The Villanovan | Volume 113, Issue 9: Wednesday, November 10, 2021

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 10, 2021 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan

STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916

VOLUME 113 | ISSUE 9

Villanova Special Olympics Returns to In-Person Men’s Celebration for 33rd Annual Fall Festival Basketball Returns Colin Beazley Co-Sports Editor

After scoring a career high 27 points in a 91-51 demolition of Mount St. Mary’s, junior guard Justin Moore was asked whether his performance was about sending a message to the nation and announcing himself to a national audience.

“I think part of sending a message is us coming out and playing hard and together,” Moore said. “Not just me sending a message, it’s all of us, each individually and as a team.”

The final score, a 40 point win over a team that made the NCAA Tournament last year, was a reflection of that team effort from the Wildcats. Three Wildcats besides Moore scored in double figures, as graduate forward Jermaine Samuels scored 17 points, senior forward Brandon Slater scored 17 as well and graduate point guard Collin Gillespie added 13. Eight of the ten Wildcats to play scored for the ‘Cats, and seven of the ten recorded an assist.

The Wildcats dominated the game from start to finish, bettering the Mountaineers on both ends of the court. Villanova shot 55.4% from the floor and 55.3% from three point range, while forcing The Mount into 18 turnovers and an under 45% clip on field goal attempts.

Slater, in just his third start as a Wildcat, joined Moore in setting a new career high in points. Slater scored 17 points and made five threes in the game, after hitting just ten throughout the season last year.

“It started last season at the end of the season,” head coach Jay Wright said of Slater. “He started getting confidence as a shooter and we saw it all in the off season, so it was really cool to see it translate into this season.

The University hosted the 33rd Special Olympics Fall Festival, the largest student-run Special Olympics event in the world.

Courtesy of Villanova University Special Olympics

Nicole Celis Staff Writer

This past weekend, the University hosted the 33rd Special Olympics Fall Festival, the largest student-run Special Olympics event in the world. This year marked a monumental moment in the Special Olympics community because it was the first time since 2019 that athletes were back on campus in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Athletes from all over Pennsylvania traveled to the University for a weekend of competition, celebration and community.

Athletes were able to reconnect with the

University after two years apart. This reunion was an important one in the relationship between the Special Olympics and Villanova community. Jared Brewer, this year’s Fall Festival Director, said it was “like no other as it was a celebration of resiliency, hope and inclusion after nearly two years of no in-person events.”

The weekend kicked off on Friday with the torch run. Athletes and law enforcement ran from Philadelphia to the University with the Olympic torch and were met with hundreds of volunteers cheering them on. Later that evening, the torch was lit at the Opening Ceremo-

ny. Each county was represented by a few athletes, Local Program Hosts (LPHs) and a varsity athlete at the county procession. The night was packed with speeches, a Unified basketball scrimmage and an LPH flash mob to get the weekend started.

This year’s theme was “Let your colors shine through, be vibrantly you,” and this theme could be felt all across campus, from the decorations to the colors of the volunteer shirts. There was no place that this theme was more evident than in Olympic Town, or O-Town for short. Dozens of clubs and organizations across campus hosted booths for athletes to stop

at for a variety of activities, such as bracelet making, cookie decorating, games and more. Athletes were able to express themselves differently at every booth they visited. They could dance with friends, both old and new. They were even surprised by an LPH flash mob, an all-freshman group of volunteers that were tasked with cheering on the athletes all weekend long.

Over the weekend, Fall Festival hosted more than 550 athletes, thanks to roughly 2,000 on and off-campus volunteers.

Athletes competed in a variety of sports, including soccer, bocce, volleyball, long distance running and Continued on p. 5

SGA Senator Resigns After Slur Allegation

On Friday afternoon, Villanova’s Student Government Association (SGA), posted a statement on Instagram describing an allegation that had been made against a Class of 2025 Senator.

“The allegation was that this Senator directed a racial slur toward another

student,” the statement said.

The Villanovan was able to speak with Caroline Levine, Student Body President, and Kristian Olvera, Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, on Monday evening about this incident.

According to Levine, the incident occurred on Monday, Oct. 25, but she was not informed about the incident until the morning of

Monday, Nov. 1. After discussing the matter internally, SGA leadership met with the Senator on Wednesday, which ultimately led to the Senator’s resignation.

“We gave both sides the chance to say what they had to say, and we listened to both sides impartially,” Olvera said, describing their conversation.

“We really felt that that behavior, regardless of

the specifics and with the overall situation and the information that we were able to confirm, we felt confident enough that that was not behavior we wanted represented in SGA,” Levine said.

She explained that the student conduct process is confidential, so SGA does not have any information on how that is being handled by the Dean of Students’ office.

University Releases Sexual Violence Climate Survey p. 3

Lepage Center Hosts Event Concerning Migration in the U.S. p. 4

Vasey Hall Should be Repurposed Into a DEI Center p. 6

The Astroworld Festival Tragedy: Who’s to Blame? p. 8

Noel B Answering: Interview With TikTok’s Noel Dougherty p. 9

Villanova Students Visit the Kelly Writers House p. 10

Villanova Haveners at Radio City Music Hall p. 12

Men’s Soccer Advances to Big East Semifinals p. 13

Women’s Basketball Opens Season Against Princeton p. 14

Football Set for Last Regular Season Home Game p. 15

Continued on p. 13

Cate McCusker

Co-Editor-in-Chief

Continued on p. 5

2 | The Villanovan

News Opinion Culture Sports

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

NEWS

1 6 9 13

PUBLIC SAFETY BLOTTER

VOL. 113 | ISS. 9 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan

CATE McCUSKER Editor-in-Chief JACK ROBERGE Editor-in-Chief MADISON BURKE Associate Editor-in-Chief ARIANA MEGERIAN Digital Editor SARAH SWEENEY News Editor SARAH WISNIEWSKI News Editor TINA ARON Opinion Editor VIVI MELKONIAN Opinion Editor A.J. FEZZA Culture Editor ELENA ROUSE Culture Editor CHLOE MILLER Culture Editor COLIN BEAZLEY Sports Editor BILLY VINCI Sports Editor MOLLY BAKER Copy Desk Chief

Disorderly Conduct November 4 Main Campus Grounds A male resident student acted disordely in the presence of a University staff member.

Carrying a False Identification Card/ Liquor Underage/Public Drunkenness November 6 Good Counsel Hall An uniffiliated female, under the age of 21, appeared in public intoxicated and was found to be carrying false identification cards. She was transported by VEMS to the hospital.

Liquor Underage November 7 Sheehan Hall A male resident student, under the age of 21, was found intoxicated and evaluated

by VEMS.

Theft of Services November 7 I-1 Main Lot Garage The following male resident student was charged with Theft of Services for failing to pay parking fees as well as Trespass

by Motor Vehicle after been previously advsied he was no longer permitted to park on University property.

Criminal Mischief November 6 Stanford Hall Resident Director reported damaged exit signs within the D wing of Stanford Hall.

Policie and Facilities responded.

CONTACT villanovan.eic@gmail.com

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.

COVID-19 TRACKER Confirmed Cumulative Cases as of 8:00 P.M. Tuesday, November 9

269

29 20.26K

158

76

Cumulative Cas- Estimated Active es (from 8/17) Cases

Residential Students

Non-Residential Students

“I didn’t get a lot of the classes I needed during registration, what do I do?”

Isn’t having a horrible registration experience kind of a Villanova rite of passage? But seriously, that is a tough position to be in. You should keep an eye on Schedule Builder because things shift around a lot in the few days after registration. Also, during Add/Drop next semester, there will be a lot of fluctuation. It helps to reach out to professors and express your interest in their class too. Ask them to notify you if any seats open up. Regardless, you’ll take all the classes you need to eventually.

“I need a formal date, and I don’t have any close guy friends I can ask. I went with someone random last time and it was...not good. Who should I take?”

