The Villanovan| Volume 115, Issue 3: Feb. 15, 2023

STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916

Eagles Lose, Students React

Chloe Miller Co-Culture Editor

Greased poles. One hundred dollar covers. A packed Broad Street.

Sunday night brought excitement and anticipation to the city of Philadelphia and Villanova’s campus. However, many students did not get the outcome or fun they had hoped for.

Following the Eagles’ loss in Super Bowl XLVIII, Villanova students have had a multitude of reactions to this year’s game. While many students anticipated a win for the Eagles, there seems to be a sense of sadness surrounding the atmosphere on campus. Villanova is home to many die-hard Eagles fans, those of whom are mourning the loss of their precious team.

One of these devoted fans is junior Matt Ryan, who described his reaction to the devastating loss.

“As a lifelong Eagles fan, Sunday night was incredibly tough,” Ryan said. “My family came into town to watch the game with me, and the ride back to Philly was quiet and sad. It’s days like today that make me appreciate everything else happening around me, something I can regrettably lose sight of from time to time.”

Being just a 20-minute train ride away from Philadelphia, a loss for the Eagles means no parade or festivities for students to take part in. With the excitement surrounding going into the city, and even professors mentioning canceling class for this momentous occasion, the excitement in the air was definitely exterminated by the aftermath of the Super Bowl.

Continued on p. 8

Shelly Pennefather was the best basketball player that Villanova had ever seen. She scored 2,408 total points, averaging 20.6 points and 10 rebounds per game over her four seasons as a Wildcat.

But, Pennefather never got to play on a larger American stage like the NCAA Tournament. Such a stage simply didn’t exist. When Pennefather graduated from Villanova in 1987, women’s basketball in the states was still very much in its infancy. The WNBA was not estab -

league has ever made it more than five seasons before folding. So, Pennefather went to play in Japan and eventually became a cloistered nun in the Order of Saint Clare.

Pennefather is the past of Villanova basketball. A past that is certainly worth celebrating, but she is not the present. The present of Villanova basketball belongs to senior forward Maddy Siegrist. This is not a revolutionary statement by any means. Anyone who has been paying any semblance of attention over the past four years would agree, espe -

mance vs. Seton Hall this past Saturday.

But, what Maddy Siegrist is going to have the opportunity to do in the future, both near and distant, is what will be essential to Villanova’s program.

Let’s start with the immediate future. Siegrist will follow up a 50-point performance this Saturday, a first for all of Villanova basketball, by playing against St. John’s. Then, the ‘Cats will have their shot at No. 6 UConn. Siegrist will lead the squad into a contest against what seems like the Big East’s Goliath.

part to Siegrist, doesn’t feel like David anymore. The ‘Cats are ranked No. 14 in the nation, just eight spots behind the Huskies. The ‘Cats brought down the Huskies in Hartford, just last season, and have an opportunity to take them down again, this time at home in front of a soldout crowd at the Finneran Pavilion for a share of the Big East regular season title. The ‘Cats haven’t claimed the Big East title, outright or a share, since Pennefather’s senior season in 1986-87. The importance of that game can’t be understated.

Continued on p. 12

LePage Center Presents “Rooted Project”

Caitlyn Foley Staff Writer

On Monday, February 6th, a panel of graduate students represented the Rooted Project and explained the intentions of the project.

The Rooted Project aims to tell a “new history of Villanova University based in fact and aimed at justice,” as stated on the webpage www. rootedproject.org.

Colin McCrossan, a graduate student at Villanova,

Students React: President Biden’s State of the Union p. 4

Kendall’s Column: Day‘n’Nite Tailgates p. 8

Contraceptives for Villanova’s Campus p. 10

posed several different questions while re-examining the

located on a site where enslavement occurred. The Morgan at least three enslaved individuals. It was recorded that the names of those enslaved were Jack, Ginny and George.

This information was acquired from documents stating the purchase of each of these enslaved people and from documents listing what the Morgan family considered their “property” in their wills.

One of many inhumane truths of slavery is revealed in this will, which marks the value of Jack and Ginny’s lives. This dehumanizing prac

Continued on p. 2

The Switch to Microsoft Is As Horrible As We Feared p. 5

Ask The Villanovan: Valentines and Downtime p. 12

Understanding Villanova’s AntiArcidiacono Sentiment p. 6

Women’s Basketball Prepares for No. 6 UConn p. 13

Villanova Marriage Pact: True Love or Truly Overrated? p. 7

Murphy, O’Donovan Break School Records in 3000 Meters p. 15

Co-Sports Editor

Graydon Paul/ Villanovan Photography

Panelists at the Rooted Project share their research. Graydon Paul / Villanovan Photography

Emma Cahill Co-Culture Editor

PUBLIC SAFETY BLOTTER

Sexual Extortion

February 8, GOOD COUNSEL HALL

A male resident student reported being the victim of an attempted online extortion by an unknown person.

Solicitation

February 8, ATHLETICS COMPLEX

Three unaffiliated males were observed selling merchandise outside of the Pavilion.

Sexual Extortion

February 9, STANFORD HALL

A male resident student reported an attempted online extortion by an unknown person.

Defiant Trespasser

February 10, SOUTH CAMPUS

A non affiliated male was observed on campus after having previously been

CORRECTIONS

given a trespass warning, Liquor Underage/Public Drunkenness

February 11, SHEEHAN HALL

A female resident student, under the age of 21, was observed intoxicated in public, evaluated by Radnor ALS, and transported to the hospital for alcohol intoxication.

Liquor Underage/Public Drunkenness

February 11, SOUTH CAMPUS

A male resident student, under the age of 21, was found intoxicated in public. Student was transported by Radnor Ambulance to Bryn Mawr Hospital.

Criminal Mischief

February 11, STANFORD HALL

Unknown individual(s) removed university exit signs and damaged another from Stanford Hall. The value of the

loss is unknown.

Public Drunkenness

February 12, WEST CAMPUS

A male resident student, over the age of 21, was observed intoxicated in public and evaluated by Radnor ALS.

Paraphernalia

February 12, SOUTH CAMPUS

Three individuals were observed in possession of drug paraphernalia.

Criminal Mischief

February 13, SULLIVAN HALL

A bulletin board was damaged inside of a residence hall.

Liquor Underage/PublicDrunkenness

February 13, MAIN CAMPUS

A female resident student, under the age of 21, was evaluated for alcohol intoxication.

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.

“The Rooted Project”

Caitlyn Foley Staff Writer

tice valued these enslaved people as less than the total livestock owned by the Morgan family.

At a predominantly white university, it is important to recognize the black influence that exists on our campus. The Rooted Project explores the history of Villanova in a way that incorporates “the histories of slavery, segregation, institutionalized racism, and gender and religious prejudice,” as stated on the webpage.

Angelina Lincoln, a current graduate student at the University of Maryland, also presented her re search at this panel. Her key finding was that William and Julia Moulden were co-founders of Villanova Uni versity, but their legacy has been for gotten and erased overtime. Lincoln aims to make our community aware of the significance this African-Amer ican couple had on our University’s history.

Lincoln hopes that her re search will serve as an educational tool for the Villanova student body.

“Through the Rooted Project, I hope that William and Julia Mould en become more commonly known on campus as integral founders of and donors to Villanova,” she said. “I also hope that in learning about their lives, students are encouraged to think about and research other moments in Black history that aren’t fully acknowledged and understood on campus and in their local areas.”

Lincoln’s research emphasiz es that Villanova University would not be where it is today without the Moulden family. The Mouldens directly contributed to the growth of this institution, and it is crucial to in clude those narratives in our Univer sity’s history.

During the Q&A, Nolan Varee, another member of this panel, provided his thoughts.

“Students should be aware of this history,” Varee said. “Our goal is to bring this to students and discover what this means to students.”

Kevin Fox, the administrator for the Lepage Center, also shared his perspective on the importance of the

Winter Gala Preview

Rooted Project.

“To me, the Rooted Project is about critically engaging with the history of this University that we all call home, and using that additional knowledge and perspective to inform not just how we think and talk about the school, but how we act here, how we think and talk about race, gender, labor, and property throughout the country,” he said. “And, further, what we do with that knowledge to create a more equitable learning environment and a better world.”

The Rooted Project is attempting to start a dialogue with the goal of enacting change. If you are a Villanova student seeking to further educate yourself on the history of this University, please consider visiting

Emily Attisano Staff Writer

On the evening of February 17th The Division of Student Life will host the annual Winter Gala in the Connelly Center from 9pm to 12am.

All undergraduate students were invited to reserve their complementary Gala tickets through the VU Events website before January 31st.

This year’s formal invitation captured the usual effervescence of the Gala – its wintery atmosphere basked in shimmering lights and music. Students always take great delight in the Gala’s assortment of refreshments and entertainment, and this year is poised to be just as amaz -

Those who attend can indulge in plenty of food, drinks, dancing, music and casino games while enjoying the winter decorations. For students 21 and older, wine, beer and champagne will also be served.

The Winter Gala is an exciting way to celebrate the new semester, enjoy a night of music and dancing and dress up in formal attire so dresses, skirts, suits or slacks are acceptable. A night of dressing up is always one of the reasons the Winter Gala is so

Julia Mastino, a comprehensive science major, conveyed her excitement for the Gala.

“Being able to find a new dress and get ready with friends is my favorite part of going to the Winter Gala,” Mastino said. “I just really love how fun it is to get dressed up with all of my friends, and it makes the Gala even more

There are so many captivating parts of the Winter Gala, and students had unique reasons for reserving their tickets to the event. This year’s invitation promised live performances, a DJ and other sources of entertainment, which excited many students.

Harnoor Sekhoon, a student in VSB, described how much she is looking forward to a night of dancing and music.

“It is always so much fun to be able to enjoy the music and dance with my friends and also just hang out with so many other students,” she said.

For other students, the Gala is a tremendous way of escaping the pressure of a new semester, and instead, celebrating the beginning of the new year.

Diorys Savinon, a marketing and business analytics double major, shared why she is anticipating this year’s Winter Gala.

“As the semester becomes more stressful, the Winter Gala is a really fun way to enjoy campus, see friends and just escape some of this stress for a night,” Savionon said. “I’m also really excited to dance and dress up for a night.”

From the excitement of dressing up in formal attire to the anticipation of a night of music, dancing and friends, this year’s Gala is poised to be as amazing as previous years. Students across campus are eagerly awaiting the event, be it to spend time with friends or enjoy some music and dancing.

Whatever the reason for attending, the Connelly Center, decorated in sparkling winter decor and brimming with lively students, will be unmissable.

