inflation and pro-growth policy. This can be a reason as to why only 34% of the public approve of Bidenomics.

If Biden’s policy does win him another term, it will be critical that it lowers the spending of American tax dollars and curtails inflation.

So when it comes to asking the question of whether Bidenomics is the appropriate policy for America’s economy, the only answer is the cliché: “It depends.”

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

The Villanovan | 11

OPINION

Heat Wave Shows Environmental Crisis Srihi ​​Surapaneni Staff Writer Villanova students could not beat the heat when they returned to campus after Labor Day Weekend.

Philadelphia and the surrounding areas experienced what could become this year’s longest heat wave, and potentially even the longest heat wave the area has seen in 92 years.

Last week consisted of temperatures exceeding 90 degrees almost every day, as well as high levels of humidity, which only made students feel the heat more.

While temperatures will likely drop again in the coming weeks, this won’t be the last heat wave Villanova will experience. Instead, it is likely just the beginning of what is soon to come.

As the global climate continues to change, heat waves like this will only continue to become more common. In recent years, heat waves have increased not only in frequency, but also in intensity and duration.

Today, the average heat wave is about four days long. Many major cities are experiencing up to six a year, both in the United States and internationally.

Global temperatures are reaching deadly highs and are affecting the quality of daily life in a number of places, showing us a glimpse of what we might soon face.

While natural patterns contribute to a portion of the extreme

Villanova students face one of the longest heat waves in 92 years.

Brian Luppy/Villanovan Photography

weather, researchers agree that the main blame lies with burning fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions, which trap heat in the atmosphere.

A 2023 World Weather Attribution study revealed that greenhouse gas emissions have also caused heat wave temperatures to rise by several degrees.

With no significant action to mitigate climate change, this will only continue to worsen, and we are not equipped to deal with the consequences.

In the grand scheme of the heatwave’s effects, the University is in a relatively privileged position.

The majority of Villanova buildings are air conditioned, providing some respite from the weather.

Compared to many of the schools in the Philadelphia School District, for example, which were forced to close early due to a lack of

air conditioning, Villanova students are indeed fortunate that their education can continue with only discomfort or minor disruptions.

However, it’s essential that we do not disregard the environmental implications of what is happening right now just because we aren’t as impacted. Heat is already the number-one weather-related killer of Americans.

As these periods of extremely high temperatures continue to increase in both intensity and duration, a large portion of the United States population, especially children, the homeless and those in low income communities, will be endangered to an unprecedented extent.

While the effects of climate change often disproportionately affect certain groups, extreme heat is something that everyone will be forced to contend with eventually, as

global warming only intensifies.

Soon, it could be our education being interrupted.

We also have to realize and acknowledge that our main source of relief from the heat is not a permanent solution. Even when buildings have air conditioning, many units were not built to continually keep up with and provide cooling through increasing temperatures.

Freshman Medha Tomar said that she and her roommates set their air conditioner “lower and lower each day,” but are still feeling like “it’s too hot in the room.”

Moreover, the overreliance on air conditioning at Villanova and around the world is actively contributing to global warming and the extreme weather, creating a dangerous cycle.

As air conditioner usage continues to rise in response to the heat, more and more electricity will be used, creating more emissions.

These emissions contribute to increased temperatures.

This is not a problem unique to Villanova. The world as a whole is unequipped to deal with the fallout that will soon come from global warming and the lack of responses to it.

While Villanova has been working towards sustainability, for example through its climate commitment, we need to get used to the idea that this heat could become our new normal and prepare accordingly.

The Meal System Needs to be Overhauled Carter Smith Staff Writer It’s my freshman year. I am on my way to grab a coffee and get some work done at the Holy Grounds in Falvey Library. In a moment of freshman naivete, I thought I could use a meal swipe from my unlimited meal plan to acquire my cold brew.

Boy, was I wrong.

Despite being able to use a meal swipe at the Holy Grounds in the Connelly Center, I could not use one at its location in the library, so I had to dip into my precious reserve of points to pay for my cold brew.

Flash forward to a couple of days ago. A friend of mine does not have a meal plan this year, since he lives off-campus, and he wanted to freeload off of me to grab a sandwich from Belle Air Terrace. Since Belle Air is a dining hall for all intents and purposes, one would think I could use one of my unlimited meals there.

But, oh boy, was I wrong.

I still had to use points for the sandwich. I subsequently yanked the sandwich out of my friend’s hand and ate it.

According to the “Meal Plan Pricing” page on the Villanova Dining Services website, pricing for meal plans ranges anywhere from $1,265 for the Tier 4 “Commuter” plan which offers five meals per week for the semester, to $4,250 for the Tier 1 “Any Time 7 Day” plan, which offers unlimited meals. Upgrades can also be purchased for $450 or $475 to allow meals to be used at the Exchange in Bartley Hall and/or the Recovery

Room in Driscoll Hall.

“Meal Swipes can be used in our all-you-care-to-eat dining hall locations, Donahue (South Campus), Dougherty (Main Campus) or St. Mary’s (West Campus),” the website claims.

Meal Plans also come with varying levels of MPEs (Meal Plan Express) which can be used at Cafe Nova, Belle Air, Second Storey, the Law School Cafe, the Exchange and select Holy Grounds locations. MPEs have maximum values between $7.50 and $8.50 depending on time and location.

For everything and everywhere else, one must use points or Nova Bucks.

The intricacies of Villanova’s meal plan system are overly complex and very confusing. It would make sense to have a segment of freshman orientation dedicated to explaining the meal plans, but according to orientation counselor Ryan Hartnett, there is no such thing.

Even after living under the system for over two years, I still am unsure where I can use the actual meal swipes versus where I have to use an MPE. If I can use an MPE at the Connelly Holy Grounds, why can I not use one at the Falvey location?

Why do I, as an unlimited plan holder, have a max of 14 MPEs per week, while somebody who only holds the 21-meal Meal Plan can use two MPEs per meal period for the whole week?

And things which should be able to count as a normal meal, such as sandwiches from Belle Air or Second Story, are counted as MPEs.

Students remain confused by the intricacies of Villanova’s meal plan system.

Graydon Paul/Villanovan Photography

This system leaves other students and me with a lot more questions than answers.

Because I have such a busy class schedule and am deeply involved in club activities, I often find myself short on time to eat my meals. I would much rather go to Holy Grounds to grab a bagel, banana and cold brew for breakfast than go to a dining hall for a traditionally hearty breakfast.

Getting a bowl from Café Nova or a sandwich from Second Story is a much more reliable, quick option for lunch than taking a gamble that there will be something good in one of the dining halls.

Villanova’s meal plan system could be vastly improved if MPEs were abandoned and whatever purpose they hold was rolled into the standard meal swipe. The revamped

meal swipes could then be used everywhere that standard meals and MPEs are able to be used now.

This change would eliminate much of the complexity and confusion about how often we can grub at certain locations.

I would also suggest standardizing meal acceptance across all Holy Grounds locations. Aside from the Commons location, they all sell the same products, so I don’t understand why we cannot just use meals at all of them.

These adjustments would ensure that every student with a meal plan can get the maximum value out of their investment and leave us all less confused when dining service workers inform us we are out of meals when we swear we just had a bunch left.

12| The Villanovan

DIGITAL

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

The Villanovan | 13

OPINION

Why Hasn’t Villanova Emailed About Escapee?

Sofia Quaglia Staff Writer Sophia Tremblay Staff Writer Continued from pg. 1 headed south and away from West Chester, campus authorities are still being vigilant and encouraging students to do so as well.

With the prisoner now miles away from campus, West Chester still assured its students that “increased police presence continues on and around the University.”

With a neighboring university taking such active measures to protect its students, why has Villanova not even released a statement about campus security resources?

While the threat is no longer imminent, many would argue that seeing a situation like this so close to our campus would urge University authorities to make sure we knew what to do if anything should ever happen here.

Clearly, the Department of Public Safety has not found this threat imminent enough to alert students.

“While the situation involving the escaped prisoner in Chester County is serious, he was never thought to be near our campus, and was last seen on foot approximately 25 miles from Villanova,” Director of Public Safety David Tedjeske said.

This raises an important question for all of us: what is considered a serious-enough threat?

20 miles away from campus? 15 miles?

Villanova fell short in alerting and informing students about safety resources following Danelo Cavalcante’s escape from prison.

Brian Luppy / Villanovan Photography

Many students feel the escaped killer is a relevant campus issue, since no one really knows where he is.

Despite the Department of Public Safety not finding this issue worthy of alerting students, a simple email making students aware of the situation would have caused no harm.