CORRECTIONS

MICHAEL BRADLEY Advisor DEENA SMITH Advisor

ASK THE VILLANOVAN

Total Number of Tests (from 8/17)

35

Employees

Bad dates make good stories, right? There’s a lot of pressure to find the perfect date for formals, but honestly, our best advice is to go with someone you know you’ll have fun with. Whether that’s a blind date who’s been vetted by your friends or one of your girls, go with someone who will make your night fun.

“What are some tips for getting through the end of the semester?”

Self care is the name of the game. This next month is about to be stressful for everyone, so it’s really important to prioritize your mental health. Make sure you’re taking an adequate amount of breaks from studying as well keep that sleep schedule intact. It’s easy to feel like there’s no end in sight when it comes to school work, but we promise there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Your grades don’t define you.

Preserve your mental health during this next month, and it will all work out.

“Kelly’s or Grog?”

Our 21+ editors are partial to Grog, but always enjoy a good $2 Tuesday at Kelly’s.

Students Cast Ballots for Off-Year Election Kathy Fair Staff Writer

Planning took place amid the pandemic, which created the need for a mask and vaccination requirement. A diverse team of students were tasked with planning every aspect of the weekend, from the competition, housing accommodations for athletes and coaches, to the ceremonies and everything in between. They did this at a time like no other.

“Despite working through a unique planning year with additional tasks to ensure the safety of everyone, all expectations for this weekend were completely exceeded as the spirit of Special Olympics at Villanova returned,” Brewer said.

The sense of community that Fall Fest provided continued into Saturday night at the Victory Dance, a special event for the athletes and those that planned the weekend.

Athletes were able to celebrate all of their accomplishments and dance the night away. Justin Pritikin, the Head of Human Resources Committee, explains the feeling that the weekend brought.

“This year, the hugs felt more powerful, the dancing was more free and celebration was louder than ever,” Pritikin said.

The last of the weekend’s competition wrapped up on Sunday, followed by awards ceremonies and the Closing Ceremony to end a jampacked weekend. Athletes hugged their friends at Villanova goodbye as

they looked toward another year of training before the next Fall Festival.

For now, they are left with memories of competing, dancing at O-Town and the cheering of the crowd.

Presidential elections every four years gain a lot of attention.

However, off-year elections, like the one on Nov. 2nd, gained traction among Villanovans as well. An offyear election is a general election that occurs on odd-numbered years, whereas Federal elections take place on even-numbered years.

On Tuesday, Americans went to polls or mailed in their ballots to vote for governors and legislators in New Jersey and Virginia, mayors in more than 250 cities and numerous local officials. Additionally, voters in several states had the opportunity to contribute to policies by answering ballot questions regarding taxes, the way judges are elected and several other statewide matters.

University students that are not from Pennsylvania typically request absentee ballots from their home states, register themselves in Pennsylvania or take the opportunity to mail in their ballots over Fall Break. Several students expressed the importance to them of voting during off-year elections. Emily Pintarelli, Joey Socci, Maddy Hagan and Gwynn Mak each had unique perspectives on their voting and were asked about their experiences.

Pintarelli and Socci each filled out their ballots at home in New Jersey and mailed them over fall break. Socci noted that he participated this year because “it’s important

to vote for people who have a greater impact on their local community.”

“I’m from California but switched my voter registration to Pennsylvania before the presidential election last year,” Hagan said. “I’m supposed to get the mail-in ballots every year, but I didn’t change my address this year from my old dorm, so I went to vote in person this year at the Rosemont Apartments.”

Not all students felt inclined to vote in the off-year election.

“If it’s not for the president, I usually don’t think about voting because it isn’t publicized as much,” Mak said.

Many other students have expressed that in college, it is difficult to keep up with political campaigns at home, or they don’t feel an attachment to Pennsylvania’s politics. They feel this led to their choice to not vote this year.

“I think it’s really important to vote in off years even if what’s on the ballot may not seem important or have a direct impact on us,” Hagan said. “We have a right and civic duty to vote, so when people don’t exercise that right they are choosing not to participate in our democracy. So many people in the world don’t have the right to vote in any elections, so, as someone that does have that right, I plan to take advantage of it.”

Pintarelli agreed saying, “I voted to carry out my civic duty,” she said. “Even though it’s easy to assume that your one vote doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, not voting is essentially giving up your voice. I believe it is more

important to learn about different candidates and determine what issues are important to me. I use this information and my voice to enact change by making a decision that positively affects my life and the lives of those around me.”

“Voting allows us to create change with what we think is wrong in the country. College students need to take advantage of their ability to vote in order to ensure that the politicians in power actually care about issues that affect them and will create progress for these issues after the election.”

The students monitored their respective election results and look forward to voting again in next year’s elections.

Villanova students voted in the off-year election.

Courtesy of Scott McIntyre/Bloomberg, Getty Images

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

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University Releases Sexual Violence Climate Survey

The email also contained instructions for students who wished to complete the survey.

Students were encouraged to complete the survey in a private space.

On Oct. 26, University In addition, the email advised President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, students to not share the unique O.S.A., PhD sent an email to all survey link or give anyone access undergraduate, graduate and law to a Villanova email account. Parschool students requesting them to ticipants were also advised to close complete the University’s Sexual their web browser when the survey Violence Climate Survey. Faculwas completed. ty and staff were also invited to

The survey contains five take part in the survey. sections including four core secThe survey assists the University’s tions and one that is randomly administration in assessing the en- assigned. Students can expect to vironment on campus surrounding take between 15 and 30 minutes to incidents of sexual violence. It was complete the survey depending on first sent out to students in 2015 the length of their responses. and then again in 2018.

Due to the sensitive ques The survey was developed tions in the survey, students are no with EverFi, the corporation that required to answer all questions also provides first year students and may exit the survey if they with their Alcohol Education and have any discomfort while particiSexual Assault Education courses pating. prior to orientation. EverFi uti According to Ryan Rost, lized the White House Task Force the Title IX Coordinator, the to develop the survey. President University experienced an increase Obama signed in the force in in response rate from the 2015 2014 as a way to protect students to 2018 survey. In 2015, 30% of against sexual violence. undergraduate students participat In the email sent to all ed and in 2018 33% did. Rost is students, the Office of Strategic optimistic the trend will continue Planning and Institutional Effecthis year and the University will tiveness (OSPIE), emphasized that see an increase in the number of the survey is anonymous. OSPIE students who choose to complete also reminded students in the the survey. email how important hearing from EverFi advised the Universtudents is when addressing issues sity that any response above 20% such as sexual violence on camwill provide the administration pus. with reliable data.

“By participating in this

To hopefully increase the anonymous survey, you will number of students responses this provide critical insights to help year, the University utilized soprotect and support Villanova cial media accounts to spread the students,” the email read. “This word. It’s On Us Nova was one survey will allow Villanova to deInstagram account that partnered velop and enhance resources and with the University to promote the response efforts related to sexual survey. violence.”

Rost explained that in Sarah Wisniewski Co-News Editor

September a focus group was conducted among students to enhance the survey this year. One of the key takeaways from the group was promoting the survey via social media.

The Title IX Coordinator also explained that in past surveys there were patterns identified by the University. Among the trends seen was the common occurrence for first year students to have a negative experience. In the survey, experience can be defined as “non-consensual or unwanted sexual contact.”

A time period known as the “Red Zone,” which refers to the first six to ten weeks students are on a college campus, was identified as time to be extra careful about. This time is nationally known as a more vulnerable time period for incoming students as they adjust to independence in college.

In the 2015 survey results it was noted that 57% of experiences reported by females were from first year students.

Other trends can be found in the reports, which are released for all University students or staff to read. The results can be found through MyNova.

The University takes such findings and evaluates as much of the data as they can. Then the administration decides what resources they can provide or increase to address student concerns. Policies may also be added or amended in order to better the climate on campus.