This year’s Winter Gala will undoubtedly be one of the best nights of the 2023 spring semester.

A researcher speaks at Rooted panel. Graydon Paul/Villanovan Photography

Dining Workers Given Raise, Now at $17.25 an Hour

Katie Reed News Columnist

Earlier this year, the University made the decision to increase the wages of all Dining Service employees from $15 an hour to $17.50 an hour. Ray Duffy, the Associate Vice President of Human Resources and Affirmative Action Office at the University, provided key insight into this decision.

“All of these changes were discussed and approved in late 2022 and implemented in January 2023, which included an increase in the base wage for dining services from $15 to $17.50 an hour, effective on January 16, 2023,” Duffy said.

He also elaborated on the motivations behind this decision, which included finding ways to best support the current staff who work in Dining Services.

“Villanova is currently partnering with an external consultant in order to complete a staff compensation study to ensure market competitive wages and to develop a job architecture for career pathing,” Duffy said. “This is all part of the University’s recruitment and retention efforts around equitably compensating current employees and focusing on attract -

ing talent.”

The decision to increase wages will also impact students, not only in the services provided to students, but also given that the increase in pay also applies to any students who hold positions in Dining Services.

“As part of this process and in an effort to provide the best service to our students, we felt that expediting changes for certain dining services positions was necessary to ensure that Villanova is well positioned with many other food retailers who are also struggling to recruit and retain staff in this competitive labor market,” Duffy said. “The review for Dining Services included a focus on a competitive wage to address dining staff vacancies along with increased recruitment efforts for hiring, such as implementing an employee referral program and conducting on the spot job offers.”

Ava Lundell, a senior at the University, is one such student who works in Dining Services as a cashier. She has held this position since the fall of 2021, taking a break only when she went abroad for a semester. She was able to shed light on both her own experience and on the broader student-worker experience.

“There are different positions you can sign up for [in Dining Services], like a store

attendant at Second Story or a barista at Holy Grounds, but I’m a cashier and I’ve always been a cashier,” Lundell said. “The first place I worked at was St. Mary’s because I was living on West, so it was super easy and close, and then last semester and this semester [I’ve worked] at Pit because it’s close to the Commons.”

Lundell is excited to see the staff members in Dining Services get a pay increase, given everything they do for all community members at the University, which include working crazy hours, working several weekdays and weekends and serving.

“Villanova Dining Services, from what I’ve seen from my position, work so hard,” Lundell said. “They get there so early in the morning and they really care about the food that they produce for students. I think to recognize that is really important. They defi nitely deserve a pay increase.” Lundell, of course, was excited that she and her peers will be earning more money.

“I think for college students, we obviously need as much money as we can get, and I think for Villanova to recognize that and provide it is really important,” Lundell said. “I think it’s really cool that that’s what they’re doing, [but] it does make me wonder why other positions aren’t getting a pay

increase.”

Duffy directly addressed this question, as other student-workers at the University are likely just as eager to receive a pay increase.

“Regarding other student jobs, the base student wage was reviewed and increased in early 2021 from $7.25 to $10 an hour,” Duffy said. “A student wage scale is currently in the process of being implemented and will be rolled out this spring with the base wage starting at $10 an hour.”

Though Villanovans can hopefully look to make more money in the future, for now they can celebrate that Dining Services, those who work the hardest on this campus and are oftentimes the most overlooked, are getting a well-deserved pay increase.

Communication Department to Host Journalism Panel

Colin Beazley Co-Editor-in-Chief

It is not often that reporters from three rival television stations are found in the same room, but, on Thursday, February 23, this rare occurrence will take place on Villanova’s campus.

The Communication Department is hosting a panel discussion on TV Journalism, featuring four Philadelphia reporters. The panel will take place in the Garey Cafe (Garey 10A) from 4:30 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Students will hear from Fox 29’s Alex Holley, 6ABC Action News’ Corey Davis and CBS News Philadelphia’s Jessica Kartalija and Pat Gallen.

The panel will be moderated by Michael Bradley, an assistant instructor in the Communication Department. He is also the Department’s Journalism Coordinator. Bradley hosted a “Women in Journalism” panel last year, and he expects this year’s event has a similar impact.

“I’m hoping it continues to expose the journalism field to other students but also within the Communication Department,” Bradley said. “I hope it lets some students learn a little bit more about the journalism concentration so that they can see that we’re growing within the department and that there are a lot [of] opportunities out there for them if they’re interested in doing it beyond Villanova.”

During the panel discussion, Bradley will ask the reporters about their experiences in the field of television journalism and

the future of the industry. After the discussion, students will be able to ask questions to the assembled reporters.

The four reporters all hold different positions at their respective stations.

Holley is a host on Fox 29’s “Good Day Philadelphia,” which takes place in the morning, from 6:00 am to 10:00 a.m. She has co-hosted the show since 2014 and has more than 438,000 combined followers on her Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Holley is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists.

Davis is a reporter on 6ABC Action News. He has been in Philadelphia since 2019 after spending several years in Florida, where he covered many national disasters, including Hurricane Michael. For two years, Davis was his own team, writing, shooting and editing his own stories. Davis is also a member of the National Association of Black Journalists.

Kartalija is an anchor on CBS News Philadelphia’s evening news. She has over 20 years of television news experience, including 12 years as a news anchor for CBS Baltimore. Kartalija will be teaching a Social Media class at Villanova in the fall.

Gallen is a sports anchor and reporter for CBS News Philadelphia. He is a Philadelphia native and has worked for CBS News Philadelphia since 2016. He recently returned from covering the Super Bowl in Arizona, and he also cov -

ering the Super Bowl in Arizona, and he also covered the Phillies’ run to the World Series this year. Students will be able to learn from some of Philadelphia’s most accomplished broadcast journalists, and Bradley hopes students will take the opportunity, even if the reporters all work for rival stations.

“[It’s] definitely gonna be an Anchorman situation where

there’s going to be a war between all of them,” Bradley joked.

“I just want to get students to come and participate in it, watch and learn,” he said. “This is a great chance for them to learn about what they’re studying. You can talk theory all you want, but this is practice. This is a chance for the students to say, ‘if I want to do this, this is what I have to do”.

A dining services employee working at Dougherty Hall. Graydon Paul/ Villanovan Photography

The flyer for the upcoming TV journalism panel event. Courtesy of Laura Capriotti

Students React: President Biden’s 2023 State of the Union

Lauren Armstrong Staff Writer

February 7th, 2023 marked the 2023 State of the Union Address. This year, President Joseph Biden accepted Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy’s invitation to address the nation during the 99th in-person State of the Union Address.

Biden addressed McCarthy’s recent win.

“You know, I start tonight by congratulating the 118th Congress and the new Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy,” he said. “Speaker, I don’t want to ruin your reputation, but I look forward to working with you.”

Tensions have been high in Congress since the Speaker of the House election, because the House of Representatives had to vote 15 times in order to come to the conclusion of electing McCarthy. Biden then went on to speak about Nancy Pelosi as he recognized her as “the greatest Speaker in the history of the House of Representatives” and congratulated her on a job well-done in the House.

After the introduction and pleasantries, Biden jumped into action, reporting on the Nation’s economic state.

“Two years ago, the economy was reeling,” he said. “I stand here tonight, after we’ve created, with the help of many people in this room, 12 million new jobs — more jobs created in two years than any President has created in four years — because

of you all, because of the American people.”

This statement caused quite a stir, and many seemed to disagree. The official Libertarian Party of the United States argued against Biden’s claim.

“You didn’t create 12 million new jobs, entrepreneurs did as soon as the lockdowns and vaccine mandates ended. You stood in the way of it all.”

In addition to controversy being stirred by Biden’s stance on the economy, he caused another by stating, “But time and again, Democrats and Republicans came together. Came together to defend a stronger and safer Europe. You came together to pass one in a once-in-a-generation

infrastructure law building bridges connecting our nation and our people. We came together to pass one of the most significant laws ever helping victims exposed to toxic burn pits. And, in fact — it’s important.”

Many Republican Senators and members of the House came after Biden’s statement.

Biden seems very interested in working with a bipartisan Congress during his next years as President.

“And to my Republican friends, if we could work together in the last Congress, there’s no reason we can’t work together and find consensus on important things in this Congress as well,” he said.

“[I] believe that a bipartisan

Congress will be very beneficial for this nation,” freshman Alexandra Schuster said. “Being able to put differences aside and work alongside everyone is the best way to be efficient and make progress as a country.”

Biden upheld his stance on making sure that the nation provides low cost Medicare in this nation.

“You know, we pay more for prescription drugs than any nation in the world,” he said. “Let me say it again: We pay more for prescription drugs than any major nation on Earth. For example, 1 in 10 Americans has diabetes. But every day, millions need insulin to control their diabetes so they can literally stay alive. Insulin has been around for over 100 years. The guy who invented it didn’t even patent it because he wanted it to be available for everyone.”

Many agree with Biden’s stance and support the Inflation Reduction Act, which he signed into law to prevent medical costs from being unavailable.

“[T]hat’s always been my vision of our country, and I know it’s many of yours: to restore the soul of this nation; to rebuild the backbone of America, America’s middle class; and to unite the country,” Biden said.

“The State of the Union is always a day I look forward to each year,” freshman Claire Gaza said. “I think it is amazing that each year we get to see how the politics and policies are changing in this nation, and I am excited to see how the next two years of Biden’s presidency hold to the promises he made in this address.”

Faculty Spotlight: Naomi Washington Leapheart

as an opportunity to enrich their lives.

Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart is a devoted theologian whose faith journey has called her to advocate for diversity of thought and social justice in multiple forums, including since 2016 as an adjunct professor in Villanova’s Department of Theology and Religion.

Having graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2004 and subsequently working in education, Washington-Leapheart enrolled in seminary around the time the Black Lives Matter movement was forming.

“God was calling me,” she said.

Since earning her Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in 2016, she has volunteered for many organizations promoting social justice. In October of 2019, she was named director of faith-based and interfaith affairs for the City of Philadelphia, a role in which she serves as a public-facing leader, liaison and subject matter expert for the Mayor’s Office on local and national matters that affect communities of faith.

“I’ve always been deeply involved in religious community” she said.

Her roles often connect faith, social issues and personal development. At Villanova, she sees the theology class requirement, when embraced by students,

“While I am thrilled that there is a place like Villanova, sometimes I have to work to convince students that religion is relevant to them,” Washington-Leapheart said.

Washington-Leapheart’s commitment to helping students grow their understanding of faith and illustrating the connection between religion and social issues is evident in a forthcoming event she organized entitled “The End of White Christian America.” In it, she hopes to discuss “distinguishing between expressions of faith rooted in justice and expressions of faith that are about maintaining power.”