Whether or not the danger is “imminent,” many students feel the need to be made aware of this situation and kept updated.

Ulitmately, West Chester University has taken nearly every measure to keep students and faculty knowledgeable about the situation, yet Villanova did not even send out an email to address

the situation.

If somehow the killer were to end up on campus, Villanova not addressing the situation would not bode well for it.

As for the time being, the police remain on the hunt for Danelo Cavalcante and the Villanova community can only hope for an end to this threat.

Will Gun Control Legislation Ever Change?

Majo James Staff Writer I would like to start this piece with a disclaimer: don’t waste your time reading this article. Why? Because it’s pointless. Gun control legislation isn’t going to change because an undergraduate student wrote an article buried in the opinion section of The Villanovan.

This article will not change the trajectory of the next bullet fired to murder an innocent life.

I waste ink, paper and your time by doing this. And yet I feel that I have no choice but to write this.

I feel that I have to write this because of the raw fear I felt when I heard that there was a shooter terrorizing the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill.

I have to write this because, in that moment, I feared that tomorrow I would listen to a news anchor dispassionately recite the name of one of my closest friends, a UNC student, on the morning news, or see his name on a Congressperson’s tweet amongst a legion of others.

Instead, thankfully, he responded to my text reassuring me that he was fine. There is nothing new I can say that has not already been said. What happens when

there is simply no combination of words in the English lexicon that has not already been said, screamed or tweeted?

We have prayed every prayer, pled every plea, argued every argument. The might of the pen has been proven inconsequential, its ink has run dry, and so we write in blood.

Our writing pools around the bodies of dead children in halls, worshippers on sacred grounds and innocents flanked by the aisles of groceries.

This sanguine ink never seems to run dry, for there is never a shortage of innocents to sacrifice on the altar of a severely misinterpreted 2nd Amendment.

Look no further than Villanova’s own student body to see the impact and fear that these events cause.

“The fact that this is happening to college students - the future of our country is absolutely terrible,” sophomore Aleko Zeppos said. “Something has to be done.”

And of course, he is right.

That is our reaction every single time there is a shooting. Outrage.

Calls for action. And eventually the old wounds are forgotten as new ones blister across our nation, as they inevitably do.

What more will it take for this nation to ennact effective gun control legislation?

Brian Luppy/Villanovan Photography

However nihilistic this article seems to be, please do not perceive it as such. Nothing kills change as effectively as hopelessness.

That said, this doesn’t invalidate the rage and helplessness of those who are forced to live under the fear of gun violence every passing moment of their lives.

It doesn’t change the fact that the only impetus powerful enough to force legislative action seems to be another room full of

dead children.

It took a white supremacist who killed 10 Black people in Buffalo and a school shooting that killed 19 children and two others for there to be enough legislative support for President Biden to sign the first major gun control legislation in 30 years.

Is it so much to ask for gun legislation that ensures the safety of our nation before more innocents are rotting under freshly carved tombstones?

OPINION

14 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Freshman Year So Far Kailey Fahy Staff Writer On August 18th, 1,700 freshmen from around the world arrived on Villanova’s campus.

Cars were tightly crammed with students’ various belongings, and the scenes of the day included orientation counselors lugging around infamous blue Ikea bags and chatter between roommates about how best to arrange the room. Completion of room decorating marked the beginning of the orientation process and students’ new lives at Villanova.

The first few days were filled with nightly socials, informative skits, icebreaker activities and tearful goodbyes. While some compared the evening offerings to that of summer camp, these experiences were largely attended and helped in fostering new friendships and creating communities for the newest members of Nova Nation.

Orientation has now been over for a few weeks and freshmen have settled in, started classes and become somewhat acclimated to campus life; however, some still long for the days solely dedicated to forging new relationships.

“While orientation was super long, after, I realized how helpful it was,” freshman Delia Kline said. “I had a group of people I knew on campus during the first couple of days.”

So, all in all, while the occasional freshman may have rolled their

While all of these aspects play an important part in shaping a Villanovan’s freshman year experience, the experience is not truly complete without at least one meal at the Court at Donahue, more affectionately known as “Spit.”

This all-you-can-eat style dining hall is a rite of passage for many freshmen, however, it elicits mixed emotions among the members of this class. While some enjoy the daily options, others are already bored with the redundancy of certain menu items.

Freshmen give their take on their experiences at Villanova so far.

“I think the options are okay, Ryan Sarbello /Villanovan Photography but I would definitely enjoy more of a variety and wish the stations would eyes at some of the activities, most ing in, they all were going to have to change more often,” freshman Emily really did enjoy and learn from the adapt to the demands and rigors of Francesca said. orientation experience, and it helped each of their new classes.

Regardless, Spit serves as a immediately integrate them into life Freshman Kaitlyn Jasinski unifier for freshmen, a spot where stuhere at Villanova. said that she finds the workload to be dents can converse with friends after As the sun set on orientation, “more challenging” and that there is a long day and run into people they it rose on the first day of classes the definitely “a lot more of it,” but that may not be eating with. This allows next day. Outfits were picked out, she “also has a lot more time to do them to grow their circle of people pictures were taken in front of the it and it is all about managing time even more, which is a constant goal church and, just like that, freshmen well.” freshmen are trying to achieve. got their first glimpse into what their The academics at Villanova After about three weeks at academic life at Villanova would look are not the only thing students have Villanova, freshmen may appear like. had to manage. After attending the settled in and secure in their place on Some headed toward Driscoll involvement fair on August 25th, campus. But, the truth is, no one truly Hall for their nursing classes, while students have begun to participate in business majors headed toward a variety of clubs ranging from sports has it all figured out yet. Majors will change and friend groups will shift, Bartley Hall. Liberal arts and sciences teams to performing arts groups to but that’s all part of the process. students headed toward a variety of organizations within their intended That is what college is about different buildings including Tolencareer path.

– taking risks and trying new things. tine, Mendel and the Saint Augustine These activities not only One thing that I hope remains conCenter, while engineers are eagerly provide students an outlet to express stant throughout the Class of 2027’s awaiting the new CEER Expansion themselves and continue to pursue four years at Villanova is the exciteProject. their passions at the collegiate level, However, no matter what but also allow them to branch out and ment that students can feel in the air to learn, develop and grow. direction these freshmen were headmeet new people.

Letter from the Editors: Vigilance on Campus

The beginning of the school year is always an exciting time for the Villanova community. Upperclassmen share heartfelt reunions, while first years grow accustomed to their new environment.

The Quad is filled with students playing catch or lounging in the sun, and one is hard-pressed to find a seat at the Oreo during lunch. But beyond these emblems of joy, vigilance is a subject of conversation.

On Friday, Sept. 1, the Villanova Department of Public Safety issued a statement saying a female student reported a rape on South Campus on August 25st.

The email stated the incident was an acquaintance rape — the victim knew her perpetrator.

This disconcerting announcement came days after a gunman shot his advisor at the University of North Carolina and was followed by an escaped convict sparking a manhunt just one county away from our campus.

That means violence and threats to safety are everywhere — even in the Villanova bubble.

Villanova Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police David Tedjeske spoke about University commitment to safety on campus.

“The safety of our students and the entire Villanova University community is always our primary concern,” Tedjeske said. “Villanova is committed to maintaining a safe and secure campus and has devoted significant resources

to assure the greatest breadth of security coverage.”

At a place like Villanova, where community is paramount, it’s difficult to understand why some wish to disrupt the safe and welcoming campus culture.

Many first years reading this probably chose Villanova, in part, for that unparalleled sense of community and belonging.

This makes incidents of violating crime that occur within our campus all the more disturbing.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of being in a new place, or, for upperclassmen, being back, but recent events remind us the importance of practicing vigilance.

Public Safety offers a number of services to ensure safety, including security escorts and a courtesy shuttle. The department also maintains constant patrols, making sure students are safe on campus. No one needs to be paranoid on campus, but still, keeping an eye out for your own safety and the safety of others is extremely important, especially today.

Villanova was founded on three pillars: Unitas, Veritas and Caritas — truth, unity and love.

The latter, Caritas, is rooted in caring for one another.

Repeated sentiments of safety and security are important but are futile unless every member of the community practices care and vigilance. Stay safe, Villanova, and help your classmates stay safe, too.

Be safe out there, Villanovans.

Graydon Paul/Villanovan Photography

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

CULTURE

The Villanovan | 15

CULTURE

A New Cafe Nova Delicacy: The “Bussin’ Box” Julia O’Keefe Staff Writer If someone took a trip to Café Nova the first few days of classes, chances are, they were taken back by the array of new screens, kiosks and Cova’s Grubhub partnership.