In recent years, the University has look closer at identifying which groups may be more at risk of having negative experiences.

This includes the categories of gender, race, ethnicity and sexual

orientation.

One of the many issues the University faced after the 2015 results were evaluated included individuals not telling anyone about their negative experiences.

In order to address this issue, the Office of Health Promotion increased resources and prevention efforts. The office also worked with the Sexual Assault Resource Coordinator (SARC) to increase education and events for students. After these changes were implemented, in the 2018 survey, the school saw a decrease in female students who chose to not tell anyone of their experience.

“We want to eliminate experiences of unwanted sexual contact within our community.

But if they do occur, we do not want students to go through their healing alone,” Rost said. “We want an increase in confidence of survivors that if they tell someone about their experience, they will be supported.”

Overall, the survey is one of the many ways for the University to hear directly from students.

Rost encourages all students to participate regardless of whether they have personally been a victim of sexual violence.

“This is one of the many ways students can have a voice as it relates to a very important topic nationwide and specifically at Villanova,” Rost said. “We want to hear their voice if they did not have an experience unwanted or non-consensual sexual contact, their voice is still important.”

Any student who wishes to speak to someone or access on and off campus resources can visit www.villanova.edu/sexualassault or speak to a member of the SARC team.

University Welcomes New VP of Admin. and Operations Sarah Sweeney Co-News Editor

Starting at the end of this month, the University will have a new Executive Vice President of Administration and Operations, Roger Demareski ‘91. He will succeed Kenneth G. Valosky ‘82, who is retiring after holding the role for more than 21 years.

After graduating from the University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Civil Engineering, Demareski served as a Senior Project Manager at Turner Construction Company.

He later went on to receive an MBA from Seton Hall University in Finance and Financial Management Services, before becoming Associate Vice President for Administration there.

He later moved to Princeton University, where he served as Assistant Vice President. He now comes to campus from Lafayette College, where he served as VP Finance and Administration.

While at Lafayette, Demareski was responsible for auxiliary and business services, finance, facilities management, real estate development, sustainability, risk management and safety and secu-

rity.

Among his most impactful contributions to the campus were the creation of a 10-year campus stewardship program focusing on IT and utility infrastructure, an updated campus space plan, improved campus services that increased offerings and reduced spending, as well as an improved campus safety and emergency preparedness plan.

“Roger’s vast higher education experience and knowledge, coupled with his familiarity with Villanova’s mission and values, made him stand out among a very impressive group of national candidates,” University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D. said. “Roger will be an incredible asset to our senior leadership team, and I look forward to working closely with him in this role.”

At Villanova, Demareski’s responsibilities as Executive Vice President of Administration and Operations will include overseeing the Universities administrative functions, as well as a wide array of key operational areas, comprising Facilities Management, Human Resources, Information Technology, Auxiliary Services, Public Safety, Emergency Management and Government Relations and

External Affairs.

He will also join Villanova’s Executive Council and President’s Cabinet, where he will develop institutional-wide strategies for leveraging University resources in alignment with the University’s academic priorities, missions and goals.

“I am honored and excited

to be coming home to the place that was transformational in my life,” Demareski said. “The opportunity to help Father Peter, his leadership team and the entire Villanova family elevate the University to even greater heights is one I happily embrace. I cannot wait to get started.”

Roger Demareski will be the new Executive Vice President of Administration and Operations.

Courtesy of Villanova University

4 | The Villanovan

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Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Lepage Center Hosts Event Covering Migration in the U.S. Isabella Irwin Staff Writer Erin Costa Staff Writer

The Albert Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest has been holding scholarly lectures and discussions addressing the theme of turning points in history.

On Wednesday, Nov. 3, the topic was Central American human displacement and migration. This webinar detailed the history of Central American migration, focusing on the roles that racialization and U.S military intervention played in emigration from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

Raul Diego Rivera Hernandez moderated three scholars, Leisy Abrego, Ph.D., Amelia Frank Vitale, Ph.D. and Jason De León, Ph.D., in their discussion of the history and impact of migration from Central America.

The first question discussed how both the political and social turbulence that plagued the Northern triangle of Central America and American intervention affected Central American migration. Abrego responded with regard to El Salvador, explaining the “long history of military repression that has marked the people and country.”

She described the 1932 massacre of 30,000 mostly indigneous Salvadorians at the hands of Salvadoran soldiers for protesting oppressive government policies. She asserted that such violence, coupled with extreme government impunity, effectively silenced people.

Vitale asserted that large-scale migration out of Honduras did not happen until after Hurricane Mitch, which destroyed the physical and

social networks of the country. She also discussed how U.S. intervention impacted immigration.

Vitale emphasized that the relationship between the U.S. and Honduras is “militaristic and imperial.”

In 2009, there was a coup that removed President Manuel Zelaya from power, instating Roberto Micheletti. In 2017, Micheletti ran again knowing the U.S. would back him, further solidifying this “facade of democracy”. In 2018, an “exodus” of Honduras exploded following these fraudulent elections.

De León further discussed how U.S. intervention played a role in migration from Honduras and Mexico. He explained that the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) was “supposed to be a bilateral trade agreement,” but instead, has restricted and limited citizens to “making Levi jeans for no money.”

Thus, U.S. intervention has made life unlivable for Central Americans, forcing them to migrate. The Reagan administration poured money into the Honduran military with the onset of the Contras in Nicaragua.

Honduras was then “primed for an American style militarization” (De León). This led to widespread kidnappings, which ramped up violence, making life even more unlivable for citizens. In 2014, Honduras was branded a humanitarian crisis as Hondurans “poured out.”

Hernandez’s second question asked the speakers to reflect on the impact and consequences of U.S. immigration policies on migrants. De León explained that most immigrants from Central America attempt to apply for asylum but are strategically deterred by long waiting periods at border camps.

He said that these deterrents are a “primary brutalization tactic” of the U.S. government. Among the

many consequences of these deterrent tactics is an increase in unsafe and illegal immigration, which often leads to death and endangerment of Central American migrants.

Vitale attributed the origin of Central American migrant caravans to safe passage through Central America. Human rights activists started these caravans in 2011, but the Guadio Nationale (Mexican National Guard) and the U.S. government have since employed militaristic tactics at caravans to effectively decrease migration. This creates an even greater increase in unsafe migration through remote areas.

Abrego highlighted the prevalence of family separation at the border due to U.S. immigration policies beginning in the 1980s.

She explained how family separation was prevalent long before the Trump administration, despite the attention it garnered under him.

Families were kept and detained in different places, which further victimized migrants. She affirmed that such problems with U.S. immigration policy have culminated throughout past administrations.

Lastly, Hernandez asked the scholars to explain their thoughts regarding the racialization and legality of immigrant communities. Abrego began by explaining the racialization of Central Americans in the U.S., which she witnessed first-hand growing up in the Southwest.

Abrego talked about how Central Americans are portrayed as inherently “violent people who threaten the capitalist system of the U.S.” She argued that this rhetoric developed further under the Trump administration, as he viewed Central American migrants as gang members and drug dealers. Furthermore, she highlighted that the “illegal” status that U.S. immigration policy perpetuates makes it even harder for migrants

to “thrive.”

De León explained that “migration is a highly racialized space.” He spoke about how social scientists only write about Mexican males as migrants, but “the diversity of those groups are much deeper.”

De León further discussed how “indigeneity and skin tone” are often looked at with regard to migrants.

He referenced the recent photo that emerged of a Haitian border patrol agent whipping a man, asserting that this was only “unique” because there was a photo, and that such acts are extremely prevalent.

Vitale built off De León’s argument, explaining that the “illegalization of people contributes to the violence of racialization.” She described how in Mexico, Central Americans are considered “illegal and it is their lack of legal status that puts them in danger.”