She urges community members to attend and not be discouraged by the name of the event.

“These kinds of workshops can introduce diversity of thought,” she said. The event, originally scheduled to take place this February, has been postponed due to her COVID-19 diagnosis. It is now rescheduled for March.

Washington-Leapheart traces her own faith formation to her time in college and hopes, at Villanova, to stimulate in students a similar inspiration.

“The transition was huge for me,” she said. “My friends in college were my first theologians.”

In addition to her work as an adjunct professor at Villanova, Washington-Leapheart also expresses her faith by directing the

Villanova Gospel Choir.

In 2019, she received the prestigious Pohlhaus-Stracciolini Award for Teaching Excellence. This award is granted annually to a Villanova adjunct faculty mem ber who demonstrates a commit ment to the life of a mind and to the well-being of students. Wash ing-Leapheart achieved this and continues to do so by teaching in a way that is intellectually stimu lating, challenging and accessible, with efforts extending beyond the classroom.

Reverand WashingtonLeapheart’s contributions to the University’s theology and religious studies deparrment, the Center for Peace and Justice Education, and Africana studies program have been numerous and impressive.

President Biden speaking at a White House Event. Olivia Pasquale/ Villanovan Photography

Julia Butch Staff Writer

Naomi Washington Leapheart presents during the Bible is Black speaker series last year. Courtesy of Falvey Memorial Library

Naomi Washington Leapheart’s headshot Courtesy of LinkedIn

OPINION

The Switch to Microsoft is as Horrible as We Feared

Carter Smith Staff Writer

On Dec. 8 2022, an email from UNIT Service Desk hit students’ inboxes, the first lines of which struck terror into freshmen and seniors alike.

“Over the next several weeks, Villanova University will be migrating all student Google accounts (Gmail/ GSuite) to the Microsoft Exchange platform (Office 365, Outlook, OneDrive, and Teams),” the infamous email read.

The entire student body let out a deafening groan of collective annoyance that day, which Inigo Montoya might identify as the sound of ultimate suffering.

Students savored the last few weeks with their Google accounts, questioning how such misfortune could have befallen them. Weeks later, the migration happened. We were forced to download the Outlook app to our devices and came to the realization that the situation was just as bad as we had feared.

Much of the Microsoft hatred is centered around the inferiority of Office’s user interfaces compared to Google Workspace.

Workspace is an incredibly well designed software package. All of the most used tools, like font, text size and bulleting, are separate functions on the toolbars, while lesser used functions like page numbering, special characters and indenting are tucked in easy-to-locate drop down menus.

Google’s icons share a consistent, easily-understood design language. Sharing and collaborating on documents and sheets is just one big,

blue button away.

Gmail allows for easy email sorting, as its algorithm sends the important emails straight to your inbox and pushes promotional emails to a separate, but accessible, folder to prevent notification spam. The algorithm also accurately marks suspicious emails while still sending them to your inbox for your own review.

Office’s programs fail to live up to the glory of Google. Compared to Google Docs, the Word interface leaves much to be desired. Myriad functions are located on the toolbar, which is divided into eight separate menus, with the most important functions not being available in every one.

Additionally, many icons are not differentiated well enough to determine exactly what they do without interacting with them.

Complaints extend beyond just organizational issues. Namely, OneDrive fails spectacularly in the collaboration department. While collaboration is possible between users, one cannot edit the same sections of files at the same time, and work is not auto-saved as quickly as with Workspace, leading to potential loss if you quit out of the document early.

Turning to the switchover’s effect on email, many students, including myself, struggle to use Outlook as effectively as Gmail. Outlook’s algorithm flags many more emails for “quarantine” than it should, as most of which are completely innocuous, and hides them away from view, causing you to have to search through multiple menus for them.

Junior Rhys Davies has found that the algorithm has a particular

issue concerning emails with photos.

“Three-fourths of my emails are quarantined because they have photos in them, and I don’t know how to fix it,” Davies said.

What’s more, the settings button is not easily visible on Outlook’s home or inbox page and offers a disappointing amount of customization compared to Gmail.

Emails from student organizations are not favored by the algorithm either, as they often appear in the “Other” section of your inbox, so students are not immediately notified when clubs send out emails about their activities. The inbox is also easily cluttered by conversations, as unless you label a thread as a conversation, each reply will take up a separate slot in your inbox, which is not the case with Gmail.

Students’ near-universal dislike of the Office suite has made us question the switch, particularly in the middle of the academic year. Without clear reasoning, students have been left to generate their own theories about the new interface.

The most popular theory circulating seems to be that Google recently increased the price of Workspace, and the University is switching to the inferior system because it is less expensive. This explanation seems to have some merit, as Google itself did announce a change in pricing over the summer surrounding the G Suite legacy platform.

“For businesses, the G Suite legacy free edition will no longer be available after June 27, 2022,” the company announced last year. “Your account will be automatically transi-

tioned to a paid Google Workspace subscription where we continue to deliver new capabilities to help businesses transform the way they work.”

Administrators of personal accounts would need to pay at least six dollars per month per user to continue their use of the platform, now called Google Workspace. However, no information was found surrounding a price increase for the Education version of G Suite.

Jonathan Hardy, Villanova’s Deputy Chief Information Officer, shed some light about the switchover.

“The decision to switch from Google Workspace to Microsoft Office 365 was centered on increasing collaboration, enhancing cyber security and preparing students for a modern workforce,” Hardy said.

If that is indeed the case, why in the middle of the year? Why force seniors to change their workflow with one semester left? Why introduce freshmen to one system only to change it a semester later?

The timing of the switch fails to reconcile with its reasoning. While that does not prove the theory of a Google price increase being a driving reason, it would make sense as to why it happened at the end of a calendar year, as that would likely be the start of the next billing cycle.

While myself and many others may despise the Office suite for its unnecessary complexity, this seems like a permanent change. But, if (like me) violent illness strikes upon you opening the Outlook app, go ahead and make a free Google account to keep using for all of your files. I promise not to tattle to Father Peter.

Villanova Should Expand its Amnesty Policy

Majo James Staff Writer

There is possibly no Villanovan on campus who does not know the all-too-frequent wailing sirens and flashing lights of VEMS. Villanova Emergency Medical Services (VEMS) is “a 100% student-run, University-supported volunteer ambulance service licensed and dedicated to providing Basic Life Support care to the Villanova University campus community,” as is written on their official webpage.

The University has a policy in place known as the Expectation of Responsibility, in the event that a student is in need of medical help due to substance use. There are three requirements that all students involved must meet in order to be eligible for this policy.

“(1) Immediately and proactively contact an appropriate authority (e.g. Public Safety, Resident Assistant, 911) to seek emergency attention. (2) Remain with the individual requiring emergency attention.

(3) Fully cooperate with University officials and emergency responders.”

If eligible, the policy states that the person/people who call VEMS for someone who needs help will be exempt from disciplinary action by the University, as long as

they don’t violate other policies. For example, if there was any damage to University property, the student would face repercussions for that offense but not for any substance use.

The same applies to the student who needs help. However, they will also be directed to a meeting with a substance use counselor and a group counseling session with other students who also violated the substance use policy.

Associate Dean of Students, Sydney Scheiner, is more than happy to comment.

“We never want someone to be so in fear of themselves or a friend getting in trouble, that they risk their health and safety,” she said. “Therefore, the goal is to make sure that students receive the care they might need, and reduce the level of disciplinary action that comes from it.”

However, as the policy states, “[The] University reserves the right to sanction students in cases of repeated violations.” Though the Dean of Students office does not guarantee immunity in a situation where the person has already had VEMS called for substance use-related offenses in the past, they still highly recommend that students prioritize their safety and well-being over any possible repercussions.

“If someone is in an emergency situation more than once and

alcohol or substance use is involved, that student very likely needs a higher level of help and support that the Dean of Students Office will make sure the student receives,” Scheiner said.

Though I agree with this, I believe that a disciplinary response to repeated substance use violations is not conducive to a recovery process, rather adding an additional burden to the student.

Sanctioning repeated substance use is tied to larger problems of criminalizing addiction in legislation across the world. Viewing addiction as a disease to be treated rather than a crime to be punished has proven to decrease drug use.

A key example is how Portugal handled their drug crisis through decriminalization. Following legislative changes, needle exchange programs and widespread treatment centers, drug overdose deaths dropped from 369 in 1999 to 30 in 2016, and drug related incarceration dropped to ⅓ of what it was in the same period of time, according to Statistica.

The University should respond to students who repeatedly require medical attention for substance use with compassion and empathy, as it has been doing. Providing them with a more serious level of help and attention, as well as periodic checkups, would ensure that the student

stays on the road to recovery.

Deviating from this strategy risks compromising the reason why the Expectation of Responsibility policy is in place at all, students will endanger themselves and others by not calling VEMS due to fear of a permanent mark on their record.

“I’ve told my friends that I’m under a strict ‘do-not-resuscitate order,’” a student, who had VEMS called for them due to substance use, said. When asked if they would simply stop using substances they responded, “No, of course not. Everyone else does.”

In a college run in the Augustinian tradition, our Catholic values should extend to the Expectation of Responsibility as well. A faith that honors Jesus Christ, who called for forgiveness not seven times, but 77 times. A faith that has stood as a gleaming model of empathy and compassion for centuries.

The purpose of this article is not to dissuade anyone from utilizing VEMS or seeking medical attention for themselves and others. Perhaps the University will change its policy, perhaps not, but regardless of the outcome, students should never fail to act if need be. Mistakes are part of being human and being a student, it is the conviction with which we rise that defines us, not the height from which we fall.

EDITORIAL BOARD LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

COLIN BEAZLEY

VIVI MELKONIAN

MATT RYAN

JACKIE THOMAS

BELLA IRWIN

Editor-in-Chief

Editor-in-Chief

Associate Editor-in-Chief

Co-Opinion Editor

Co-Opinion Editor

Isabella Ledet Staff Writer

The Villanovan encourages all members of the Villanova community to voice their opinions. Letters to the editors may be submitted via e-mail to villanovan.eic@gmail.com. Letters must not exceed 500 words and must be signed. No anonymous letters will be published. All submissions become property of The Villanovan and are subject to editing for clarity and space.

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.

Satire: Villanova’s Prime Real Estate

managed to keep this highly coveted location operating as a rug store is beyond me.

Many colleges and universities throughout the United States have little downtown-like areas where stu dents can go to get off-campus food or shop. Villanova has no such “college town” within walking distance to go to for off-campus ventures.