Whether they went to a kiosk to place an order or chose to order from the Grubhub app, they may have noticed a new delicacy has hit Café Nova’s menu: the “Bussin’ Box”.

According to Cova’s menu, the Bussin’ Box is “cheesesteak beef cooked with American cheese on top of crispy french fries.” After nearly three years of popularity as a secret menu item, the Bussin’ Box has finally made it as an official Cova staple.

The phrase “bussin” is believed to have originated from African American Vernacular English and has recently gained popularity amongst Gen-Z on social media. Similar to “banging,” “bussin” is typically used to describe food that is particularly tasty/delicious.

The history of the Bussin’ Box begins back in 2019, with two Villanova graduates, Derek Wilson (‘22) and Cole Langton (‘23), who sought out a tastier alternative by adjusting an already existing menu item at Villanova: Cova’s cheesesteak with fries.

“As Philly cheesesteak connoisseurs, we were not exactly satisfied with the quality of bun served with the cheesesteaks,” Langton said. “In a moment of ingenuity, we decided to give it a try with the meat and cheese over the serving of fries, essentially making loaded fries.”

“Prepared with love and packed with joy,” as Wilson said, the “Bussin’ Box” was coined by Wilson and Langton in 2020. The item’s popularity quickly grew among the members of Sigma Nu, of which Wilson and Langton were both members. After its founding, they formed a GroupMe chat named “The Bussin’ Box Committee,” where its members

were able to express their appreciation for this new, hit item.

“We would often meet up on campus for our favorite grub after seeing our taglines ‘Who’s down to buss?’ or ‘Let’s buss,’” Langton said.

What initially began as a fraternity signature soon became a widespread delicacy at Villanova.

“We knew we had struck gold when, on multiple occasions, we encountered individuals whom we had never met ordering the Bussin’ Box,” Wilson said. “Seeing its reputation grow rapidly first-hand was a truly fulfilling experience.”

Having both graduated, Wilson and Langton are unsure what the current state of the Bussin’ Box is, but current senior Sigma Nu members Alec O’Reilly, Tommy McCormick and Connor Wall are not hesitant to express their adoration for the dish.

“The Bussin’ Box marked a culinary transformation at Villanova,” O’Reilly said. “This year, when I saw the item on the Grubhub menu, I was ecstatic to see our once secret menu item finally on the official menu.”

Wall was there to witness the moment the trajectory of the dish changed forever.

“Jake Ringelstein and Ian Briggs, integral members of [The Bussin’ Box Committee], played a pivotal role in catapulting the Bussin’ Box to fame,” Wall said. “I’ll forever cherish the day when [Ringelstein, Briggs and I] ventured to Cova for our customary Bussin’ Box experience, but something extraordinary happened. When in line ordering, rather than asking for a cheesesteak and fries without the bun, Briggs looked the Cova chef dead in the eye and said, ‘Let me get a Bussin’ Box.’ Initially puzzled, the chef soon chuckled and embraced the name.”

McCormick confirmed the popularity of the term after its takeoff: “I realized its popularity within the Café Nova regulars when I asked for a ‘cheesesteak with fries

Villanova students created the “Bussin’ Box” special.

Emma Cahill / Villanovan Photography

no bun’ and the response was, ‘You mean a Bussin’ Box?’” McCormick said.

And so, the term stuck, and Wilson and Langton will be happy to know that, today, the dish’s popularity continues to extend beyond the Sigma Nu fraternity.

“The Bangin’ Bussin’ Box is truly a delicious delight,” sophomore Teddy Archer said. “It’s an ingenious combination.”

“The Bussin’ Box is gas, but you gotta make sure you put some sauce on it to get the extra ‘buss,’” sophomore Jack Byrne said. “I think any sauce is good. It’s up to you what you put on it.”

According to Wall, personalization is the beauty of the Bussin’ Box. “Everyone put[s] their unique spin on it,” he said. “My go-to Bussin’ Box features steak, fries, a double dose of southwest sauce and a drizzle of Cholula for an extra kick.”

“Personally, I’m a fan of its variety,” McCormick said. “You can go with my personal favorite combi-

nation, double southwest sauce, or opt for a bit of bbq.”

As for the future of the Bussin’ Box, Wilson and Langton believe its establishment as an official menu item is indicative of its future growth in popularity.

“I am excited that each and every student at Villanova can now experience the Bussin’ Box,” O’Reilly said. “One day I hope to see it become a known Villanova staple the same way Zilly Fries or Jay Wright are.”

“The Bussin’ Box has been a cornerstone in my Villanova experience,” Wall said. “I am overjoyed to know that the same delicious ‘bussin’’ experience can be shared with generations of Villanovans to come. My heartfelt thanks to Villanova, Cova, the Bussin’ Box and, above all, to Cole [Langton] and Derek [Wilson].”

Students can order a Bussin’ Box, or Bangin’ Bussin’ Box, from Café Nova during regular hours, weekdays from 10:45 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., in store at the kiosk or through the Grubhub app.

16 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

CULTURE

What Does Your Holy Grounds Order Say About You? Anna Schoorlemmer Staff Writer They say you are what you eat… or what coffee you drink.

With locations across campus, Holy Grounds is an integral stop during the busy days of Villanova students. Whether you prefer a good old-fashioned cup of coffee or have an elaborate drink order, it is likely that your order hints at who you are. And who better to get the inside scoop from than our very own baristas? Keep reading to discover what your Holy Grounds order says about you.

Iced Vanilla Latte with Oat Milk: If this is your order, Get the inside scoop on what your Holy Grounds article reveals about you. you are a social butterfly who loves Sofia Occttaviani / Villanovan Photography keeping up with trends. You can be sophisticated and actually have your spotted wearing a matching set with them for that,” she said. So men, don’t be afraid to spice it up and life together, or you ordered it just a slicked-back hairstyle. order something fun. because it sounds fancy.

Cold Brew: You need a Iced latte with 2% or Anything with lavender: coffee to get you through your next whole milk: If you order this from You are trying to be aesthetic, so class in Bartley. You are always onHoly Grounds, you actually enjoy you convince yourself it tastes good. the-go and probably had to check the taste of coffee and like keeping You like to romanticize your life, so your planner to make sure you had things simple. There is also a chance you pretend that you are about to enough time to wait in the Holy that when asked what kind of milk wander into a little bookshop on a Grounds line. If you order it with you want you say, “...Normal?” cobblestone street instead of drownan extra shot of espresso, maybe Chai: If you order any ing in sweat on the walk to Tolenconsider booking an appointment at variation of a chai latte, you are a tine’s fourth floor. the Counseling Center. kind and down-to-earth person. You Americano: If this is your Iced Tea with Raspberdo not follow any of your own adorder, you are determined and ry: You are either an energetic and positive person, or a newcomer who vice, but you love giving it. You feel focused. This no-frills drink mirrors like getting a flavorful drink helps the efficiency of your daily routine. doesn’t like coffee and was expectdistract from all the studying you’re “You’re a serious Holy Grounds ing an acai refresher. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11URhIs_rBWhdTN8NoP56SvPTUjb8TXW7 about to force yourself to do. goer if you get the iced Americano,” Matcha: You’re effortlessly Hot coffee: If this is your junior Grace Arya said. cool. Even though you partially get order, it is more than likely that you Hot latte: You are either a it for the color, you actually enjoy are a professor. If not, you likely parent touring Villanova or a profesthe taste of it, too. One of Holy sor. Or you recently studied abroad Grounds’ baristas, sophomore Delia made a big life decision and feel that you must start acting like an and tell everyone you’re just so used Ciamei, noted that guys who order adult now. Either way, kudos to you. to getting hot drinks because “they matcha have good manners and Cappuccino: You’re either don’t do iced coffee in Italy.” seem especially friendly. “I love

Core Power Milk: If you grab this from Holy Grounds, you are most likely athletic. “It is always people coming from a workout,” Holy Grounds barista junior Sidney Howell said. “Gym bros love them.”

Respect. Get those gains.

Mocha: You are trying to convince yourself to like coffee, and this is the only drink that masks the bitterness enough. Congrats on graduating from hot chocolate.

Hot chocolate: You are the kind of person who asks if the sushi restaurant has chicken tenders on the menu. However, “[Hot chocolate is] socially acceptable to get around holiday time.” Ciamei said.

“Peppermint hot chocolate is so fun.”

Double shot of espresso: You are either on the track team, regularly pull all-nighters or just got your heart broken and needed to switch up your order to feel something. Whichever it is, you deserve a hug.