Vitale recounted a story from her research in Central America, in which a Honduran man was told to change his name to sound more Mexican so he would not be targeted by organized crime groups. Additionally, she argued that the intersection of an illegal status with race is not unique to the U.S., as the marginalization and criminalization of migrants, more specifically men, happens as “they move through border and immigrant systems who continue to view them as illegal.”

This webinar served as an insightful discussion of turning points in history with regard to Central American migration.

Abrego, Vitale and De León shared their extensive knowledge and research into this topic. To attend future webinars, The Albert Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest has a website dedicated to the Turning Point Event Series.

Congress Passes $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Alexandra Spath Staff Writer

On Friday, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which President Joe Biden will sign into law this week as a major part of his economic agenda.

The bill includes $550 billion in new federal investments in U.S. infrastructure over a period of five years.

In a press conference Saturday, President Biden called the bill “a once-in-a-generation investment that’s going to create millions of jobs modernizing our infrastructure — our roads, our bridges, our broadband, a whole range of things — to turn the climate crisis into an opportunity.”

According to projections from the Congressional Budget Office, the bill will add approximately $256 billion to the federal deficit over the next decade. To finance this new spending package, the federal government will repurpose unspent COVID-19 emergency relief funds and strengthen tax enforcement for cryptocurrencies.

The bill will allocate $110

billion for roads, bridges and major infrastructure projects, along with an additional $40 billion for bridge repair, rehabilitation and replacement.

Twenty percent of the highways and major roads in the U.S. are in poor condition, as are 45,000 bridges. These measures are intended to ensure safe travel and efficient transportation of goods.

The bill also includes provisions to upgrade airports, ports and waterways.

The bill allocates $39 billion to modernize and expand public transportation to meet environmental goals and rider demand. These measures would update railways and bus fleets, make transit more accessible and introduce public transportation to communities that lack it.

The package also includes $1 billion to reconnect communities that have been divided by highways and other infrastructure projects.

This issue primarily affects disproportionately Black neighborhoods. The funding will be used to plan, demolish and reconstruct street grids, parks and other infra-

structure.

The improvements proposed in the infrastructure bill are in line with the Biden Administration’s climate agenda.

The package includes provisions to implement zero- and low-emission buses and ferries, build a nationwide network of plug-in electric vehicle chargers and expand renewable energy.

These efforts reflect the commitment that President Biden, European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson have made to addressing the climate crisis through infrastructure.

On Nov. 11, these three world leaders endorsed five key principles for infrastructure development, the first of which states that “infrastructure should be climate resilient and developed through a climate lens.”

The bill is intended not only to improve infrastructure and address climate change, but also to create new job opportunities for Americans.

According to the White House, these investments, along with Biden’s Build Back Better

Agenda, are projected to add around two million jobs per year over the course of the decade.

These jobs will become available in all different parts of the country, including areas deeply impacted by the recent decline in manufacturing jobs, and most of them will not require a college degree.

According to President Biden, “this is a blue-collar blueprint to rebuild America. And it’s long overdue.”

While the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a major victory for Biden’s agenda, he has yet to secure the passage of the Build Back Better Act, a major spending bill aimed at reducing the costs of childcare and eldercare, making healthcare and prescriptions more affordable and reducing taxes for the working class.

During the press conference on the bipartisan infrastructure package, Biden looked forward to this next piece of legislation, saying “I’m also proud that the House took a big step toward — forward to pass my Build Better — my Build Back Better Act, which for the week of Nov. 15, they’re going to be taking up.”

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Class of 2025 SGA Senator Resigns After Slur Allegation Cate McCusker

Co-Editor-in-Chief Continued from p. 1

“We will be working to have a replacement senator,” said Levine, as now the Class of 2025 only has five of the six senate positions filled in SGA.

“This is a situation we have not run into in recent memory, so we aren’t necessarily sure of what the precedent is, but we’re working on figuring that out.”

In response to the allegation, both Levine and Olvera expressed their disappointment.

“I wouldn’t think that a member of SGA would act in such a way and conduct themselves in such a manner,” Olvera said. “As a person of color, it honestly hurts. It’s not cool.

It’s 2021, and there are still instances of racial discrimination and prejudice towards students of color by the white majority here.

“Overall, SGA, we are not going to stand for these types of incidents or issues. We’re not here

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to stand for any actions that harm marginalized identities on campus (sic). We’re here to stand up for the whole student body. We will do so impartially, but we will do so in the right way and in a just way, to make sure that everyone is included. We are not going to allow people within the organization to produce and reproduce exactly what we’re trying to move from.”

Moving forward, SGA will be focusing on supporting students within the organization and the greater student body.

“Our immediate focus is supporting both our members and members of color in SGA,” Levine said. “We’ve talked a lot, and we will be having space for us to get together as an organization and talk through what happened.

“In a larger response, it’s really important that SGA, like any other organization and student on this campus, is really cognizant of the fact that Villanova still has a lot of room to grow in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion. We need to make sure we’re not just talking about these issues, but we’re also taking action.”

Special Olympics Returns with Fall Fest Nicole Celis Staff Writer Continued from p. 1

walking, powerlifting and roller skating. This event was made possible by the student volunteers that organized the weekend: the Committee made up of 102 students that work tirelessly for months planning the weekend, Volunteer Coordinators (VCs), LPHs and Inclusion Crew.

Planning took place amid the pandemic, which created the need for a mask and vaccination requirement. A diverse team of students were tasked with planning every aspect of the weekend, from the competition, housing accommodations for athletes and coaches, to the ceremonies and everything in between. They did this at a time like no other.

“Despite working through a unique planning year with additional tasks to ensure the safety of everyone, all expectations for this weekend were completely exceeded

as the spirit of Special Olympics at Villanova returned,” Brewer said.

The sense of community that Fall Fest provided continued into Saturday night at the Victory Dance, a special event for the athletes and those that planned the weekend. Athletes were able to celebrate all of their accomplishments and dance the night away.

Justin Pritikin, the Head of Human Resources Committee, explains the feeling that the weekend brought.

“This year, the hugs felt more powerful, the dancing was more free and celebration was louder than ever,” Pritikin said.

The last of the weekend’s competition wrapped up on Sunday, followed by awards ceremonies and the Closing Ceremony to end a jam-packed weekend.

Athletes hugged their friends at Villanova goodbye as they looked toward another year of training before the next Fall Festival. For now, they are left with memories of competing, dancing at O-Town and the cheering of the crowd.

Refectory Hosts First Private Event Since Re-Opening Sarah Wisniewski Co-News Editor

On Oct. 18, Realtor Michelle Leonard hosted another “Dine and Dish” dinner, this time at The Refectory of Villanova University.

The series was introduced

by Leonard as an opportunity for keynote speakers to share their stories among a variety of guests including Main Line business owners, local celebrities, friends and so on.

The event this past October featured Chris Therien, a former Philadelphia Flyer and broadcaster. Therien shared his personal story of battling alcoholism and the journey of opening a recovery center known as Limitless.

More than 50 guests attended the event, which is the first dinner Leonard has hosted since the pandemic began over a year ago. Each ticket was $50, and a portion of the proceeds went to Limitless Recovery Center in Fishtown.

The event began at 6 p.m. withcocktails and mingling. Leonard and Therien kept the event intimate and friendly as the pair took photos with all their guests upon arrival.

Following the photo-ops, Chef Biff Gottehrer and his team provided guests with appetizers, entrees and dessert. Appetizers included a fall harvest salad, brisket flatbread, wild mushroom flatbread and beef sliders.

The main courses included whole wheat campanelle, roasted prime rib and pan seared salmon. The three-course meal ended with a cosmic deep dish brownie, ricotta donuts and peach custard.

Guests could be overheard praising the meal.

“It’s all fabulous,” a female guest told General Manager Steve Khuu. “We will definitely be back.”

At the completion of the meal, Leonard took to the mic to thank her guests. She was generous in providing individual acknowledgements for close friends and repeat guests of “Dine and Dish.”