If one wants to go off campus without the use of a car, one would mainly rely on the five store fronts on the southwest corner of campus, most notably Campus Corner Pizza, Nova Mediterranean Grill and Kazanjian Oriental Rug Gallery, all but one of which provide useful products to stu dents. The final one provides oriental rugs.

Wait, what was that last one?

According to their website, the Kazanjian Oriental Rug Gallery is “a full service family owned dealer with over a Half a Century of service to the Main Line.”

Rug dealers?

Villanova has about as high a demand for oriental rugs as any other college campus. There must be numerous dorm rooms and apartments that give homes to antique rugs.

There has to be for such a store to exist. However, I used to live

on the southwest corner of campus, and I can definitively say that I never sizes. One knows that they can go

If they have actually been operating for around 50 years, as their website suggests, they must be turning a profit. I truly wonder what kind of profits they are actually making and who their customers might be, since those customers are most likely not students here at Villanova.

Just like spotting Anthony Party Rentals trucks on campus, seeing the Kazanjian Oriental Rug Gallery lettering is a constant in the lives of Villanovans.

As one is driving up Lancaster, the dark letters on the tan building remind the observer that they are almost home. We can always count on the rug store to exist, even if it never appears to be open.

Perhaps one day Aladdin and Jasmine will fly out on a carpet and sing as they fly high over campus. But one thing is for certain: if that store has been open this long, it will never, ever close, and will forever be a landmark adjacent to Villanova’s campus.

Remember, if one actually does ever find themself needing an oriental rug fix, they can ramble on down the path past Campus Corner and Nova Grill to our ever-present local oriental rug dealer, Kazanjian.

Understanding ‘Nova’s Anti-Arcidiacono Sentiment

Sofia Krzewicki Staff Writer

It is no secret that Villanova University’s men’s basketball team has been off to a shaky start this season. With the loss of familiar favorites like Collin Gillespie, Jermaine Samuels and beloved coach Jay Wright, who led the team to the Final Four in 2022, the team is in a transitional period.

The frustration with the men’s basketball team’s performance is felt all over campus. Students have taken their qualms to social media platforms such as Instagram and YikYak, an anonymous social media app popular among college students.

Yet much of the frustration is frequently aimed at Chris Arcidiacono, senior guard and younger brother of Ryan Arcidiacono, former Villanova men’s basketball player and current guard on the New York Knicks.

From shouts of disapproval at home games to snarky remarks on YikYak to circulating jokes about him being “Nova’s ‘nepotism baby,’” Arcidiacono is branded as one of the problems with Villanova men’s basketball and one of the reasons for the series of devastating losses early in the season.

Some students believe that

I’m going to storm the court,” one YikYak user wrote.

Indeed, what began as occasional, legitimate criticism has turned into a trend of wrongful scapegoating. Arcidiacono is not celebrated for the hard work and dedication that he brings to the court. Instead, he is ridiculed for it.

Arcidiacono is a key player

been about team players.

“When people see a player not scoring, they say, ‘He sucks!’” one first-year commented, touching on the anti-Arcidiacono sentiment on campus. “[Our] frustration is aimed at the wrong people.”

As a point guard, Arcidiacono is supposed to be facilitating

the ball and getting assists, not turning the ball over to the other team. And he does that, averaging the fewest turnovers of all the players in the starting lineup.

In theory, every player in basketball should actively look for a chance to shoot, but Arcidiacono steps out of the spotlight and works behind the scenes to set up scoring opportunities for others, like Eric Dixon or Caleb Daniels.

On Dec. 7 2022, when Villanova played UPenn at the Finneran Pavilion, one of “The Nation” student crowd facilitators spread the word about not yelling “boo” when Arcidiacono’s name was called during the line-up before the start of the game.

There has been an increase in cheers for specific players instead of cheers for the team as a unit, when in reality, a group of individuals work together to facilitate a play, score a point and win the game. When a student jokingly protested, the crowd facilitator added, “If he wears our jersey, we cheer for him.”

That is the spirit of Villanova and certainly that of the men’s basketball team. It is something that we should begin to embrace again, because that spirit of community and collaboration will drive us forward and toward victory.

Villanova Marriage Pact: True Love or Truly Overrated?

Regan McEnroe Staff Writer

The Villanova Marriage Pact is a compatibility quiz with 50 questions that any student can take with the hope of being matched with their one, true love. The questions revolve around what one values most in a partner.

That is, the questions ask quiz-takers to rate on a scale of 1-7 how they feel about political views and religious affiliation, and how one feels about the use of drugs and alcohol.

Of course, the Marriage Pact asks personality questions too, including how outgoing, funny and smart a person is, while also considering personal goals, like the desire to rule the world.

All these questions are then compiled, placed in an algorithm and run with the results being al most entirely 1:1 matches with the most compatible person for you.

Many people, upon seeing their results, are met with matches that are upwards of 90% compat ibility, some even 99%. However, as with any algorithm, there are going to be outliers. I, for exam ple, was one of these outliers.

After filling out the ques tionnaire last year and receiving my results, I was met with an email saying “the algorithm doesn’t work for everyone” and “we’ll be the first to admit this match isn’t perfect (far from per fect, to be more specific).”

I was paired with the exact same person as last year and we With thousands of entries

into the Marriage Pact, how could something like this be possible?

This, of course, led me to ask the question of whether the Marriage Pact is simply an overrated questionnaire that pairs people up with no rhyme or reason. Of course, this is a question only a person in a circumstance such as mine would ask.

So, my cynical views aside, I do not think the Marriage Pact is overrated. Every other person I know was matched 95%, 96%, 99% with their matches.

I truly am just an outlier in this Marriage Pact’s algorithm. In some ways, perhaps this is more impressive. Being an outlier in a data pool containing thousands of applicants is quite unique. The Marriage Pact seems to do a relatively good job of matching people up with compatible options.

And, regardless of whether the algorithm created successful matches, the Marriage Pact sure is good at one thing: creating excitement.

Every year when it is released students excitedly answer the questionnaire and upon submission anxiously await for the coming days when they will receive their email of destiny.

For that, the Marriage Pact should be proud of what they nurture on this campus. Getting students excited about something can be hard; however, the Marriage Pact does it with no issue. I guess any chance to meet someone who may be your one, true love.

Response to the State of the Union Address

Steven Makino Staff Writer

Last week, President Joseph Biden gave his second State of the Union Address of his presidency, which was full of a few highs as well as significant low points. Despite his party outperforming expectations in the midterm election cycle, Biden has now lost his unified control of government.

As such, the annual speech was an opportunity for him to explain his vision for the next two years to millions of viewers. Notably, however, the low moments overshadowed the positive ones.

The main theme of Biden’s speech seemed to be the same one that pushed him over the finish line in 2020: unity. In reality, it is a compelling pitch in a country that has continually grown in political polarization.

This message helped him in 2020 by making swing voters more comfortable with Biden personally than his opponent. In an attempt to tap into this same energy, he front-loaded his speech with both bipartisan rhetoric and achievements.

He began his speech by congratulating Kevin McCarthy on becoming Speaker of the House, saying that he doesn’t “want to ruin [his] reputation,” but looks forward to finding common ground.

He then began to name some pieces of legislation, such as

touting the effects of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act and the PACT Act, which grants benefits to veterans who have been exposed to toxic substances during their service.

These points were very effective, as they served to give off a sense of optimism to those who do not follow politics much, suggesting that political tension in the country may be on the decline.

However, despite a decent start to the speech where Biden emphasized coming together, his call for unity is one that has lost much of its impact due to the actions taken in the first half of his term.

One such area is his COVID-19 policies, where he has faced criticism from even a few members of his party. He stated that COVID “had shut down our businesses, closed our schools and robbed us of so much,” which was certainly true in 2020.

However, once Operation Warp Speed produced safe and effective vaccines, this was no longer a necessity but was largely rather due to his policies and rhetoric.

His urging to push unnecessary COVID precautions once the vaccines were widely available in the spring of 2021 created fear and even made it seem like the vaccine was not worth taking.

In addition, his attempted vaccine mandate under the auspices of OSHA divided Americans even further as he blamed about a quarter of the country for not being able

to go back to normal. While his mandate for the private sector was struck down by the Supreme Court, tens of thousands of Americans lost their jobs due to their choice to not to get the vaccine, at a time when many businesses were lifting their vaccine mandates.

Another area where Biden placed focus was the economy and how he had created 12 million new jobs. This claim is questionable, as many of those jobs were ones that existed before the pandemic, with his policies arguably hindering further growth.

He also barely touched on inflation and how it continues to be a record-high rate despite a significant decrease from last year.

Biden then turned to the border, which has been one of the weakest aspects of his administration. While he claims to endorse securing the border and supporting the members of the border patrol, the past two years have seen no meaningful effort to negotiate border policy or even visit the border until very recently.

Instead, the Biden administration’s lack of sound border policy has led to many border cities’ resources to be stretched thin. Even notable Democrats like Governor Jared Polis of Colorado and New York City Mayor Eric Adams have called on the Biden Administration to develop its border response.

Lastly, the President spoke about China and readiness to retaliate against hostile actions if needed.

These remarks, while necessary, seemed hollow after waiting nearly a week to shoot down a Chinese spy balloon as it hovered near nuclear sites across the country.

This decision undercut Biden’s strength against the Chinese government while President Xi Jinping seems to be becoming more aggressive concerning Taiwan and more generally.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the moments when actions from members of the GOP sparked audible outrage. I agree that in an ideal world, this would be inappropriate behavior and disrespectful to the President.

However, during President Trump’s State of the Union Addresses, members of the Democratic Party were seen leaving the speech early and then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ripped the president’s speech.

Those moments did not cause nearly as much outrage from mainstream media outlets. GOP congress members’ interruptions at Biden’s State of the Union Address did not seem like a big deal in comparison.

Overall, President Biden gave a speech that had some points worthy of praise but many more that should be scrutinized. Heading into the next few years of divided government, it will be interesting to see if Biden adopts the Clintonian third way approach, attempting to reconcile the right and the left or whether he doubles down on the agenda of his first two years.

CULTURE

Kendall’s Column: Day’n’Nite Tailgates

Kendall Hayes Culture Columnist

During the months of December, January and February, it is a tradition that Villanovans head to Wells Fargo Center to watch Villanova’s men’s basketball team. A large part of the tradition occurs, not in the Wells Fargo Center, but right outside the stadium in its parking lot at 9a.m.

It is a strange experience to tailgate at 9a.m., because it means a departure from Villanova at 8:30a.m., and waking up around 7:30a.m.