At the end of the day, order whatever makes you happy. Just remember to be kind and polite while doing so. Here are some ordering tips from Holy Grounds’ baristas: 1. Don’t assume the obscure things on the menu are available. They probably are not.

2. If there is a short line and only one barista working, specify what milk you want. However, if it is busy and there are multiple baristas, Pagenot 1 of 1need to specify the milk you do when you pay because the cashier will not be the one making your drink.

3. Don’t forget to say what size you want.

4. Say thank you. Baristas work hard to get us our daily (or hourly) caffeine fix.

Trials and Tribulations of Freshman Year Ali Benjamin Staff Writer On August 18th, roughly 1,700 new students arrived on Villanova’s campus. Trunks were filled to the brim with an endless amount of under-bed storage, more clothing than one person could ever wear and all the necessary supplies to survive in a communal bathroom. Now, almost a full month later, most first-year students have fallen into a rhythm of classes, club meetings and various social events, but anyone who has ever moved to a brand-new place knows that the adjustment to college is neither quick nor easy.

“Being patient and coming to the realization that you don’t have to do everything all in your first semester makes your life so much more enjoyable,” freshman Ava Sorrentino said.

In addition to deciding how to spend their days on campus outside of academic commitments, many first-year students experience what feels like a rite of passage in the form of early morning and late-night classes several times a week. The misconception that “I did it in high school, so it can’t be that bad” is a trap that many fall into and very few come out of still believing to be true.

“It is hard having such a long day going from 8:30a.m.-

9:30p.m. with very few breaks, but all my professors are very accommodating in finding ways to make that kind of schedule more manageable,” freshman Meg Wolf said.

It seems as though it was only yesterday that the newest students on campus were learning to differentiate between the two dining halls fondly referred to as “Pit” and “Spit.” Now, a month into their Villanova careers, strong preferences and opinions on dining halls are quickly forming.

“Growing up, I never had to worry about where I was getting my food because it was always just at my house, but now I have to plan ahead and seek out all of my meals,” freshman Genna Cottingham said about the transition to living on a meal plan. “Holy Grounds is honestly my go-to.”

Outside of bonding over meal-time adventures, one of the most unifying experiences of adjusting to dorm life is the (always friendly) battle over the laundry.

Nobody will ever quite understand the choice to pair three washing machines with only two dryers in most of the laundry rooms in the dorms on South Campus. However, it is abundantly clear that finding a convenient time to do laundry that also corresponds with available machines at an hour that doesn’t risk waking the entire floor

Villanova freshman adjust to the college lifestyle as they endure their first few weeks here.

Olivia Pasquale / Villanovan Photography

can be just as difficult as climbing the four flights of stairs to the top of Tolentine at 8a.m. Only a select few can do it, and those that are successful gain instant celebrity status.

Between managing next-to-impossible schedules and the assignments that accompany each class, creating a carefully calculated laundry schedule, rushing

to join every club imaginable and figuring out exactly what qualifies as one meal swipe, conquering one month of college life is no small feat. There truly is nothing quite like the niche experiences of the transition to freshman year, and if the students of the class of 2027 can survive and thrive through these challenges, then there is nothing that they cannot handle.

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

CULTURE

The Villanovan | 17

VillaVogue: Out with Summer, in with Your Favorite Fashion Source

ordinary. Fall 2023 invites us to rediscover the beauty of a well-tailored blazer, the timelessness of a crisp white shirt and the comfort of wide-leg jeans. As a wise man once said, keep it simple, stupid.

Kaelin Trombly Staff Writer The wait is over, and the runway is once again our playground. After a year-long intermission, VillaVogue makes a triumphant return and, with it, the lowdown on the hottest Fall 2023 fashion trends. It’s not just about clothes; it’s about carving your style niche with panache. Grab your pumpkin-spiced whatever and queue The Neighborhood because we’re diving into sweater weather VillaVogue-style, where witty commentary meets wardrobe sophistication.

On one side, we find the art of restraint with high-quality variations of daily staples – think timeless white T-shirts, cozy fall coats and snug sweaters. These pieces converge to form effortlessly chic ensembles, setting the stage for understated elegance.

Yet, the other end of the fashion spectrum unfolds with an artistic flourish. Prepare to be amazed by art-inspired prints and enchanting silhouettes that ignite your imagination.

And guess what? The fashion of the 2010s is back in full force, with beloved elements like peplum and off-the-shoulder tops making a triumphant return, seamlessly fitting into the modern style narrative.

Prepare to embrace the changing season with style, because these trends are about to redefine the way we dress and express ourselves. These are the whispers of style that demand your attention right now.

Roaring Red. While minimalism certainly has its moments, the runways were ablaze with a dominant force: rich, captivating red. This fiery hue graced nearly every show, injecting a vibrant spirit into the autumn landscape.

Unlike the customary subdued earthy hues traditionally associated with autumn, this season’s color choice is unabashedly audacious. Regardless of your preference—be it Wiederhoeft’s vivacious vermillion, Tory Burch’s fiery tomato or Ferragamo’s enchanting garnet—opting for a monochromatic ensemble is opting for more than a color, but a statement. Wearing an all-red ensemble isn’t just about turning heads; it’s about igniting a fire within yourself, exuding confidence and stepping into a world where you’re the protagonist of your own fashion narrative.

The Cold Shoulder It turns out giving someone the cold shoulder isn’t a negative thing after all - if you’re wearing a double off-the-shoulder top in Fall 2023, that is. In the realm of fashion, rare gems emerge from the trendscape, destined to become enduring classics. Off-the-shoulder tops have gracefully secured their spot on this exclusive list, evolving into timeless staples.

But here’s the real treat: off-the-shoulder tops are no longer confined to sun-soaked summer days. The latest iterations have ventured into the cozy territory of fall, seamlessly blending peekaboo Each Villanovan has a unique style and campus fashion reflects an array of trends. details into plush knits, lightweight Courtesy of Villanovan Photography/Olivia Pasquale jackets and gentle cardigans. If top shoe trends, the over-the-knee you’ve been keeping a watchful any outfit. Its resurgence can be eye on the fashion month’s street boot. attributed to its ability to strike a style scene, you might have spotted Whether you’re craving perfect balance between nostaltrendsetters artfully incorporating the flirtiness of a Prada-inspired gia and modernity. Designers are these sophisticated reveal-and-conthrowing back to the peplum with twirl or the sweeping elegance of Dior’s pleated variation, the circle ceal tops into their ensembles. contemporary fabrics, bold patterns and innovative shapes, mak- skirt trend this season is all about *** embracing playfulness but looking ing it a versatile addition to both casual and formal ensembles. This great while doing it.

From the fiery allure of trend’s appeal lies in its capacity fiery red to the twirl-worthy eleto accentuate the waistline, create Back to the Roots gance of circle skirts and the timeIn a fashion world ofan hourglass silhouette and add less charm of wardrobe basics, ten marked by a whirlwind of an element of playful elegance this season has proven that fashion ever-evolving trends, Fall 2023 to outfits, all of which make it an knows no bounds. brings a refreshing shift back irresistible choice for Fall 2023.

If you are more into sportto the essentials. It’s a return to Whether it graces dresses, tops or ing atheltic shorts and a sweatshirt even blazers, the peplum is back to the timeless appeal of wardrobe remind us that classic styles have a basics, a celebration of the classics to class, do not worry, we won’t judge. However, if you are looking that never go out of style. On the timeless allure that’s worth revisiting and even more so - reinvent- runways, we witnessed a surprising to spice up your wardrobe, VillaVogue has you covered. turn of events as Gucci, known ing.

Fear not, fashion enthufor its avant-garde creations, sent models down the catwalk in classic siasts, for the world of style is Sheer Brilliance button-down shirts, oversized blaz- ever evolving, promising more This fall, fashion takes a trends, twists and surprises on ers and wide-leg jeans. However, daring plunge into the world of sheer elegance, where classic mesh Gucci wasn’t alone in this endeav- the horizon. The world is your runway, and your closet is your or, as The Row, Prada, Dior and and romantic lace reign supreme.

What makes this trend a must-fol- Bottega Veneta also showcased the playground. So, stay stylish, stay curious and remember: the best beauty of these wardrobe staples. low for Fall 2023 is its ability to fashion trends are the ones you This collective nod to simplicity seamlessly blend sensuality with create for yourself. Fashion is an and elegance heralds the arrival sophistication. eternal adventure, and we’re just of the nouveau normcore, where Whether it’s a delicately getting started. Until next time. embroidered lace blouse or a sleek the extraordinary is found in the mesh overlay on a dress, sheer clothing is the perfect balance between revealing and concealing, making it suitable for a range of occasions and perfect for Villanova’s work-hard-play-hard mindset (yes, I did read your “I like to go out, but am always down for a night in” Facebook post in 2020).