Among the Leonard’s shoutouts were a few well known individuals of the area. Eddie Ross, Co-founder and Chief Content Creator of Maximalist Studies was among the crowd. NBC 10’s Tracy Davidson and PHL17 news anchor Nick Foley were also at the event. Brian O’Neill, the CEO of Recovery Centers of America was also an important guest in attendance.

Nick Foley, the morning anchor for PHL17, spoke after Leonard. Foley provided brief details of Therien’s career in the National Hockey League and as a broadcaster with the Flyers. He also touched upon Therien’s character.

“A lot of people gravitate towards Chris,” Foley said. “He is no stranger to struggles and personal tragedies.”

Therien then began to share the story of his struggles with alcohol as a young athlete. He explained that playing alongside legends caused stress to stockpile in his life.

In addition to the pressure of being in the NHL, the sudden death of his sibling caused Therien to spiral further into alcohol. A few beers after a tough game soon became addiction for the hockey star.

“Alcohol was now controlling me,” Therien said. “You may have another run in you but

not another recovery.”

The hockey star praised his wife and children for not only assisting him in recovery but being the reason to seek help. Therien had his last drink on Feb. 11, 2011, and has been sober since.

Following his time as a broadcaster, Therien decided he could use his personal journey as a way to help others. Therien described being let go from his broadcasting job as the first “slap on the wrist” of sobriety.

“I had to ask myself, ‘What am I good at?’” Therien shared. “I thought drinking but also under-

standing the pain of it.”

Thus, Therien and a friend opened Limitless, and now assist individuals battling alcoholism through outpatient programs, education, support and therapy.

The special guest finished his speech with a reminder to the guests.

“Every day is a blessing,” Therien said.

Leonard will be hosting another dinner of this series on Nov. 15 at The Refectory. The speaker is yet to be announced but the event is sure to be nothing short of excellence yet again.

Leonard hosted the event and Therien was the keynote speaker.

Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale

6 | The Villanovan

OPINION

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

OPINION

Vasey Hall Should be Repurposed into a DEI Center

in the four years I’ve been here, and I wouldn’t know what its purpose was if Lindsay Gallagher I wasn’t signed up for an art class next semester,” senior Daryl Jucar said.

Staff Writer

So if the undergrads aren’t using Vasey, then who is? Officially, it’s the home of the College of Profes On Aug. 4, 2020, the Black sional Studies, Villanova Institute for Student Union wrote a letter to Teaching and Learning, VUnited, Father Peter and the greater Villanothe Studio Art department and the va community with six action items new Prince Family Veterans Resource for the University to improve life for Black and other marginalized students Center. The ground floor was recently on campus. One of these action items renovated, but the first and second is yet to be mentioned or addressed by floor offices and classrooms are relathe administration over a year later is tively old and worn-down.

Vasey is also home to a blackthe development of a diversity center box stage that was previously used by –– a physical space on campus “that celebrates the minoritized identities of the graduate program in Theatre, but it has become more of a multipurpose our student body, and that serves as space since the construction of the a resource center to house the offices Mullen Center last year. It would also and programs which provide guidmake more sense for the College of ance for Black students, students of Professional Studies’ headquarters to color and LGBTQIA+ students.” be in a place on campus that’s more

I think the perfect place for accessible by cars and public transporthis diversity center would be Vasey tation (instead of the pedestrian-foHall on Main Campus. cused Quad) like Garey or St. Mary’s.

Vasey, in my opinion, is

The University has several currently an underutilized space at different offices dedicated to DEI, inVillanova. It’s right across from the cluding the Office of Diversity, Equity Connelly Center and steps away and Inclusion, the Center for Access, from Dougherty Hall and the Quad Success and Achievement and the Ofresidence halls, which are all highly trafficked by undergraduate students. fice of Intercultural Affairs. Although each office has a unique mandate (inHowever, most undergrads don’t stitutional, academic/professional and spend a lot of time in Vasey at all. social DEI efforts, respectively), if all

“I have never been in Vasey

of these teams of faculty were located in the same physical space, it could promote more cooperation among them.

A dedicated building would also make it easier for people to figure out where to go in the event that they’re looking for support. Many students, especially those who are new to Villanova or new to DEI work, may not be familiar with the specific jurisdiction of each office. If we want members of our community to engage in inclusion efforts, we should remove as many roadblocks as possible and make the path to accessing ideas and support seem welcoming.

Some of our peer institutions have outstanding examples of diversity centers that we could draw inspiration from. When I walked around Northeastern’s campus, I was struck by the brownstones and sophisticated glass buildings that housed the John D. O’Bryant African American Institute, Asian American Center and Latinx Student Cultural Center, among others, if they can find space for standalone DEI buildings in downtown Boston, so can we.

Williams College is in the process of combining three adjoining DEI offices to create one unified Davis Center containing a library, study and meeting space, offices, an outdoor classroom and “celebration

lawn.” Williams’ website describes the goal of this renovation to be “[going] beyond inclusion by providing every student the opportunity to experience a fundamental sense of belonging on campus and ownership of the college.”

It’s important to have externally visible reminders of DEI, especially at a PWI such as Villanova, to both symbolically demonstrate its importance to us and pragmatically facilitate an enriching environment for marginalized students. Walking through the building, one could stumble upon a club meeting that you were previously unaware of and decide to learn more about it. In an LGBTQ+ study space/lounge, one could strike up a conversation with someone that isn’t ready to be ‘out’ yet to the rest of campus and offer them advice or friendship.

Most importantly, establishing a physical presence dedicated to marginalized communities is a way to show them that we want them to take up space on campus. ODEI is tucked somewhere inside Tolentine. OIA has a tiny office upstairs in Dougherty.

I think the University’s diverse students deserve more than this and deserve for their administration to proudly display their commitment to creating a more inclusive campus and world.

Increase Unique Fundraising Opportunities on Campus Joe Adams Staff Writer

This past weekend, I had the unique opportunity to do something special: I was able to run in the 50th New York City Marathon.

This race was remarkable for a number of reasons. First, it was my first marathon ever (and, luckily, I finished). Next, it was the first in-person New York City Marathon in 735 days. But most importantly to me, I was running the race for a great cause.

In June, I received an email from the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation. The subject line read, “Run The New York City Marathon with B+!” Intrigued, I called my mom and asked her what she thought of the idea. I would get guaranteed free entry into the largest marathon in the United States at a time when there were no spots left for new runners to sign up. I had to raise a minimum of $3,250, but it was for a foundation that I believe in and care about so much.

Here at Villanova, we fundraise hundreds of thousands of dollars each year through NOVAdance, all helping to fight against childhood cancer and supporting families who need help with financial assistance during their difficult times. I was honored that I received that email in June, I’m so glad I took the chance to run in this unforgettable race for the B+ Foundation.

After completing the marathon, I strongly believe that the University should implement

Joe Adams ran in the NYC Marathon in support of NOVADance and the B+ Foundation.

Courtesy of Joe Adams

unique opportunities, like the one I had this past weekend, for its students. Being able to complete life bucket list goals, while also raising money for a great cause, is the perfect combination for students looking to make the most of their time at Villanova, while also being adventurous.

So, what would this look like? How could we create a program that encourages students to go outside of their comfort zone, while also doing good for the larger community? I think the answer lies in creating a new club or program on campus that allows for more events like the marathon

to be offered.

There would be two components to this. First is the unique bucket list event. It could be a marathon, bungee jumping, skydiving, a tough mudder, a service trip, climbing up the side of a mountain or scuba diving in Hawaii, each of these events would surely pique the interest of so many students looking to go out and get a boost of adrenaline.

The second component, of equal importance, would be the fundraising aspect. Sure, it would be cool to cross an item off of your bucket list, cover the cost with your own expenses and call it

a day. But, we have the unique opportunity at Villanova to do good for our community and the larger world.

I think that raising money to help those who need it would leave much more of an impact.