For those students who find it difficult to start the tailgating process at the humbling hours of 7a.m., this past Saturday was a nice change of pace. For the first time in years, the men’s basketball team had an 8p.m. start time at the Wells Fargo Center.

We did not go to bed Friday evening with an alarm for 7a.m. Instead, we all got to sleep in and head over to Wells Fargo at the reasonable hour of 5p.m. An appropriate time, in my opinion, to begin the tailgating process.

There was a definite difference between the night tailgate and day tailgates. For a day tailgate, a certain mindset has to be had. You take the night off before a morning tailgate and rest up for the mountain of a day that is ahead of you. But, as we all know, there is comfort in familiarity, and for Villanovans that comfort can be found at a 9a.m. tailgate.

But, for those 21 and over, it is a fun change of pace to be able to stay after the game at XfinityLive during night hours instead of heading over to the NBC Sports Arena at a daunting 12:30p.m.

The Villanovan asked Villa nova students their thoughts on the change in tailgate time.

Senior and fellow tailgate lover, Abigail Lukas, explained her thoughts on both tailgates.

“Nothing beats a good day tailgate, in my opinion,” Lukas said. “Granted, everyone has a lot more energy at the night tailgates, and it was nice to do something different than our usual nights at Kelly’s.”

Villanova Sophomore Sofia Russo passionately expressed her opin ions on both night and day tailgates. She was adamant that her heart lies with day tailgates, not night.

“Don’t get me started on my dislike for the night tailgate,” Russo said. “The day tailgates go by so slow, but the night tailgate flashes by so fast. There’s traffic, cops ask to turn the music down, and you can’t find any of your friends. It’s not nearly as fun as tailgating in the morning.”

“There’s nothing like starting your day with a morning tailgate,” she said. “Seeing everyone storm courts sets such a positive and exciting tone for the day. No one wants to be forced out of bed, but watching some basketball while spending time with some pals is what basketball and the whole Wells Fargo experience is about!”

Senior Elena Rouse had a similar view to Russo.

“I personally didn’t love the night tailgate as much as the daytime, but really it’s only because I am a grandma and don’t always appreciate late nights,” Rouse said. “However, I heard a lot of people thought it was

very fun!”

Villanovans are passionate about the subject of tailgating. The overall consensus is that the night tailgate was a fun change, but, at the end of the day, there is nothing like waking up at 7a.m. for Villanova’s men’s basketball.

Super Bowl Sorrows: Students React to Ea gles’ Loss

Chloe Miller Co-Culture Editor

Continued from p.1

Carlie Pollice was one of these students who was anticipating this epic celebration. Pollice described their disappointment in this outcome and the loss of this celebration.

“I had myself so hyped up before the game that I didn’t even think about the possibility of losing,” Pollice said. “As someone who isn’t typically a football fan, I was really into this game because of the excitement and potential fun it brought to campus. Our room was super quiet when we realized it would be a normal five-day school week.”

Even for those who are not fanatic Eagles fans, this game still represents a loss. During their time at Villanova, many students have developed an affinity for Philadelphia sports teams even if they are not from Pennsylvania. This is the case for sophomore and Illinois native Lauren Klein.

“I am from Chicago, and our sports teams have been quite

disappointing,” Klein said. “So, even though I was upset to see the Eagles lose, it was cool to see Philly’s team go so far and all the excitement from the fans”

Despite all of the pro-Eagles sentiment on campus, there are defi nitely a few outliers who were happy to see the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory in the game. Junior Sola Dugbo is currently celebrating the Chiefs’ win.

“As a Kansas City native going to school outside Philly, I was torn by this weekend’s game,” Dugbo said. “I wore my Chiefs jersey to the Wells Fargo game and received lots of hate so it felt good to win the game. I have been waiting for a Chiefs Super Bowl for two years and I knew this would be it. I just hate that it had to be against Philly.”

Although the Super Bowl did not go the way most Villanovans thought and hoped it would, it was still an opportunity to gather together and have a good time.

Sophomore Eagles fan Lindsey Nemeth reflected on her memory of this past Super Bowl, and focuses on the good times.

“Despite the loss, I view sports as a way to bring people together,” Nemeth said. “Having my whole fam-

by friends in a crowded dorm room was another core memory made here at Villanova.”

lose sight of a Philadelphia victory. To all those who celebrate, happy Super Bowl.

Villanova students celebrate at the Wells Fargo game. Quinn Burns / Villanovan Photography

Emma Cahill Co-Culture Editor

Villanovans watch the Super Bowl at the CAT Game watch. Natalie Zickel/ Villanovan Photography

Valentines of Villanova

Maddie Schieder Staff Writer

Holy Grounds’ muffins are not the only things that are sweet on campus this week. Love is in the air for Valentine’s Day. The Villanovan was able to speak with a professor for their take on love, as well as interviewing one of the University’s cutest couples.

Dr. Caitlyn Yantis is a professor at Villanova in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. She teaches a social psychology course that includes a section on attraction and relationships, which is why The Villanovan wanted her thoughts on the “science of love,” especially amongst college students.

“You may have heard the phrase ‘opposites attract,’ but in reality, the research shows that it is much more common for us to be attracted to people who are similar to us,” said Yantis. “Those with a similar background, values, interests and personality as us.”

College students are often eager to meet their true love and use a variety of methods to get there, including assuming that opposites attract. It may be surprising to hear that the path to meeting our “one

Tallulah Laska Staff Writer

Dance teams are not unheard lanova, as there are eight different dance groups on campus.

‘Nova Nassa is Villanova’s only coed Bollywood fusion dance team, consisting of 20 individuals.

“Nassa combines elements of classical Indian, Bollywood and hip-hop dance set to a blend of beats reminiscent of Indian roots fused with the modern hip-hop of our Western culture,” Nassa’s description reads. “In combining these various styles of dance, Nassa brings to the stage an exciting and energetic performance that crosses continents and the boundaries of traditional dance leaving you mesmerized and breathless.”

Nassa is in its 15th season of competition, competing in the Desi Dance Network (DDN) circuit. DDN is a circuit of competitions across the United States and Canada. Nassa competes in the spring season against many other collegiate teams. In early February, Nassa attended competitions in Illinois and at Virginia Tech.

In the fall, Nassa spent 1012 hours per week practicing for the competition season. Planning competitions and choreography takes up much of their weekly practice

and only” entails doing just the opposite.

“One reason why we are often attracted to people who are similar to us is because they make us feel validated in our own existing attitudes and viewpoints,” said Yantis. This research Dr. Yantis speaks of can be shown in one of the cutest couples on campus. Senior Emily Gallagher spoke to The Villanovan about her relationship with her boyfriend, Ren Shenk, and we are feeling all the feels.

“Ren and I met through NOVAdance, where we were on videography committee together and also club volleyball,” Gallagher said.

When asked if she thought that Villanova is a place for soulmates to meet, Gallagher said, “Definitely. Villanova gives you the opportunity to meet people with shared interests in on-campus groups or organizations, like Ren and I did. Villanova also allows you to meet people from across the country who you would’ve likely

Club Spotlight: ‘Nova Nassa

time. Sophomore co-captain Swetha Saravanakumar stresses how much effort the team puts into their practices.

“In the week leading up to a competition, we practice all day on the weekends and have four hour practices on the weekdays,” Saravanakumar explained.

Nassa is expecting two more competitions in April, so it is taking the next two months to prepare by revamping its marketing and branding. The teams Nassa competes against are big-name teams, so Nassa wants to be as prepared as possible for the national competitions.

Saravanakumar has been dancing since she was eight years old and was trained in Bharatanatyam, which is an Indian classical dance style. She auditioned for Nassa her freshman year and is in her first year of co-captainship.

“Dancing is something that has played a big role in my life, so being able to stay in touch with it in college is something I enjoy,” Saravanakumar said. “My favorite part is definitely being able to do something I love, while getting to share that with a group of people that is like family to me.”

Saravanakumar is grateful that Nassa allows her to have an escape from the hard work of college to focus her energy into dancing.

never met otherwise.”

Gallagher also spoke about one of her favorite memories with Ren.

“Ren went abroad super early on in our relationship, and I was able to visit him over spring break,” she said. “We traveled around Italy for a week, and it was so amazing to have that experience together. Being so early on in our relationship, long distance and this trip helped us learn so much about each other and strengthened our relationship more than I ever thought possible.”

In regards to Yantis’ perspective, Gallagher was asked if she believed in the phrase “opposites attract.”

“I definitely believe in opposites attract, but Ren and I are pretty similar,” she said. “It’s been so fun to learn about what we’re each passionate about and grow to share those interests together.”

These two lovebirds are so wholesome and are sure to put a smile on your face. So, whether you plan to celebrate Galentine’s Day or Valentine’s Day this week, buy that box of chocolate and embrace the season of love. Take the advice from Dr. Yantis, because who knows, maybe you will meet that special someone that has been right in front of you all this time.

She hopes to continue dancingduring her time at Villanova and beyond.

Saravanakumar sees Nassa expaning greatly in the future. This year, it is already improving after putting in a lot of work with creative ideas and planning. Saravanakumar believes Nassa will make it to Nationals in the coming years.

For now, Nassa is performing at upcoming campus events. It will be performing at the Oak Tree Films Dance Fundraiser on February 23rd, which is a fundraiser for

the Nina School for the Deaf. More information about the fundraiser can be found on the Oak Tree Films’ Instagram page.

Anyone interested in auditioning for Nassa should look for its spring competitions. Nassa hosts tryouts exclusively in the fall season so it has as much time as possible to rehearse with new members. It also hosts dance workshops in the fall for anyone auditioning. To stay up to date on Nassa’s competitions and when auditions will be, follow @novanassa on Instagram.

Many Villanovans, including three Villanovan editors, celebrated with pink outfits. Natalie Zickel / Villanovan Photography

‘Nova Nassa competed in two events so far this semester, and will compete in two more. Olivia Pasquale/ Villanovan Photography

Contraceptives for Villanova’s Campus

Sofia Krzewicki Staff Writer

What started as a final project for their Social Justice and Inclusivity Communitas course, has turned into the start of a student-run campaign to advocate access for free contraceptives on college campuses. The campaign was sparked by conversations surrounding the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June of 2022 and its impacts on reproductive health.

“Not having [access] [to] contraceptives negatively impacts women on our campus,” a firstyear Villanova student involved with Contraceptives for Campus said.

As an institution founded in the Augustinian Catholic tradition, Villanova University does not “provide materials [for] preventing conception.” Contraceptives for Campus continued to remark that it is hypocritical that the University Health Center takes measures to test students for STIs/STDs, but provides nothing to prevent them in the first place.