So, step into the world of sheer brilliance this fall, where transparency becomes a statement of both style and self-assuredness, reminding us all that fashion can be as daring as it is elegant.

Return of the Peplum Fashion is known for its cyclical nature, and this season it’s bringing back a beloved classic: the peplum. Fall 2023 is witnessing the revival of this timeless silhouette and there are compelling reasons behind its return to the spotlight.

The peplum, with its charming flared ruffle or overskirt that cinches at the waist, offers a flattering and feminine touch to

Circle Skirts The 1950’s called and yes, they want their style back - but we won’t give it to ‘em. The charm of circle skirts lies in their ability to effortlessly combine vintage elegance with a contemporary flair.

They provide both comfort and movement, making them perfect for adding a touch of whimsy to your daily attire. Pair your circle skirt with Adidas Gazelles, kitten heels, or even go for one of 2023’s

The Villanovan’s first edition of Villa-Vogue of the year, written by Kaelin Trombly.

Design by Chloe Miller/Villanovan Digital

CULTURE

18 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Horoscopes: Villanova Majors as Zodiac Signs Chloe Miller Co-Culture Editor Aries: Pre-Med You have definitely stayed up in the reading room past midnight trying to acquire a perfect 4.0 to help you get into medical school. Aries has a naturally competitive and ambitious attitude that is crucial when both studying for the MCAT and walking into any class in Mendel. Your fiery energy and impatience makes you quick to judge the kids in MSE courses who are just now learning the difference between an element and a molecule. (Don’t judge us. We are trying our best.) Enjoy overloading on credits until you graduate.

Taurus: Pre-Law You’re stubborn in every possible way and enjoy a good argument.

Whether you are political science, communication, English or another major, you make sure everyone knows that you are on the pre-law track.

Taurus’ reliability and loyalty allows them to get the job done, no matter the case. Although Kim Kardashian may have made passing the Baby Bar look easy, we know you are putting in hours of work. P.S.: You don’t have to open every conversation with how many pages of reading you did last night.

Gemini: Communication You’ve probably been late to class one too many times, walking up the hill to Garey Hall with your Holy Grounds beverage in hand. Adaptable and intelligent, Geminis thrive off the flexibility in the Communication Department. Yes, you may be called basic and your major might

not get the respect it deserves, but Geminis have what it takes to own it.

Your lack of filter and opinionated voice definitely helped you forge your way through Public Speaking. Chances are, you haven’t taken a test since you finished your MSE requirement.

finished before you graduate. Virgos are known to be humble, practical and eternally stressed. No one really knows what you do, but we know you are good at it, and we trust you to build our bridges.

Cancer: Psychology Deeply emotional and sensitive, it’s likely that many Cancers have thought about a career as a therapist at some point. Chances are, there is some deep-seated trauma that has influenced your major choice, but what is a psychology major without it? You are probably the friend group mediator and have heard your fair share of campus gossip. We trust you to keep those secrets safe. You would never betray your friends’ trust or HIPAA.

Libra: Undecided Libra, you are an extrovert and far too friendly for your own good. The second you step inside the library to get work done, you tend to get sidetracked, having conversations with everyone who walks by. Despite your natural intelligence, you just cannot seem to figure out what you want to do. You have probably spent hours at the involvement fair, career center and in meetings with your teachers, but making the decision to major in something seems too, for lack of a better word, major.

Leo: Finance Yes, we have seen your LinkedIn post about getting a return offer at Goldman Sachs. No, you do not need to remind us. Leo, you are strong-willed, powerful and love being the center of attention. Only a Leo can put in those 18-hour work days in investment banking, or as you would say IB. (Yes, we CLAS students know your lingo, too.) You may have a crippling addiction to Slack and going to networking events, but we admire you. Also: please stop wearing flip-flops to class. No one needs to see that.

Scorpio: Political Science When Scorpios want something, they go for it, just like every political science major at Villanova who believes they will be in Congress someday. With a tendency to be secretive and, occasionally, manipulative, Scorpios can dominate debate and sway public opinion while keeping their cool. Despite your tendency to explain the intricacies of politics as if people have never heard of the three branches of government, you are fearless and wise with a desire for the unattainable.

Virgo: Engineering Your typical Holy Grounds order is probably a large iced Americano with three shots, but you need it. We’re so happy that your building is finally getting the recognition it deserves (shoutout 150,000 square foot addition). Hopefully, it gets

Sagittarius: Marketing Sagittariuses are dynamic and curious, always searching for an answer to a solution. The most forgotten major of VSB, you represent the creative amongst the practical. Fiercely loyal, there is no question about your dedication to VSB after sticking through CE, when you could have

just changed your major to Communication. You may feel like a poser in Bartley, but we all admire your sneaky intelligence and humor.

Capricorn: Accounting We get it, you actually enjoyed Financial Accounting, and your favorite professor is Stephen Liedtka. You’re persistent, practical and always make sure the cash flows are balanced. No one else can find amusement, nor success in staring at excel spreadsheets, but you make it look easy. The only major with a supposed 100% employment rate in VSB, have fun auditing for the rest of your days.

Aquarius: Secondary Education Aquarius, you are so sure in your ability to inspire the youth and innovate. However, this desire somehow manifests itself in creating lesson plans and ice-breaker activities.

Although Education majors are few and far between at Villanova, you are doing important work that the rest of the school population simply cannot fathom. It takes someone special to make under 50k and deal with snotty kids all day. Go get to work on your next Canva slideshow.

Pisces: English We all know you don’t actually enjoy reading Milton, but it does make you look just a little cool on the fourth floor of the library. Artistic and wise, Pisces are your typical English majors. And, yes, they will be the first in the room to say Colleen Hoover books aren’t real literature. You’re known for your big dreams, and you will definitely need them once you graduate. Your passion project will take off soon. We’re rooting for you.

Pisces.

The Ins and Outs of Villanova Football Culture

Elijah McDow Staff Writer

There is no denying that other than Villanova School of Business (VSB), Villanova’s pride and joy is its basketball programs. At other schools, like Alabama, LSU, Georgia and Notre Dame, the “money-maker” is the football team. Each year, teams at schools in the ACC, Big Ten and SEC generate millions of dollars’ worth of revenue.

Around the country, people know the names of coaches like Kirby Smart and Nick Saban, but away from the Main Line, not many people would know the name Mark Ferrante.

With men’s basketball, it is the opposite. Basketball fans from Seattle to Chapel Hill know Jay Wright’s name and have come to learn Kyle Neptune’s. However, not many people would know the name of Georgia’s basketball coach, Mike White.

During basketball season, every seat in the Finneran Pavilion is filled. When the Wildcats play at the Wells Fargo Center, students are tailgating in the cold or pouring rain three hours before tip-off. No matter the opponent fans always bring the energy.

For LSU, playing at an NFL stadium would be no problem. Given that Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge has 102,321 seats, LSU would have no issue filling the stands, but the

same cannot be said for Villanova.

While most seats are filled for Villanova basketball games, the only time this is guaranteed to happen for football is three times per season. The first home game usually brings a large crowd, followed by parents’ weekend and homecoming. Other than these dates, the seats in Villanova Stadium are mostly empty or empty at halftime.

Owen Hewitt has spent many weekends watching Villanova football. As co-Sports Editor of The Villanovan, Hewitt is in the press box for all home games and has seen, first-hand, the lack of attendance at games.

When asked why he thinks attendance is so poor, Hewitt mentioned that Villanova is playing a tier below the likes of Georgia and LSU. “I think the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) label has a lot to do with it,” Hewitt said.

“There’s a stigma around FCS football as a lesser game than its FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) counterpart. It’s true in some respects, there’s a definite jump in talent from the CAA to the SEC or Big Ten. With some exceptions, you’re not going to see guys that will go to the NFL.” Hewitt also mentioned how a university’s priority can have a huge impact on the attention given to certain teams.

“I think the other part of it

is where the University’s attention is going,” he said. “The men’s and women’s basketball programs garner the most attention from the University because of their historic success, so it’s where the majority of student interest lands. If the University paid more attention to football, more students would probably be interested in it. Villanova students will support a winning football team, the question is how that support falters when the team’s not making the playoffs or particularly outstanding in a certain year.”

Last year, the men’s basketball team finished with a 17-17 record.

Even when the team was on two or three game losing streaks, students were still showing up to the games or cheering on the team from their residence halls, Kelly’s or from home.