We could become a University that fundraises record amounts of money for so many charities and foundations across the country, all while having fun along the way. I have no doubt that this would be a great way to not only get more students involved in fundraising and raising awareness for important causes, but also help create a sense of adventure and unique fun at the University.

After my team of 14 combined to raise more than $60,000 for the B+ Foundation, I am confident that countless students could do the same (and more) to make a difference in the world.

I am so grateful for the opportunity I was given to run for the B+ Foundation, and with each challenge during the 26.2 mile journey, I thought about the kids and families that I fundraised for.

They motivated me to the finish line, and I think this would be the best part about implementing a permanent program like this at the University. Life’s challenges can help remind us of those less fortunate, and can help ground us and remember the importance of these unique opportunities.

So, let’s create a program for students looking to get more involved, cross some items off of their bucket list and most importantly, do good for the global community.

EDITORIAL BOARD

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

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

CATE McCUSKER Editor-in-Chief JACK ROBERGE MADISON BURKE TINA ARON VIVI MELKONIAN

The Villanovan | 7

OPINION

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

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.

Masking Should Stay After the Pandemic Carter Smith Staff Writer

Whenever I step inside the Villanova Starbucks, I am reminded of one of the big differences between here and my home city of Tacoma, Washington: masking culture.

We are still in the midst of a global pandemic, and until public health officials have declared that the spread and severity of COVID-19 is low enough to be considered with the likes of the flu, I will continue to advocate for public masking, even where not required. This is because one can still carry the disease post-vaccination and show no symptoms, and while 95% of Villanovans are vaccinated, not everybody we meet will be fully protected, hence why some groups must get boosters.

Even post-pandemic, I think wearing masks during cold and flu season should become the norm.

Some of my fellow students have made the argument that exposure to cold and flu viruses can actually be a good thing because it keeps our immune system “strong and active.” I’m sorry, but what are they

talking about?

For most diseases we do this with a vaccine, but the cold and flu mutate incredibly often, resulting in immunity not lasting very long, hence the need for a new flu shot every year.

From March 2020 through the first few weeks of this semester, I did not get sick once, which can certainly be attributed to the masks. And you know what? I don’t think anybody likes getting sick.

If wearing a mask in places where there are a lot of sick people prevents me from getting sick, sign me up.

Sickness was certainly sweeping through campus during the first few weeks of this semester (I can certainly recall that there were more people coughing in my classes as the days went by), and it seemed that a lot less people got sick after the mask mandate was implemented.

Many of us usually catch some form of cold during the winter months. However, we still have scholastic and academic obligations where if we take a day or two to stay home and rest it off, we fall tremendously behind. Wearing a mask can solve that problem, as

you can still get on with your normal routine and not spread your cold to everybody else.

With the obvious benefits to public health in mind, I feel that masking when one is sick should become commonplace in the US. However, as much as I can hope that this will happen, the realist in me does not believe my fellow Americans will be interested in keeping these things around.

Anti-mask culture in the states has become a huge problem since the beginning of the pandemic, with the issue becoming highly politicized. The topic is no longer one of public health, but one of political alignment. The vitriol with which members of the far-right side of American politics renounce masking spells doom for a universal mask culture sticking around.

People are also fatigued with having to wear masks nearly everywhere, every day for a year and a half, myself included. During the summer of 2020, I can recall that many people were incredibly diligent about wearing their masks correctly, but I am now seeing more and more masks being worn below the nose. Laziness has crept in, and these people are side-stepping the

whole reason to wear the masks. I wear pretty thick masks, and you’ll never catch my nose hanging out.

If I can breathe and speak well in my mask, you’ll be fine in your thin surgical one. Wearing your mask correctly is really not that difficult.

From what I’ve come to understand, the mask culture in my home state of Washington is unlike many other places in the country, and judging by what I have seen in eastern Pennsylvania, most people have abandoned masking in places where they aren’t required. If this is the case in a politically neutral (relatively) place while COVID-19 still rages, and during cold and flu season, I have little hope that masks will become commonplace in the future.

Regardless of public perception, my collection of masks will certainly not be tucked in the back of a drawer and gather dust for the foreseeable future once COVID-19 is no longer the boogeyman of the world. Will I maybe get some strange looks pulling up to a class or gathering in a mask? Maybe. But I think it is worth it to remain fully functioning when my comrades are down and out, and I hope other people will think so too.

Reconciliation Bill Makes the Case for Federalism Brendan Donoghue Staff Writer

Looking to cement his legacy as a transformational president, President Joe Biden has poured most of his legislative priorities into one omnibus spending bill known as the “Build Back Better” plan. Initially proposed with a whopping $3.5 trillion price tag, progressive Democrats have had to compromise with the more moderate faction of their caucus, whittling the bill down to a “meager” $1.75 trillion framework.

Democrats hold a three seat majority in the House, and with Independent Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine caucusing with the Democrats, the Senate is essentially split 50/50 between Democrats and Republicans with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking a tie. Since it is eligible to be passed in the Senate under reconciliation, Republicans cannot block a vote with the filibuster, enabling Senate Democrats to pass the measure with a simple majority and no Republican support.While Democrats work to craft a passable bill, considerable negotiating effort has been spent attempting to bridge the gap between progressive and moderate members of the Democratic Caucus. Such negotiations highlight the virtue of an overlooked yet fundamental principle of American government: federal-

ism. In a country of more than 330 million people, it is nearly impossible to arrive at policy considerations that are acceptable to a broad swath of Americans, and it often feels impossible to create consensus between the national representatives of the American people. Such struggles are a feature of the American system, not a bug. House Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) summed up House progressives’ attitudes towards the Build Back Better plan when asked about the state of negotiations: “there is too much at stake for working families and our communities to settle for something that can be later misunderstood, amended or abandoned altogether.”

I do not doubt that communities in Representative Jayapal’s district care deeply about the elements of Build Back Better. After all, they ostensibly elected her to represent their interests. Fortunately, the American system already consists of governing bodies that legislate issues of concern to particular communities, namely the states. Members of communities elect legislators who are intimately aware of their concerns and who rule not in Washington, but in their own backyards. Negotiations do not take place between legislators representing vastly different economies nearly unrecognizable to one another but between those representing neighboring counties. This is not to suggest that all states are homogenous, but there

is certainly more homogeneity within states than between them. State legislators are empowered to institute programs desired by the citizens within their jurisdictions. If citizens do not like the laws and programs of their state, they can move to another state that has not instituted such laws or programs.

The Constitution of the United States is a remarkable document that requires major decisions to take place at the most local level possible.

It grants specific powers and jurisdictions to the federal government, leaving other powers to states and municipalities. Under the American system, if the community members from Representative Jayapal’s district want 12 weeks of paid family leave, they can elect state legislators and a governor who would institute such a plan, drawing taxes from and bestowing benefits upon those who support the proposal. If citizens living in Senator Manchin’s state of West Virginia do not want the same plans that Representative Jayapal’s constituents do, they are under no obligation to institute such plans.

During the 2012 presidential election, Republican nominee Mitt Romney was criticized for opposing health care regulation at the federal level that he supported at the state level while governor of Massachusetts. Far from contradictory, Romney’s position demonstrated an understanding of the beauty of the American federalist

system. States do what the federal government cannot and should not do. Rather than ram life-altering legislation through a 50/50 senate, Democrat senators should return to their states and encourage their constituents to contact their city counselors, state legislators and governors.

If citizens of Vermont want government subsidies for hearing, dental and vision care, there is no reason that they should demand Alabama citizens follow in their footsteps. Vermont’s government is perfectly competent enough to institute such subsidies at the state level.

Federalism allows for the needs of individuals and communities to be met by the legislators beholden to those individuals and communities. Instead of trying to negotiate a broad spending package acceptable to both New York and Nebraska, the federal government should allow each respective state to legislate themselves as it sees fit. Everyday life experience demonstrates that consensus is more easily arrived at among small groups than among large conglomerates. States and localities are better equipped to meet the needs of their citizens than 538 egotistic politicians in Washington, D.C. who represent economically and culturally diverse constituencies. If Biden wants to leave a positive legacy, he should praise the constitutional system rather than spend four years trying to hammer a square peg into a round hole.