Contraceptives for Campus’ aim is not to necessarily change University policy regarding contraceptives, but, instead, as a first-year working on the initiative put it, to “meet student needs while respecting university policy and beliefs.”

After visiting a friend at the University of Virginia, the first-

year student was taken aback as University-provided condoms were available in communal bathrooms in residence halls to promote safe sex. This was Contraceptives for Campus’ jumping-off point. However, as such additions to communal bathrooms would require approval from Residence Life and the Institution, this option was out of the question.

“There is always a way to work around a challenge,” the first-year said, “[and] there is fun in that.”

Those working on the initiative have brainstormed potential

solutions that could be mutually beneficial for the University and its students, including the creation of a door-to-door service run through an app, non-affiliated with Villanova. Think Doordash for condoms: students would anonymously request a contraceptive to be delivered to their dorm for a small fee. Now, the initiative consists of 10 individuals. On February 7th, Contraceptives for Campus hosted an interest meeting in Bartley Hall. Seven new students showed up, bringing the team to a total of 17 students. Contraceptives for Campus has received

positive support from students and its Instagram account is slowly growing in popularity.

“[We’re] looking more at doing something rather than talking,” the first-year commented. While unable to be an official campus organization, Contraceptives for Campus plans to work around this challenge, potentially working with other existing organizations on campus dedicated to dialogue surrounding reproductive rights. Additionally, the campaign is getting in contact with similar student groups at other Catholic universities, such as the University of Notre Dame and Georgetown University.

On its Instagram (@contraceptivesforcampus), students can learn more about the campaign. As a grassroots organization, the group relies heavily on donations, which can help turn those talked-about workarounds into reality, including their app. Additionally, there is an “Education” highlight with different posts about sexual health from reputable sources, including Planned Parenthood and Sexual Health: 24 Hours A Day, a service partnered with the British National Health Service (NHS). The posts cover practical topics, such as instructions for how to use certain contraceptive devices, to other posts regarding sex talk and how partners can safely and effectively communicate with each other to promote safe, sexual encounters.

Mental Health Resources at Villanova

Katie Formato Staff Writer

The number of people struggling with mental health, especially in college, has been significantly increasing. If you or someone you know has been struggling with their mental health, it is important to reach out for help. However, sometimes seeking help can be difficult because it can be expensive or hard to find resources.

With the increase of awareness towards mental health over the years, students are very fortunate that Villanova has many mental health resources on campus that can help support them. Some of these resources include the Counseling Center, the Office of Health Promotion and the Student Health Center.

First, the Counseling Center offers a variety of different services and resources, which are available to all students regardless of emotional, academic, social and psychological issues. The Counseling Center is open weekdays from 9am to 5pm and is located in room 206 of the Health Services Building.

If you are looking to schedule an appointment with the Counseling Center you can call their direct line at 610-519-4050 between 9am to 5pm, stop by the Counseling Center in room 206 of the Health Services Building, or students can now book appointments online starting this semester.

To book an appointment online, students must fill out the online appointment request form with different times that work best for their schedule and then they will receive a call from the Counseling Center to schedule their appointment. Appointments are typically made within a week of one’s request.

The Office of Health Promotion is a resource on campus that covers six areas of health and wellbeing, which include social, physical, intellectual, cultural, emotional and spiritual.

Director of the Office of Health Promotion, Stacy Andes talked about its mission.

“[Our mission] is to provide evidence-based health resources, facilitate opportunities for students to build skills to make health lifestyle choices, and to instill a sense of personal responsibility for individual health and its impact on the health of the community,” she said.

The Office of Health Promotion offers a variety of events and activities on campus. These include one-on-one consultations on different topics such as alcohol use screening, nutrition, sleep and stress, and online courses including AlcoholEdu and Sexual Assault Prevention for Undergraduates, Mental Health and Well-Being and Prescription Drugs courses.

If one is interested in working with the Office of Health Promotion, they can apply for POWER as an administrative assistant, intern or a community advocate

to gain helpful experiences to help the community.

Another great resource within the Office of Health Promotion is the Thrive 365 Portal.

Thrive 365 is a great resource for students because it allows them to engage with different programs and events that focus on topics such as fitness, sleep, stress management and nutrition. Furthermore, there is a video on the Villanova University’s Division of Student Life’s YouTube which walks a person through the stepby-step process of how to navigate Thrive 365, which is available for all students. If you want to learn more, visit the Thrive 365 Portal at thrive365.villanova.edu.

The Student Health Center offers a variety of different services for students, whether they have a cold, the flu, allergies or something more serious. Students can expect

individualized attention and timely services.

The Student Health Center is located on the third floor of the Health and Services Building and during the school year. Anyone looking to schedule an appointment can call their front desk at 610-519-4070.

The University Counseling Center, the Office of Health Promotion and the Student Health Center work together to provide students with the resources and services they need to help them thrive in the Villanova community. Villanova offers many different ways for students to connect with themselves, their peers and professionals. To learn more about all of the resources on campus, visit, Villanova’s health and well-being resources located on the Villanova website.

Contraceptives for Campus is a student group advocating for further sexual health services. Courtesy of Contraceptives for Campus

Thrive 365 hosts various events and programs each month. Courtesy of Villanova University

A Look Into The Effects of Caffeine

she said.

Felicia Froio Staff Writer

In desperate need of energy, you reach for your cup of coffee or energy drink, or whatever will get you through that next lecture, exam or intramural game. I am sure that at one time or another, all college students have experienced such a craving for caffeine. While you may think that a cup of coffee is your saving grace, it actually comes with some detrimental effects that tend to go unnoticed.

According to the authors of “Caffeine Intake and Mental Health in College Students,” it has been concluded that, while caffeine can provide you with benefits such as “increased attention, alertness, mood elevation and increased cognitive function,” it causes more harm than good. For example, did you know that every time you rely on caffeine to support your day over other natural factors, it is working to increase your levels of anxiety and depression?

Additionally, because caffeine is a stimulus, students are essentially training their bodies to develop sleeping disorders. Katie McCallum, author of “Caffeine & Sleep: How Long Does Caffeine Keep You Awake?,” discusses how caffeine accomplishes the magnificent feat of keeping one awake.

“[Caffeine] blocks sleep-promoting receptors in your brain called adenosine receptors,”

For college students, a good night’s sleep is extremely important because, in reality, this will help get them through the day in a much healthier way than drinking a large cold brew from Holy Grounds. Another harmful attribute of caffeine, according to the authors of “Caffeine Intake and Mental Health in College Stu dents,” is its correlation to high er levels of anxiety and certain depressive symptoms. With the constant stress and expectations placed on college students, the simple consumption of caffeine is an unnecessary complication to add to the already complex life style of a college student.

It is frightening to be told to stop relying on caffeine. It sparks questions such as how to stay awake in class and how to function without a daily dose of caffeine. However, there are countless ways one can experi ence the same benefits of caffeine while eliminating the possibility of harming themself in the pro cess.

According to regitered dietitian Carlene Thomas, the key to obtaining energy is all about what you are consuming. Thomas suggests eating various nuts and berries and drinking lots of water throughout the day.

“Water can help you feel more alert, especially since dehy dration causes fatigue,” Thomas said.

Additionally, berries are naturally sweet and have the potential to give you a quick burst of energy, similarly to the shots of espresso in your latte. But, if you crave energy that is going to last longer than say the quick burst provided by berries, Thomas suggests eating nuts.

“[Nuts] keep you full and energized longer than other

drate fuel with the satiating and blood-sugar-balancing effects of fat and protein,” he said.

Based on such valuable information and insight, the next time you go to grab your daily dose of caffeine to get you through the tedious life of a college student, turn instead to a glass of water and a handful of nuts or berries for a more natural and

Ask The Villanovan: Valentines and Downtime

My significant other didn’t post for me on Valentine’s Day and he knows I wanted him to. My friends were asking me if we broke up... What do I do?

If he knows you like this and he didn’t do it, you need to address it directly. Honesty and openness are key, especially when bringing up points of contention.

Little acts of kindness are what make relationships strong. If they’re not willing to take little opportunity’s to brigthen your day — especially on Valentine’s Day — maybe they’re not the one. Your partner should validate and honor the things they know make you happy, and they should be excited to show you off, particilarly when they know it’s important to you.

Be candid with them, and if things don’t change, then maybe it’s time to reevaluate, but you won’t know until you get the conversation going.

Also, take into account the other acts of love they did on Valentine’s Day –– maybe they’re just not a PDA person. Communication is key.

My significant other and I

have been dating for about a month but I haven’t told my parents yet. What should I do?

There are two routes to take: the hard launch and the traditional launch.

The hard launch would be simply sending a picture to your family group chat of your SO and stating that you two are together. This would cut out any doubt about the situation, though it might give your mother a heart attack.

The traditional launch would be to mention this person every now and then over the course of a few weeks and see if they pick up on it. Eventually, they’ll ask and you can hit them with a, “Funny you should ask...” There’s really no wrong way to go about this – just wait until you have to tell your grandparents.

Another year, another Valentine’s Day spent single. I seriously don’t think I can take another Instagram story post saying, “love doing life with you.” Am I a loser for being single this late in college?

First of all, no. Second of

all, NO. If anything, college is the best time in your life to be single. Third, social media is a façade. Valentine’s Day is just another excuse for people to portray only the best parts of their lives. Remember those couples fight, too. Our personal evaluation is the sappier the post, the worse the state of the relationship. But that’s neither here nor there.

That all said, no, you are not a loser. Embrace your independence. This is the time in your life where you have the least amount of responsibility, so lean into it. It’s so important to be happy in your independence before getting into a relationship, anyway.

I have a crush on this girl in my friend group, but my buddy asked her to his club sport formal. He said they’re just going as friends, but I feel like something’s gonna go down if the vibe is right. Should I tell him I’m into her or let it play out?

Honestly, with guys it’s hard. Girl-code wouldn’t permit your friend getting with her if he had knowledge of your feelings, for example. But things have to be a little more delicate here. If it

were me, I’d give him a hint that you were maybe thinking of asking her out sometime soon, so he knows there’s something there. Hopefully, he will take this information into account and minimize the ~vibes~ at formal. Although, we hear those club sports kids get pretty rowdy…

I’m hitting that point in the semester where I want to skip classes…regularly. What can I do to stay motivated and remain the academic weapon that I am?

Maintaining motivation during the day starts with your habits at night. Try to get to bed a little earlier day by day. I know it’s easy to fall into the late-nightmunchy habit, but the earlier you eat dinner, the less sluggish you’ll feel the next day. Digestion and all that.