Having spent so many Saturdays covering the football team, Hewitt feels strongly that people should attend more football games because, at the end of the day, FCS is still Division I football.

“If you’re a sports fan, FCS football is such an enticing thing to watch because every week matters,” Hewitt said. “It’s not like FBS football, where as a smaller school you can’t have any shot at the championship if you lose a single game. I think that’s where FCS actually has an edge as a product over FBS because if your ultimate goal is to watch your team

win a championship, you don’t have to lose all hope after a single loss.”

While Hewitt may be right about FCS football being high-level, the reality is that a Saturday on the Main Line will never compare to a Saturday in the South. Tailgates in the ACC and SEC rival or surpass the ones at Wells Fargo because stadiums are full and students never leave at halftime.

Although the football culture at Villanova is lagging, something that remains intact is the “family feel” of the University. Everyone knows everyone and the athletes are no exception.

At Alabama or LSU, student-athletes are often on their own island, but, at Villanova, it is common to see athletes and regular students dining, rooming and taking classes together.

Whether they are watching basketball, lacrosse, soccer or football, members of the study body are likely watching their theology classmate, hallmate or friend.

From day one, the University makes it clear that it is the duty of Villanovans to support and be there for one another inside and outside the classroom. In other words, even if the football team is not competing for a national championship, going to more football games would show a group of fellow community members the respect, attention and support their hard work deserves.

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

SPORTS

The Villanovan | 19

SPORTS

Villanova Football Looks Ahead to UCF Owen Hewitt Co-Sports Editor The only time Villanova has ever played the University of Central Florida in football was in 2006.

It was the first year of the renaming of Division 1-AA to the Football Championship Subdivision. UCF was in the Conference USA. UCF walked away with the victory fairly comfortably, 35-16.

Needless to say, a lot has changed in the 17 years and 11 days since the ‘Cats last met UCF. The Golden Knights have been in three different conferences in those 17 years, including their realignment to the Big XII this season. UCF claimed a national championship in 2017 after going through the season undefeated, though it only finished 12th in the College Football Playoff Rankings that season.

But what hasn’t changed in those 17 years? Change is the blueprint to pull an upset as an FCS team walking into an FBS stadium.

How does David beat Goliath in collegiate football? It makes some noise on special teams and takes care of the football.

The Associated Press’ account of Villanova’s 2006 loss remarked that Villanova had the edge in total yardage, 322-204. It also pointed out that the ‘Cats shot themselves in the foot with two missed field goals and an interception.

Villanova is 4-15 in games

against FBS opponents since 1999, three of its victories came against Temple. One in 2018, one in 2009 and one in 2003, with the other coming against Rutgers in 2002.

Only one of Villanova’s losses against FBS opponents since

1999 has been in overtime. The ‘Cats battled in a two-overtime loss to Syracuse in a game in which the Orange’s starting quarterback, AJ Long, was ejected late into the second quarter.

Poppy Livers returned a Syr-

Head coach Mark Ferrante huddles with the team in its Saturday win over Colgate.

Brian Luppy/Villanovan Photography

acuse punt 67 yards for a touchdown with 2:34 left in the third quarter.

The ‘Cats had a chance at a 25-yard game-winning field goal with 12 seconds left, but Chris Gough pushed the kick wide-right. The game went to overtime and Syracuse overpowered the ‘Cats, winning, 27-26.

This blueprint must be applied for Villanova to have a shot at taking down the Golden Knights.

UCF will be starting its backup quarterback, redshirt sophomore Timmy McClain after graduate quarterback John Rhys Plumlee went down with an injury in the Golden Knights’ game against Boise State. That gives the ‘Cats much more of a chance to pull off the upset.

The ‘Cats will also need to balance their air and ground games in order to be successful in Orlando.

Villanova has put together good performances on the ground against Lehigh and Colgate, but has yet to see the two games working in tandem.

The defense will also need to step up, as UCF has averaged 626.5 yards of total offense across its first two games, although with its starting quarterback. While the defense has performed well through the first two games of the season, it will face a major step up in offensive firepower from its previous Patriot League opponents.

The game is scheduled for a 6:30p.m. kickoff in Orlando at Camping World Stadium. It will be broadcast on ESPN 3.

Villanova Earns John Thompson Jr. Award for Equality Sof Quaglia Staff Writer On Wednesday, September 6th, Villanova University was awarded the third annual John Thompson Jr. Award for the advancement of positive change and constant fight against prejudice and discrimination.

Villanova was given this award for its work during the 2022-2023 school year.

“On behalf of the entire Villanova community, we are honored to be recognized with this year’s John Thompson Jr. Award,” University President Rev. Peter M. Donahue, O.S.A, Ph.D said.

The John Thompson Jr. Award is in honor of Coach John Thompson Jr., who was the men’s basketball coach at Georgetown University for 27 years. During his time there, he led the team to playoff appearances in 24 out of his 27 years, six Big East tournament titles and one national championship in 1984.

But it was his efforts off the court that stood out most. Thompson’s leadership in the fight for social justice and racial equality led to the creation of this award after his death in 2020. The award is intended to honor individuals, teams or schools in the Big East conference for work toward the cause and continuation of Thompson’s legacy.

“Villanova has established a model framework for athletics DEI

The John Thompson Jr. Award advocates for positive change in the fight against discrimination.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

through its formula of education, the creation of ‘safe spaces’ for engagement by various affinity groups and integration with the broader campus community and the school’s distinctive Augustinian mission and values,” Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman said.

During the previous school year, Villanova put a special emphasis on diversity and inclusion. The Wildcats implemented several new groups and forums for athletes and allies.

These groups aimed to help minority athletes including people of color, women, the LGBTQIA+ community and many others.

Villanova also dedicated time and energy to helping athletes who struggle with mental health, creating a more positive, inclusive and diverse future for Villanova athletics.

“The award is a testament to the incredible work of our Athletics staff to ensure that our Augustinian Catholic values of Veritas, Unitas and Caritas (Truth, Unity and Love) are woven into the fabric of every aspect of the student-athlete experience,” Fr. Peter said. “These values are the foundation for Villanova’s commitment to building a just and inclusive community on our campus and beyond.”

The recognition of Villanova’s DEI effort has only encouraged athletics to continue to build upon their success. This year, the athletic department plans to create more ambassador groups in the name of UNITAS and DEI.

SPORTS

20 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Women’s Soccer Brings Record to 3-0-3 WEEKLY SCOREBOARD

James Haupt Staff Writer On Sunday Sept. 10th, Villanova’s women’s soccer team tied West Virginia, 0-0, in its sixth game of the 2022-23 season. The draw brings the Wildcats to a 3-0-3 record, placing them fourth in the Big East, though conference play has yet to begin.

The tie was an impressive one for Villanova as the Mountaineers are a Power Five team in the Big 12. West Virginia also advanced to the second round of the NCAA College Cup in 2022. The last time the Wildcats drew with a Power Five team was in 2012, against then No. 13 Maryland.

Both teams managed only one shot on goal for each team.

The ‘Cats only had two shots total, compared to West Virginia’s eight.

Graduate forward Rylee Donaldson and graduate midfielder Alex Fava had the only shots of the day for Villanova, with Donaldson putting the lone shot on goal. Graduate goalkeeper Payton Woodward saved West Virginia’s only shot on goal, as well.

“We know our team is very humble, and we’re taking it a game at a time,” head coach Samar Azem said when asked about the ‘Cats strong start to the year. “It really is the players, they’re so invested in each step of the way. Every opportunity they see is an opportunity to grow.”

Sept. 6 - Sept. 12

Wednesday, September 6 Volleyball vs Penn 3-2 W Thursday, September 7

Women’s soccer is fourth in the Big East prior to conference play starting.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

The game showed off the ‘Cats’ defensive prowess, as the backline successfully defended eight corners. The team takes pride in its defense, and it’s something that Azem has been prioritizing over her last few seasons as head coach.

“We really defined our defensive identity last year,” Azem said. “Although it’s a new team this year with new players coming in, the program’s values and defense is consistent. We’re a top program defensively in the Big East and we’re ranked 14th in the country in goals against.”

While Villanova’s defense has been crucial to its success, its offense has done its job, as well.

The ‘Cats scored in each of their first five games, with three of those games featuring three goals.

This was the first time in the 2023 season that Villanova didn’t score, but the squad remains undefeated nonetheless. Looking back to 2022, the ‘Cats picked up the last three games of the season, making the undefeated streak nine games across seasons.

The win streak to start the year has been an overall team effort from the ‘Cats, something that Azem has taken notice of.

“We have a number of individuals who have done phenomenal,” Azem said. “But we talk a lot about how the success of the team is the strength of the team.”