8 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

OPINION

Ben Simmons and Setting an Example for Pro Athletes Jacob Artz Staff Writer

If a student received a 34.2% on an exam, would he or she be considered successful? Absolutely not. A professor surely would fail Ben Simmons’s for this free throw percentage in the 2021 NBA Playoffs.

The Simmons saga is angering the city of Philadelphia, since he has barely taken responsibility for his role in the Sixers loss in the playoffs.

Despite basketball being a team game, when the team’s star player does not play well, he is responsible for shouldering some of the blame.

Before the origin of the saga, the Sixers clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference and dispatched the Washington Wizards in five games in the first round Eastern Conference playoff series. However, the Eastern Conference Semifinals playoff series against Atlanta was the beginning of the end for Simmons.

Simmons struggled mightily in the series. The most popular

moment was when Simmons infamously passed up a wide-open layup with 3:30 to go in a win-or-go-home Game 7 in the Atlanta series. It continued to get worse, as Simmons only converted 15 out of 45 free throws, which amounts to 33%.

This free throw percentage was the worst in history for an NBA player with at least 70 attempts, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Yet Simmons continues to distract a Sixers team that is aspiring for an NBA championship. He refuses treatment from the Sixers physicians over his mental health, per NBC Sports Philadelphia, and continues to harm the team in his path.

This has forced the Sixers to once again fine Simmons $360,000 last Friday for every game he has missed until he “cooperates with team physicians on his mental health issues and fulfills other basketball-related obligations,” per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

I completely agree with the Sixers here because Simmons is failing to provide any details about his mental health progress to the team.

The administration should hit him where it hurts with his game checks and overall salary.

The team is doing just that.

The Sixers placed Simmons’s overall salary in escrow, meaning that a third party distributes the money for the transacting parties, depending on if the conditions are met. The Sixers already withheld $8.25 million that Simmons was owed on Oct. 1.

Simmons is failing to work with the NBA mental health professionals. This prompted the Sixers to fine him because of his “refusal to provide basic details of the course of mental health meetings, evaluation or treatments or to accept consultation with any specialists arranged by the team,” according to ESPN.

Simmons’ refusal to grow as a player and support his team is immature and wrong. He is part of the team and until or if he gets traded, he needs to act like a professional.

He needs to keep the team updated on his mental health issues and come back to play as soon as possible.

The Sixers stopped fining Simmons on Oct. 22 after a team

meeting when Simmons told the team he was mentally unable to play.

On Oct. 19, Simmons was thrown out of practice for being a “distraction” and the Sixers suspended him a game for “conduct detrimental to the team,” according to NBC Sports Philadelphia.

Simmons has not shown any indication that he will return to the team, and head coach Doc Rivers said he has “no idea” when Simmons will return, via NBC Sports Philadelphia.

Where do the Sixers go from here? The Sixers seem just fine without Simmons, as they have earned a 7-2 record and lead the Eastern Conference standings, as of last Saturday.

The Sixers won five straight games before Saturday’s games were played.

Simmons is a three-time all-star, two-time all-defensive player and rookie of the year. Let him sit on the bench and be fined $360,000 per game. He must learn how to act as a professional and deal with the criticism of not playing well in the playoffs.

The Astroworld Festival Tragedy: Who’s to Blame?

AJ Fezza Co-Culture Editor

After a year and a half of COVID-19 restrictions, perhaps the most sorely-missed experience was concerts: a communal gathering centered around the love of music. This fact made it all the more sour when a crowd crush occurred at a concert on Friday, Nov. 5, leaving eight people dead, 25 people hospitalized and more than 300 people injured.

The tragedy happened at the Astroworld Festival, an annual music festival held by rapper Travis Scott at NRG Park in Houston, Texas. The concert was sold out, with about 50,000 people in attendance.

The concert quickly erupted into chaos. People were so tightly-packed together in the audience that many began to pass out or even suffer cardiac arrest. The issue became fatal when people began to fall over and vertically pile on top of each other.

The eight people that died ranged from ages 14 to 27. The victims’ causes of death are still under investigation.

On Nov. 6, the day after the concert, Scott released a statement on Twitter.

“I’m absolutely devastated by what took place last night,” Scott tweeted. “My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at the Astroworld Festival. Houston PD has my total support as they continue to look into the tragic loss of life. I am committed to working together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need. Thank you to Houston PD, Fire Department and NRG Park for their immediate response and support.”

Since the concert, many rumors have been circulating regarding what caused the mayhem

in the first place. Some cite a generally rowdy crowd, pointing to the fact that many concertgoers were trampling others since the start of the event, as they rushed past ticket checkpoints. Others have speculated that some in the crowd were injecting others with drugs. One security officer was reaching over to restrain a concertoger when he felt a prick in his neck. The officer, who soon became unconscious, was found to have been injected with the drug Narcan.

One of the most unfortunate things about this entire situation is that it was preventable.

The Astroworld Festival used the notorious method of festival seating. Instead of having reserved seats, the festival had a first-come, first-serve ticketing policy which gave concertgoers the opportunity to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in a large area. Festival seating may be ideal at many outdoor events. However, at indoor events like the Astroworld Festival, it is unnecessary and a recipe for disaster. It allows the crowd to contract into itself and crush those in the middle, giving them no means to sit or to escape the madness.

The lack of barriers at the Astroworld Festival were no help either. Barriers may have kept crowd waves from expanding beyond their immediate area.

Yet, beyond even these aforementioned logistical concerns, the biggest culprit of all is the man everyone was there for in the first place: Travis Scott.

The crowd shouted numerous times throughout the Astroworld Festival, “stop the show.” Fans on the side of the main stage repeatedly screamed for a medic and waved their hands for attention. However, Scott simply kept the concert going. Scott can’t assert a lack of knowledge about the danger below the stage because he continued to perform for more than 36 minutes after he first

Travis Scott’s concert on Nov. 5 ended in eight deaths.

Courtesy of The Houston Chronicle

noticed a person collapsing. When Scott later noticed another group of audience members toppling over and getting hurt, he told security, “help, jump in real quick, keep going,” before continuing his show yet again.

Scott easily could have made the decision at any of these points to stop the show, at least for a few minutes, to let security regain control. However, the show only ended when the promoter stepped in and shut it down.

Scott is an icon to America’s youth. He has numerous chart-topping albums and singles.

His influence even extends to children, as Scott has famously collaborated with brands like McDonald’s, PlayStation and Fortnite, and his concerts regularly attract preteens. Rap music, while being the source of most current musical innovation, has long had more violent lyrical content and a more intense concert experience. However, Scott is mainstream. Just as his presence within the rap community doesn’t limit his income, it shouldn’t limit his responsibility before the court of public opinion.

In an era that pushes for the accountability of public figures, to a degree that many even consider excessive, the public should hold Scott accountable. Blood is on his

hands.

Scott is no stranger to chaos at his concerts.

In April 2017, Scott encouraged concertgoer Kyle Green to jump off an upper-deck balcony at a show in New York City, telling Green, “I see you, but are you gonna do it? They gonna catch you.

Don’t be scared. Don’t be scared.”

The jump left Green partially paralyzed.

One month later, at a show in Rogers, Arkansas, Scott invited fans to overpower security and rush the stage. After this incident resulted in numerous injuries, Scott faced three misdemeanor charges of inciting a riot, disorderly conduct and endangering the welfare of a minor.

These incidents are just two of many. Scott’s stance toward crowd chaos is best put by his own lyrics in his song “Stargazing.”

“... it ain’t a mosh pit if ain’t no injuries, I got ‘em stage divin’ out the nosebleeds.”