Take time each day to do something little that makes you happy. Have something to look forward to after your classes, whether it’s a meal, studying with your favorite person, or a Netflix break. Creating intentional time to decompress might help you feel less inclined to do so during class time. Healthy habits, my friend.

Holy Grounds is a popular location for students to fuel up on caffeinated beverages Colin Beazley/Villanovan Photography

Hewitt: Maddy Siegrist Poised to Lead WBB to March

Owen Hewitt Co-Sports Editor

Continued from p. 1

Looking ahead at the next 30 days, Siegrist will have a chance to cement her legacy even further as the greatest basketball player in Villanova history. She will compete at the Big East tournament and look to claim

rise even higher as she plays in more high-profile games. ESPN’s WNBA mock draft has Siegrist as the 11th pick. That mock was published on February 8th, before Siegrist’s 50-point performance. If Siegrist continues her current form, she could have the opportunity to be a high-profile rookie for a WNBA squad. Siegrist has the potential to

Seton Hall made her the all-time leading scorer in Big East conference games, and earned her

Siegrist’s future is so exciting. She has the potential to become the first WNBA star from Villanova, just as the womens’ game is becoming increasingly high profile.

Siegrist, already the face of Villanova basketball, has the chance to become the face of a WNBA franchise. First, with any luck, she’ll lead a deep tournament run for the ‘Cats.

the all-time Big East single game scoring record.

As for UConn, they are led by junior forward Asliyah Edwards who averages 16.6 PPG and 8.8 rebounds, and graduate guard/ forward Lou Lopez Senechal, who scores 16.1 ppg.

Despite a few Huskie heroes, Siegriest and the rest of the Wildcat squad will take their momentum into the game on Saturday, where they will use their home court advantage to clinch their first win of the season over UConn.

In addition to in-conference play, Villanova has also achieved a spot in the top 16 NCAA Tournament reveal, which would give the ‘Cats the chance to host the first two rounds of March Madness.

Despite their success thus far, the Wildcats need to win their last five in-conference games in order to clinch a piece of the Big East regular season title.

This week, the ‘Cats will first take on St. John’s at the Carnesecca Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 13, before coming back to the Finn to take on UConn in what is their biggest conference game of the season.

Tip-off for Saturday is set for 2:30 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on Fox.

the national women’s leading scorer, senior forward Maddy Siegrist,

Maddy Siegrist will be instrumental in Villanova’s bid to take down UConn. Ryan Sarbello/Villanovan Photography

Siegrist is the nation’s leading scorer, posting 29.1 PPG. Olivia Gordon/Villanovan Photography

Maddy Siegrist after her 50-point performance. Ryan Sarbello/Villanovan Photography

Anders Said It: Brunson’s Villanova Legacy

Anders Pryor Staff Writer

This past Wednesday, Villanova University retired the jersey of Jalen Brunson, one of the Institution’s most prized alumni. With his No.1 jersey now immortalized, it’s natural for students, alumni and former teammates to reflect back on all of the memories Brunson created during his time as a Wildcat.

As you walk through the Finneran Pavilion, you can see all of the retired greats that have suited up for Villanova and learn about all they have accomplished. But none of the resumes stand out quite like that of Brunson’s, who has now solidified himself as the greatest Villanova basketball player.

Big East All Freshman Team, two time All Big East Conference First Team and Big East Player of the Year in 2018, as well as playing a pivotal part in both the 2016 and 2018 National Championship teams, are enough accolades to elevate Brunson into the conversation for the greatest ever.

But the individual awards are beyond Villanova.

The Bob Cousy Award for the best point guard in the nation and being consensus first-team All American make him supersede the fabric of the program and make him one of the best Big East play ers of all time.

And yet the resume, despite its worthiness of awe, is only the start.

Villanova’s “attitude”

mentality is the lynchpin of what makes its players so successful. Overcoming adversity, playing for each other, committing to the system and taking pride in the jersey you wear. Nobody embodied that like Brunson.

Even though he was a McDonald’s All-American, he never let that get to his head. Brunson put up the numbers as a freshman, but took more pride in the success of the team than his own.

He showed his passion, but never let it get out of control. His relationship with coach Jay Wright was built on trust, not success.

And, despite all the hardware they brought to campus, it’s Brunson’s and Wright’s bond that stands out the most, as the entire Finn saw after Wednesday night’s ceremony.

So, what about the other greats? Kyle Lowry has had great

professional level. Yet, most of his success did not come in a Villanova jersey, with his only major accolade being an appearance on the Big East Second Team.

And what about Ryan Arcidiacono, who many view as the primary ambassador for Villanova athletics, and the University all together?

Pound for pound, Brunson’s resume still has the edge, not to mention that Brunson has had more NBA success than Arcidiacono.

This year Brunson will be making his first All-Star appearance as an alternate with the New York Knicks, providing more name-attraction from the University to NBA fans than any other alumnus.

Brunson is the greatest Villanova basketball player we’ve seen yet. That title may be taken from someone we least expect. But

WEEKLY SCOREBOARD

Feb. 8 - Feb. 14

Wednesday, February 8

Men’s Basketball vs DePaul 81-65 W

Women’s Basketball @ Georgetown 82-53 W

Thursday, February 9

Friday, February 10

Softball vs Wichita St. @ TST 1-12 L

Softball vs Kent State @ TST 3-0 W

Women’s Track @ David Henry Valentine Invitational No Team Scoring

Women’s Track @ Tiger Paw Invite No Team Scoring

Women’s Tennis @ Delaware 0-7 L

Men’s Tennis vs Rider 6-1 W

Saturday, February 11

M&W Track @ Tiger Paw Invite No Team Scoring

Men’s Track @ David Henry Valentine Invitational No Team Scoring

M&W Track vs Big Apple Invitational No Team Scoring

Women’s Lacrosse @ W&M 18-6 W

Water Polo vs Salem @ Bucknell Tournament 16-7 W

Softball Goes 3-2 on the Weekend

Owen Hewitt Co-Sports Editor

Villanova softball went 3-2 to open the season at the Texas State Tournament over the weekend in San Marcos, Texas. The ‘Cats beat Texas State and Kent State twice, while losing to Wichita State twice.

The season opener Friday was a 12-1 loss to Wichita State, with the ‘Cats only recording three total hits. Senior catcher Ally Jones recorded two hits and the ‘Cats lone RBI in the five-inning contest. The Shockers jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back, recording 16 hits

and seven more runs. Sophomore pitcher/outfielder Kelsey White picked up the loss for the ‘Cats.

The ‘Cats played two games on Friday, the second being a 3-0 win against Kent State. The game was deadlocked at zero until the top of the seventh, when the ‘Cats scored three runs. In her debut with the ‘Cats, graduate pitcher Peyton Schnackenberg struck out six and walked two in a shutout complete game effort. White recorded a two-out goahead double, scoring two. Jones then recorded a sacrifice fly to extend the ‘Cats lead to 3-0. They would blank the Golden Flashes in the final inning to secure the win.

The ‘Cats had two more

games on Saturday. The first was a 4-2 win over Texas State, with freshman pitcher Kat Gallant allowing two unearned runs and picking up the win in her collegiate debut.

Sophomore infielder Ava Franz drew four walks, a feat that has only been accomplished three times in Villanova softball history, all in the past three seasons. Villanova scored a run in each of the final three innings to secure the win. Junior centerfielder Tess Cites went 3-for-5 at the plate, recording two runs. Senior third baseman Chloe Smith, senior first baseman Victoria Sebastian, Jones and White all recorded one RBI each for the ‘Cats.

The second Saturday game for the ‘Cats was a 6-2 loss to the Shockers, with Schnackenberg picking up the loss. The ‘Cats were shut out until the top of the sixth, when Franz and graduate catcher Ryan Henry both drove in runs.

The last game of the tournament came on Sunday against the Golden Flashes, where the ‘Cats won 13-5. Henry hit a solo shot and freshman shortstop Lilly St. Jean hit a three-run homer. Cites went 4-for-4 at the dish, with a triple and four RBIs.

White picked up the win for the ‘Cats, wrapping up the weekend in dominant fashion. The ‘Cats recorded 14 hits in the game against the Golden Flashes.

Women’s Basketball vs Seton Hall 99-65 W Softball @ Texas St. @ TST 4-2 W Softball vs Wichita St. @ TST 2-6 L

Water Polo vs. Princeton @ Bucknell Tournament

Men’s Basketball vs Seton Hall 58-54 W

Sunday, February 12

Men’s Golf @ Advance Golf Parters Collegiate T-12th of 19

Water Polo @ Bucknell @ Bucknell Tournament 9-10 L

Softball vs Kent St. @ TST 13-5 W

Men’s Lacrosse vs Penn St. 14-12 W

Monday, February 13

Men’s Golf @ Advance Golf Parters Collegiate T-15th of 19

Tuesday, February 14

Men’s Golf @ Advance Golf Parters Collegiate 13th of 19 (Final)

Men’s Basketball vs Butler 62-50 W

The ‘Cats return to action next weekend at the Auburn University Tiger Invitational, where they will face Auburn twice, Dayton twice and Austin Peay once. The games against Auburn will be televised on SEC Network +.

Brunson’s jersey was retired at the game against DePaul. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Villanova went 3-2 on the weekend. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Men’s Tennis Wins, 6-1, Women’s Tennis Loses, 7-0

James Haupt Staff Writer

The men’s and women’s tennis teams came out of another competitive weekend with opposite results.

While the men’s team took a 6-1 victory over Rider, the women fell, 7-0, to Delaware.

In their tough loss against the Blue Hens, the women were swept in both the singles and doubles matches. However, there were a few noteworthy successes in what was a disappointing day for the Wildcats.

In the doubles matches the third duo of junior Bella Steffen and senior Amanda Rivera-González had a close and competitive game. They ended up losing 6-4 against Delaware’s duo.

Rivera-González proved to be a bright spot in the singles matches, as well as having the closest game. She lost her two sets 6-4 and 6-3 respectively in the sixth spot for the Wildcats.

“The third doubles were a bright spot and very competitive,” head coach Steve Reiniger said. “Amanda Rivera-González played a competitive match.”

The women’s team was without one of its best players, freshman Maggie Gehrig, which may have contributed to the lopsided outcome.

Gehrig won’t return until later this spring, so the Wildcats

will need to find some success elsewhere.

Despite the loss, the Wildcats are still looking forward to what’s to come.

“I’m hoping that when we hit spring break, when we have Creighton and Butler, we’re at our best,” Reiniger said.