The ‘Cats’ next game is on the road against UPenn on Thursday, Sept. 14, followed by a home game Sunday, Sept.17 against Cornell.

Field Hockey Goes 1-1 Over The Weekend Aphrodite Dimopoulos Staff Writer This past weekend, Villanova’s field hockey team played two home games on Friday and Saturday against Rutgers and La Salle, respectively. Friday’s game ended in a 6-2 loss, and Sunday’s game ended in a 4-3 loss. However, both the team and head coach Joanie Milhous know that they were good games and have a plan for the season moving forward.

Friday’s game against Rutgers was back-and-forth, one that ultimately ended in a break of the Wildcats’ five-home-game winning streak. Going into the game, Rutgers was the favorite. Recently ranked 12th in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association’s top-25 poll, the team has consistently been a powerhouse.

That said, Villanova put up a consistent effort. In the first quarter, Rutgers took an early lead. Senior back Sabine de Ruijter scored her first goal of the season with a penalty corner to tie the score. The goal was assisted by junior midfield Raina Smolij and junior midfield/forward Emma Schwarz. Rutgers bounced back with another goal to end the first quarter, 2-1.

The second quarter was tough offensively for Villanova, as it couldn’t connect with the net. At the end of the half, Rutgers was up, 3-1.

In the third quarter, senior forward Amanda Middleman scored her fourth goal of the season, assisted by Schwarz and senior forward Meghan Mitchell. Rutgers responded with another two goals in the third, and a final one in the fourth.

When asked about Friday’s game, Milhous saw more than just the score.

“Our game against Rutgers was actually a pretty decent game,” Milhous said. “We were even in corners and we played them really well. Rutgers is a very strong team… but they capitalized on the mistakes that we made. But I was pretty happy with how we played. At the same time I know we can do more. We weren’t satisfied with that game because we know we had opportunities and we know that we didn’t capitalize. We didn’t give ourselves enough opportunities to score in that game.”

The team did not forget this dissatisfaction going into Sunday’s matchup.

“We were ready for LaSalle,” Milhous said.

Villanova came out strong in the first quarter, taking an early 2-1 lead. Mitchell, assisted by freshman midfielder/forward Maeve Boston and de Ruijter, scored off a corner to kick off the game. Less than a minute later, Schwarz, assisted by junior midfield/forward Anne Drabbe, gave

The Wildcats are 2-3 on the season so far.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Villanova another point on the board.

This early lead would not last. La Salle responded with three unanswered goals in the second and third quarters. Mitchell scored to put Villanova ahead, but after a review, the goal was disallowed. Junior goalkeeper Emma Leppert saved a penalty stroke to keep the game even, but LaSalle fought to score.

This brought the Wildcats into the fourth quarter down 3-2. At 47:07, in a scramble in front of the net, Mitchell poked the ball in to tie the game. La Salle ended up connecting with the net to win the game.

Villanova had a four-game winning streak against the Explorers prior to Sunday’s matchup.

Penalty corners were a key factor in the game, with La Salle putting in efforts to defend against Villanova corners and the Wildcats only converting two out of 16, with four coming in the last three minutes.

When asked about the matchup against the Explorers, Milhous explained the change in their team.

“They are a completely different team than they have been in

Friday, September 8 Men’s Tennis vs Villanova Invitational No Team Scoring Volleyball vs Delaware 3-0 W Field Hockey vs Rutgers 2-6 L Saturday, September 9 Men’s Tennis vs Villanova Invitational No Team Scoring Women’s Tennis @ St. Joseph’s No Team Scoring Men’s vs FDU 0-0 Volleyball vs Rider 3-0 W Football vs Colgate 42-19 W Sunday, September 10 Men’s Tennis vs Villanova Invitational No Team Scoring Women’s Tennis @ St. Joseph’s No Team Scoring Field Hockey vs La Salle 3-4 L Women’s Soccer @ West Virginia 0-0 the past,” Milhous said. “They have recruited a whole bunch of international players … and they’ve got a lot more skill than they have ever had in that program. Again, though, we had a ton of opportunities that we didn’t capitalize on. We are seeing a trend there that we want to stop. That should have been a win. Without a doubt. Was LaSalle very strong? Yes. Did we need to capitalize on all the opportunities we had? One hundred percent.”

Although two losses are the first thing to see out of this weekend, the matchups show more growth than the simple scores. Notable players include Schwarz, who scored her second goal of the season, and Leppert, who finished the La Salle game with six saves.

The name that sticks out in everyone’s mind, however, is senior captain Mitchell, who now has a total of 14 points. Milhous has nothing but good things to say about the team’s lead scorer. “[Mitchell] is absolutely incredible,” Milhouse said. “She competes one-hundred-and-ten percent literally all the time. There is not one game where I go ‘Wow, Meghan didn’t show effort.’ She is probably one of the hardest working players I have ever coached. Even after she scores a goal you will notice she is right back down to business. She has incredible leadership as captain [and] holds herself and her teammates accountable.”

With a new focus on capitalizing on goal opportunities and continual upward growth, the Wildcats are ready to enter Big East play, starting Friday, Sept. 15 at Georgetown.

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

SPORTS

The Villanovan | 21

Men’s Soccer Draws with FDU, 0-0 Elijah McDow Staff Writer Following a 1-1 draw on Labor Day against Michigan State, Villanova’s men’s soccer team recorded its second draw of the week on Saturday, tying Fairleigh Dickinson, 0-0.

The draw brings the Wildcats to a 0-2-2 record for the season so far.

FDU had a large chance early in the game, but Villanova graduate goalkeeper Kent Dickey tipped it over the crossbar. Dickey was named to the Big East weekly honor roll for his four-save performance.

When asked how he thought his team was tested, head coach Tom Carlin was quick to mention the pressure that FDU forward Jayd Hamdaoua put on his players.

“They had a really good player in their number-10 role,” Carlin said. “I think we did well not let him get going, stopping them in transition and we were able to defend them when they got deep.”

Throughout the first half, Villanova senior Dominic Cyriacks and graduate student Marcus Brenes anchored the midfield and won possession back multiple times.

Wearing the captain’s armband at center back, graduate student Gray Ricca provided a calming presence for the back line, which allowed the fullbacks, graduate student AJ Cousins and junior

Graduate keeper Kent Dickey made four saves in the draw with FDU. Courtesy of Greg Carroccio / Sideline Photos via Villanova Athletics

Tommy Johnson, to get forward on the attack.

Offensively, Villanova did well in the first half with creating chances, drawing fouls and earning corners. The team tallied 30 shots over the course of the game.

One of those chances came from junior striker Balthi Sanders, who had his free kick tipped over the bar.

Following a hydration break in the 22nd minute, the Wildcats continued to work the ball through

the channels of the midfield and utilized the fullbacks whenever possible.

Eight minutes later, the first substitutions of the game were made. The first to come on was the Wildcats’ new number 10, senior midfielder Jorge Garcia.

Garcia’s impact was instantly felt. It was a like-for-like swap between him and Cyriacks, as much of the remaining play in the first half involved a touch from Garcia.

However, come halftime there was

still no score.

The most impressive player in the first half was Johnson.

“He’s a hard-working guy with a great left foot,” Carlin said.

“He does a lot of different things for us, he’s tough, smart and dependable and did a great job of getting up and down the left side of the line.”

Coming out of halftime, both teams continued to put in a strong shift. FDU controlled possession, but Villanova was strong on defense.

Despite the efforts in the final third, the Wildcats struggled to find the back of the net.

While Villanova did many things well, there were still a few aspects of the game of which the Wildcats’ coaching staff had hoped to see more.

“We wanted to see a little bit better flow out of our front three,” Carlin said. “I think we also needed to have better service. We were inconsistent and not serving crosses early enough, especially when we got going on the attack.”

The Wildcats will open up Big East play against Butler on Friday, Sept. 15th at the Higgins Soccer Complex. Kick-off is set for 3 p.m.

“The mindset for Friday is [that] we are hungry for three points, and we are happy to be home for our first [Big East] game,” Carlin said. “The mindset is also to keep building, keep getting a little bit better each time.”

Men’s Tennis Hosts Villanova Invitational Nels Rolf Staff Writer This past weekend, Villanova’s men’s tennis team hosted the Villanova Tennis Invitational, marking the beginning of its 20232024 season. The Invitational field included Lehigh, Colgate, Bucknell, Loyola, Lafayette, Rider and Saint Joseph’s in an eight-team bracket-style tournament.

However, due to weather delays and the eventual early cancellation of the Invitational, competition was severely limited.