Howard in their next matchup, Saturday Feb. 18.

had a successful weekend, securing a 6-1 win over Rider, and showing much improvement after their 6-1 loss against Penn State last week end.

cited about in this performance as the Wildcats took two wins in the doubles matches and won all but one of the singles matches.

Trey Fourticq and freshman Tighe Brunetti swept their opponents, and junior captain Josh Robinson along with senior Justin Suarez took a 6-4 victory to gain the first team point of the day. mances all around in the singles matches, with one of the most im pressive being from Robinson who was the number one for singles.

with ease by scores of 6-2 and 6-1. performance as well, taking 6-2 and 6-4 victories as the number two for singles. With these wins, Brunetti continued to prove why

he has been one of best players on the court this year for Villanova.

“He’s playing like a beast right now,” head coach Brad Adams said. “He doesn’t let anyone affect him. He has full control on the court.”

The Villanova victory was secured by Fourticq at the three

Khromchenko returned from a year-long injury, winning 7-5 and 6-1 to gain a point for the team.

“It was nice to get the win,” Adams said. “Rider is a really good team. Everybody was prepared because Rider is much improved.”

The men will take the court

Women’s Lacrosse Downs W&M, 18-6

Elijah McDow Staff Writer

This past Saturday, the women’s lacrosse team traveled to Williamsburg, Virginia for their season opener against William & Mary where they earned a com manding 18-6 over the Tribe and had 33 shots on goal. Freshman midfielder Elena Torres led the way with five goals.

After giving up a goal in the first minute of play, the Wild cats instantly responded. The first goal of the season was scored by sophomore attacker Sydney Pap pas in the second minute.

“Instead of getting down on ourselves, we decided to re spond, and I think this was a huge momentum shift for us,” head coach Jill Batcheller said.

The score remained 1-1 for the first 10 minutes until freshman midfielder Maddie Lauer made her Wildcat debut, scoring a goal with five minutes left in the corner.

More debut goals followed when Torres scored twice to give the Wildcats a 4-2 lead to end the first quarter.

“From the start of the game they go out there and play their way. They have been a really great impact on our team so far, they are great listeners, they work together well, and I was really excited for them,” Batcheller said about the freshmen’s early season contributions.

Heading into the second

In between the goals for Curnal, Pappas and Torres also added more goals to their scoring accounts.

While William & Mary scored twice, the Wildcats led, 9-3, heading into halftime.

“We made a few adjustments because [William & Mary] were pushing transition,” Batcheller said at halftime. “The adjustments we made were to try and slow [William and Mary] down and I think this team did a good job of being able to be coached and make adjustments within the game and this is a huge improvement from last season,” she added.

Heading into the second

Carey was also able to get onto scoresheet with a goal in the third quarter and junior attacker Jessica Lee scored her first goal of the season in the fourth quarter.

Senior midfielder Catherine Field and freshman midfielder Ashlyn Hickey also added on a goal each at the end of the fourth quarter.

While there were many players to be highlighted in the game, Torres, Curnal, and graduate student goalkeeper Olivia Conquest were the biggest talking points of the afternoon.

Curnal had one of the best games of her career and now holds the all-time draw control record at 240. Torres finished the

game with five goals and two assists, and Conquest made 10 saves.

One notable name that did not appear on the scoresheet was senior midfielder Addie Fischer. Despite not scoring a goal, Fischer’s contributions were still felt by her coach and teammates.

“[Fischer] does a lot of things that aren’t necessarily on the score sheet,” Batcheller said. “She is like an unsung hero on our team. She does a lot of the hustle plays; she is awesome on defense and is often the person running the ball down in transition. She’s a huge impact on the team even if it doesn’t show on the team sheet.”

In the week ahead Batcheller believes there are still things her team can do to improve so they are ready for the rest of the season

“One of the things we will be focusing on this week is our transition game,” Batcheller said. “I think defensively we need to be able to slow other teams down and offensively we can push the tempo of the ball a little better at the start of the game.”

With the first win of the season under their belts, Batcheller noted how she “feel[s] good about the trajectory of [the] team.”

Looking forward to their next match, the Wildcats will take on Saint Joseph’s, where Batcheller’s coaching career first began back in 2008.

“Last year we had a close game against them,” she said. “[I] think this year’s team is ready and eager to rewrite the ending of last season’s game.”

Villanova men’s tennis beat Rider, 6-1. Courtesy of Villanova Altheltics

Women’s Lacrosse beat William & Mary 18-6 to open the season. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Murphy, O’Donovan Break School Record in 3000 Meters

Jacob Artz Staff Writer

The men’s and women’s track teams were scattered across the east coast this weekend with meets in Boston, New York and Clemson. All eyes were on the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston, as the distance runners looked to inch closer to a national meet spot.

“It’s the fastest track in the country,” head coach Marcus O’Sullivan said, so it was only fitting that quick times are in order.

Sophomore Liam Murphy set the Villanova indoor record in the 3000 meter with a blazing 7:45.67 pace. Senior Charlie O’Donovan also broke a 21-year-old Villanova indoor record that was set by NCAA champion and two-time Olympian Adrian Blincoe.

The times were even more impressive considering that both Murphy and O’Donovan had food poisoning the week of the meet. This resulted in lighter training, and O’Sullivan being “hesitant” to race Murphy.

After a solid workout midweek, he told O’Sullivan he was good for the race.

“I think it was great for them,” O’Sullivan said. “That was shocking to see [Murphy] and [O’Donovan] do so well.”

To get to these times, O’Sullivan pushed Murphy after last year’s track season.

“I felt he could be doing a lot

more in terms of his commitment,” O’Sullivan said.

These times from Murphy and O’Donovan have successfully brought them close to a national meet berth. This past weekend wasn’t just successful for Murphy and O’Donovan, though. The debuts of graduate student Haftu Strintzos and graduate student Josh Phillips also occurred during the long-distance events.

Other times made in the 3000 meters were sophomore Jack Jennings with 7:56.36, Strintzos crossed the fin ish line in 8:00.91 and Phillips made a time of 8:01.46.

“I thought it was good progress by [Strintzos and Philllips],” O’Sullivan said. “They were far behind five or six weeks ago, so they’ve made a lot of progress in the last five weeks.”

The mile event saw junior Sean Dolan run under four minutes with a time of 3:58.02 and graduate student Evan Addison came close to breaking the four-minute barrier with a time of 4:18.36.

Senior Miller Anderson posted a personal best in the 800 meters with a time of 1:50.19. As for the other meets, the competition at Clemson featured the jumpers, highlighted by graduate student Malik Cunningham who continued to improve his marks in the triple jump.

After his debut at the Scarlet Knight Open at the Armory last weekend, where he posted a Big East leading jump of 15.27 meters, Cunningham furthered his Big East

mark at the same meet last year with a jump of 16.12 meters.

Last year, Cunningham qualified for the NCAA Championships, finishing in 14th place and garnering second-team All-American honors. He was injured in May 2022 prior to the Big East Championships, and this was his second meet since the injury.

“He’s a mature athlete,” O’Sullivan said. “You don’t need as many competitions. You know what the parameters are.”

The trio of events was rounded out with the Big Apple Invitational at Ocean Breeze in Staten Island, New York. Freshman Amiri Prescod set a personal best in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.86 seconds. The time is tied for the fifth fastest in school history, putting him fourth overall on the Villanova performance list.

Nicholas Mollica paced the runners with a time of 49.32 seconds and in the 200-meter dash, Mollica posted another personal best of 22.37 seconds. In the field events, sophomore Tristan Bolinsky threw for 15.24 meters in the weight throw and freshman Liam Anderson posted a throw of 12.72 meters in the same event.

Next week, the Wildcats will compete in an added distance medley relay event at Notre Dame for a spot at the national meet.

Freshman Jimmy Milgie will run the 400 meters, Dolan will run the 800 meters, and Murphy and O’Donovan will be the bookends for the mile and 1200-meter portions of the event. With traveling out on Thursday after a long weekend of meets, O’Sullivan is focused on lighter training this week with aerobics and letting the race come to them.

Water Polo Goes 1-2 at Bucknell Invitational

Camden Wright Staff Writer

The Villanova women’s water polo team traveled to Lewisburg, PA for the Bucknell Invitational, and went 1-2 at the McKinney Natatorium.

The team started the weekend off strong on Saturday, Feb. 11, with a dominant 16-7 win over Salem.

Junior Stella Byles and sophomore Emily McKenzie combined for eight goals during the game, and led the team’s offense along with a hat trick contribution from freshman Ella Mattoks and a pair of goals

from senior Allie Hansen.

Junior goalkeeper Abigail Shelby also picked up her first win of the season in net before switching out with freshman Gracin Kerry to close out the game.

However, after a successful morning the ‘Cats fell short to Princ eton, losing 13-6.

After a scoreless first quarter, Princeton racked up four goals in the second. While Byles got the first goal for Villanova later in the second quarter, the ‘Cats were still down 6-2 at the half.

Hanson made a splash again, being the leading scorer of this game with her first hat trick of the season. The goals were not enough

to revive the Wildcats, as Princeton closed the game with another scoring run, racking up three final goals in the last few minutes of the game.

The closest game of the weekend for the ‘Cats was their final match-up against the home team, the Bucknell Bison.

Hansen got the first goal for the ‘Cats this game around 2 minutes in, and even with a quick response from Bucknell, Villanova led the first quarter 3-2.

In the second quarter, Bucknell went on a 3-0 scoring run to bring the score up to a 5-3 lead, but Villanova returned goals to tie it up at 5-5 in the first few seconds of the third quarter.

The game was tied 9-9 with 50 seconds left, but a late penalty goal from Bucknell gave them the edge in a tough 10-9 loss for the

Wildcats.

“[This tournament] was a really good opportunity to play teams that presented different challenges. It was great to see the team grow and respond in a positive way as we played over the weekend,” said head coach Larry Sanders. “One of [the team’s] season pillars is grit and they showed that throughout the weekend especially in the highly contested loss to Bucknell.”

After a long weekend of play, Villanova will have a week long break before returning to the pool on the weekend of Feb. 25 for the Princeton Invitational.

The ‘Cats will take on St. Francis College Brooklyn on Saturday, and close the weekend out with a Chapman University game and a Bucknell rematch on Sunday, Feb. 26.

Villanova lost its final two games of the Bucknell Invitational. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

The Wildcats had a dominant 16-7 win over Salem on Saturday. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Villanova men’s track broke school record this past weekend. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Lenten Options Available Villanova Dining Services

Beginning on Ash Wednesday, February 22, and continuing each Friday during Lent, Villanova Dining Services will feature Lenten options at each dining location on campus.