Despite these delays and cancellations, the Wildcats shined.

“Overall, it was a really good weekend,” head coach Brad Adams said. “I thought a lot of our veterans played very well, like Josh Robinson [and] Tighe Brunetti, were able to get into the finals of their draw, beating a very good Bucknell team in the semifinals. A trio of guys, Ryan Nguyen, Justin Frattarelli and Lucas Choi, were also able to get into the finals of their draw but, unfortunately, because of the weather, we couldn’t get those finals played, but I was pretty pleased.”

In the 2022-2023 season, the Wildcats finished with a record of 8-15. This was an improvement from the 2021-22 season, when the ‘Cats went 3-15.

This past weekend has Adams optimistic for this upcoming season.

“I thought we performed above my expectations, as far as the

guys who were away from the court over the summer,” Adams said.

For the upcoming season, the Wildcats will welcome new faces to the roster, including Frattarelli, Will Monahan and Thomas Wakefield.

“I think they performed pretty well over the weekend,” Adams said about the new ‘Cats. “But at the same time, you could sort of see them being a little bit tight…it was their first college competition.

But within two weeks, hopefully,

The Villanova Invitational was severly limited due to the weekend’s thunderstorms.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

[they will] sort of grow into the mold and become more relaxed on the court during matches.”

The ‘Cats also welcome back upperclassmen Noah Winton, Robinson, Nguyen, Eitan Khromchenko, Trey Fourticq and Choi, as well as sophomores Brunetti and Cooper Gordon.

“Guys I’m really looking [at] to step up are probably our seniors Ryan Nguyen and Eitan Khromchenko, and really sort of getting back to championship or spring season form,” Adams said.

However, despite the leadership of Nguyen and Kromachenko, Adams specifically has high hopes for senior Robinson and sophomore Brunetti.

“Tighe basically started the season where he left off last season, you know,” Adams said. “He’s a beast. And Josh… [he] obviously [has] the senior leadership and experience. He went undefeated this tournament and I thought he really conducted himself like a captain and senior should as far as his play on the court and his demeanor throughout his matches.”

The Wildcats will now look ahead to the upcoming Saint Joseph’s Invitational, which is set to take place from Sept. 22nd to Sept.

24th.

“You know, prior to this invitational that we hosted, we basically only had around six practices,” Adams said. “With another two weeks, I think that we’ll get back into the form we were in around mid-spring last year.”

22 | The Villanovan

SPORTS

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Volleyball Goes 3-0 at Penn and Delaware Tournament Lauren Armstrong Staff Writer

Villanova’s volleyball team went 3-0 this past week, with big wins against Penn, Delaware and Rider University. The team’s undefeated weekend now brings the Wildcats to a 7-2 record on the season.

On Wednesday, Sept. 6th, the Wildcats took on the Quakers, winning, 3-2. After a tight loss in the first set, going 23-25, the ‘Cats bounced back to win the second and third sets, 25-17 and 25-18.

Penn took the fourth set, 21-25, forcing the match to a fifth and final set, where the ‘Cats secured a 15-9 set and won the match.

“Penn was definitely our toughest match, but we are glad to have gotten a win there,” head coach Josh Steinbach said.

Sophomore Skylar Gerhardt was a major asset to the team, totaling sixteen kills and two aces against the Quakers. Senior Riley Homer also added eleven kills and three blocks.

Following the Penn match, the ‘Cats took on the Blue Hens, sweeping them in three sets, 2516, 25-19 and 25-16.

“We played our best volleyball against Delaware,” Steinbach said. “We liked this match

“Rider played very well, and this match was a learning experience for us,” Steinbach said.

“I am hoping we grow from this experience.”

Harrell proved to be a game leader again for Villanova with nine kills, one ace and two blocks. Gerhardt also had a strong match with five kills, an ace and one block, while senior Madeline Barber chipped in with seven kills and two blocks.

“Having Harrell and Gerhardt on the team has been our biggest change since last year,” Steinbach said. “Our team quality has increased tremendously with these two.”

With a successful weekend behind them, Villanova will now gear up to face Lehigh on Wednesday, Sept. 13th.

“Lehigh is fired up to play us, but we are going to do our best,” Steinbach said.

The Wildcats will also host the Villanova Classic on Friday, Sept. 15th and Saturday, Sept.

16th, where it will be playing Volleyball improved to 7-2 with three wins over the week. against Sacred Heart and Saint Courtesy of Villanova Athletics Francis.

“We are excited to be back and it set us up well for our match throughout the match. in Nevin playing Sacred Heart against Rider.”

The final match of the and Saint Francis this upcoming Senior Kiera Booth and weekend was against Rider, where weekend,” Steinbach said. “The freshman Abby Harrell helped the Wildcats won again in straight Villanova crowd is always the move the ‘Cats to victory with sets, going 26-24, 25-20 and 25best.”

11 kills and three blocks each 18.

Women’s Tennis Competes at St. Joseph’s Invitational Amanda McKean Staff Writer On Saturday, Sept. 9 the Villanova women’s tennis team traveled to St. Joseph’s University to participate in the season’s first invitational.

Due to thunderstorms in the Philadelphia area over the weekend, the team only got to play about six matches in total.

“We only played a match and a half,” head coach Steve Reiniger said. “Two doubles matches, four individual matches, and the rest got canceled. But it was fun. They did well. I was very encouraged by what I saw.”

The first doubles match paired graduate Amanda Rivera with freshman Lauren Monti. Despite being down early on in the match the pair were able to rally. In the end, they beat the Hawks team in a tiebreak.

“In college tennis doubles are supposed to be one set and then singles is two out of three sets” explained Reiniger. “But in the fall the tournaments changed the format so we were playing an eight-game pro-set of doubles. In our doubles score, Amanda and Lauren were down 2-7 and came back in a tie-breaker. We would have lost that in a regular match with first to six by two but because we were playing to eight it was good and they just got better as the match progressed.”

The second doubles match went much quicker for junior Chloe Floyd and freshman Maddie Hills. In the end, there were only a total of ten games in the set as the Wildcats won 8 games to 2.

For singles play, the teams played in the regular six-game pro-set but, if necessary, they played a tie-

breaker for a third set as a shortened format. In singles play, the Hawks defeated two out of four Wildcats with the only winners being Rivera-Gonzalez and Hills. In her match, Monti tried hard to come back after losing the first set and outlasted the Hawks’ Victoria Tracy in the second set 7-5.

Yet, Tracy got the edge and finished strong winning 10-4.

Hills played a quick match against the Hawks’ Sophia Amato, winning the first two sets and only conceding three games in total. However, Rivera-Gonzalez’s match was much tougher as she won each set narrowly by two games, with scores of 6-4 and 7-5. Floyd faced a tough competitor in St. Joseph’s Ireland Amato, and conceded the match quickly in two sets with only a total of four games won.

Although the invitational did not last long, Reiniger was happy with the level of play from everyone, especially the freshman.

“I was very impressed,” said Reiniger. “So far it is pretty early for us with our main season being in the spring but so far they have all fit in great. They have great attitudes and they all get along really well which makes my life a lot more enjoyable to have players that get along, no drama.”

Reiniger is confident in the older players’ ability to help with shaping the lineup, especially with the new edition of graduate student Ami Grace Dougah. Arriving this year from UNC-Asheville, Dougah’s list of achievements includes the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year nominee, Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete, Big South Conference Player of the Year and All-Big South first-team singles and doubles.

“We have a graduate student

Women’s tennis only played six matches at the St. Joseph’s Invitational due to weather.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

who should really help out the team at the top of the lineup,” said Reiniger.

“On paper, she is our best player. I anticipate her playing the number one position.”

As for the rest of the team, Reiniger believes that they are already competing at a very high level early on in the season.

“They have been competing well,”Reiniger said. “We did a little single tournament and all the matches were close. It was interesting. They competed well at the St. Joe’s tournament. They’ve been competing well in practice. With sports that’s the main thing. They’re representing the school well. They are not making excuses, they’re playing pretty smart. It’s encouraging. I feel like the freshmen in

this team are pretty mature for being pretty young.”

Despite only four players being able to compete at the St. Joseph’s invitational, this weekend the Wildcats will hold their own invitational where the whole roster is anticipated to play.

“This will be a tournament where all the players will play,” explained Reiniger. “The format is very relaxed so we will be playing a lot of individual stuff. I want to see us playing two up so two players up at the net in doubles not staying in the one up one back position. In singles, I just want to see us continue to compete.”

The Villanova Invitational will be hosted Sept. 15 through Sept.

17 at the Villanova Tennis Complex on West Campus.

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

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