Going forward, performers should use the 2021 Astroworld Festivals as an example of how not to run a concert. Also, as concerts return, University students should be wary of the risks that come with them. It can be easy to forget that large events pose dangers that extend far beyond infection.

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

CULTURE

The Villanovan | 9

CULTURE

Noel B Answering: Interview with TikTok’s Noel Doherty Sara Hecht Staff Writer

Villanovans are no strangers to viral TikTok content creators, like Jordan McMeans and Ally Jones.

Freshman Noel Doherty has recently taken the app by storm with a total of more than 112,000 followers across his three popular accounts.

On his most followed page @ NoelBDoherty, Doherty posts chaotic board game bits, house tours, and sketches inspired by Joe Sabia’s “73 Questions” for Vogue for his nearly 66,000 fans. Created just three weeks ago, Doherty’s third account, @ NoelBAskin, features interviews of fellow Villanova students inspired by both “Billy on the Streets” with Billy Eichner and “What’s Poppin?” with Davis Burleson. In its first sixteen days, Doherty’s account has already gained 50,000 followers, becoming his second most popular account.

Obvious in every video is Doherty’s witty and perfect comedic timing, two attributes which make his content natural and off the cuff, only adding to the hilarity of these sidewalk interactions. However, it was not one of these spontaneously humorous interviews or perfectly scripted skits which initially garnered fame for the comedian. Rather, Doherty shared how, during his sophomore year of high school, he experienced his first bursts of popularity on TikTok.

“The first thing I went viral for was quoting the Bee Movie,” Doherty said.

It is no wonder Doherty has achieved this level of success, as he has been training for this moment for many years now. Just like John Mulaney, his favorite comedian, who tests his new standup material in small venues before filming his popular comedy specials, Doherty has been practicing and shaping his own comedic style for years through his three different Twitter accounts, a YouTube channel and an Instagram

meme page. However, Doherty has found TikTok to be the best place for his style of humor and self-expression.

“When I was a child, I thought I’d be a YouTuber in college,” Doherty said. “But now, I am a TikToker in college. I’ve always been on my way here. I’m living my dream now.”

Even so, the extent of Doherty’s TikTok fame was somewhat of a surprise, as he joined the app before any of his friends and did so solely for his own entertainment.

“It was just for me,” Doherty said. “It was really just for me. And I met a few people on the app and now we are fun little internet friends.”

That being said, Doherty has also incorporated his real life friends and family into his video content. For example, his best friends Maeve Bonass and Maggie Elder are often featured in his videos. Elder was Doherty’s first interviewer and camera woman for his “73 Questions” series, while Bonass co-stars in Doherty’s “Guess Who?” games which later developed into one of his most popular skits.

“From there, we started throwing in other stuff: using board games, decorations and sunglasses as props for videos,” Doherty said. “The theme of those is chaos and random core. The randomness is funny in that way.”

Other moments of fame for Doherty include the iconic microwave debate with his sister, Fiona Doherty, who is a junior at Villanova. Over this past summer, the two siblings garnered the attention of more than five million viewers, including the official accounts of Charlie Puth, Whirlpool, Tinder, Colleen Ballinger (aka.

Miranda Sings) and even the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite the popularity this provided for Doherty, his talent specifically shines through in the videos for which he puts in hard work, brainstorming ideas and writing his own material, a sign of a true standup comedian. In terms of timing, Doherty shares that total production

Noel Doherty has reached TikTok fame.

Courtesy of Noel Doherty

of his videos can take several hours.

In addition to meeting new friends online and having fun with his family, filming interviews on campus has also allowed Doherty to meet new people and make many friends.

For example, his most viral TikTok is his first interview on the account @ noelbaskin featuring sophomore Rosa Marfia. In the video, the then strangers converse about their Halloween costume plans, learning that ironically, as gingers, they are both dressing as red heads for the holiday. Despite the quick interaction, the two are now friends. Coincidentally walking by at the time of the interview, Marfia was able to discuss what it has been like being the star of such a viral TikTok.

“People from my high school and family have sent it to me and a Snapchat tabloid posted it on the discover page with the title ‘Ginger on Ginger Crime,’” Marfia said. “My ASL professor played it in class for us and was really appreciative of the captions.”

Doherty seems to know everyone who passes by as he walks

through campus, usually wearing a stylish outfit, but he always offers a warm hello. It is no surprise that Doherty is a kind individual who greatly values inclusivity, as his videos often display these attributes, Doherty even wrote his college admission essay on the subject.

“I always put the captions on for my videos so I am really glad that people appreciate that,” Doherty said.

Currently, he is working as a content creator for the new app, “Whatifi,” which is an interactive storytelling platform, making passive viewers into active participants in the storylines of the videos they watch.

Active in his own TikTok content creation, Doherty expressed his gratitude for his support system of friends and family as they help him film, offer feedback, listen to his ideas and star alongside him in many of his videos.

“I am really appreciative of my friends and family because I turn to them for advice every day, and they are so willing to help out,” Doherty said.

A Look at Special Olympics Freshman Local Program Host Mariel Persico Staff Writer

This past weekend, the University hosted the 33rd annual Special Olympics Pennsylvania Fall Festival. Sporting events took place all weekend starting Friday afternoon, which comprised the largest student-run Special Olympics in the world. This year’s events included roller skating, volleyball, soccer, bocce, long-distance running and walking and power-lifting. The theme for the Olympics was “Let Your Colors Shine Through, Be Vibrantly You.”

One of the program groups, Local Program Hosts, is a position only available to freshmen and allows them to get involved in leadership positions for Special Olympics as early as September. Each individual Local Program Host has to apply and be

interviewed to earn a spot. Their responsibility is to be assigned to a county in Pennsylvania and serve as a cheerleader to athletes. They also facilitate the set-up, cleanup and actual competition of the event.

Some freshmen Local Program Hosts, more commonly known as LPHs, shared their thoughts about the events and gave some insight into the preparation and time that went into the weekend.

“We have had weekly meetings for a few months, a retreat and daily meetings the week leading up to Fall Fest,” Emily Amirata said. “My favorite part was definitely the flash mob dancing because of how amazing it was to see everyone come together and cheer us on.”

“I spent a lot of time hyping up my athletes while they

competed,” Sadie Callahan said.

“I got to meet some of the greatest people this weekend, it was amazing.”

Keegan Bradley shared her thoughts on this weekend as well.

“This weekend, I got to bond with so many athletes and build lifelong connections,” Bradley said. “It was fun to be surrounded by so many excited and positive people.”

The atmosphere on campus during Fall Fest is unlike any other. If one took a walk from the Oreo to the Quad, thet were bound to run into games, service dogs, music and so much more.

“Everyone was dancing and exploding with energy,” Julia Barclay explained. “It was colorful with bubbles and smiles everywhere. The atmosphere was overall amazing and filled with joy.”

While the long hours of

preparation, cold weather and early morning wake-ups were not easy tasks, all of the LPHs interviewed agreed that the hard work was definitely worth it.

“The most rewarding part of the weekend was seeing the smiles on the athletes’ faces even if they did not win,” Maddie Koenig said. “It was so clear that they were just happy to be there, no matter the outcome of the competition.”

The hours of preparation and long weekend concluded Sunday afternoon with smiles all around campus. Everyone involved can agree that the weekend was yet another success.

Anna Wright spoke for most volunteers when she said that “the time flew by and I was so lucky to be a part of this amazing event. I cannot wait until next year.”

10 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

CULTURE

Villa-Vogue Rundown on Winter Trends

Kaelin Trombly Staff Writer

er you’re taking black diamonds by storm or have never skied a day in your life, oversized puffer coats, matching snow pants and patterned

It seems as if just yesterday, knits are the fad of the season. the sun was shining and every male

Leather on Leather: Name a on Villanova’s campus was wearing better way to look both sophisticated flip flops. With a blink of an eye, the and comfortable. Head-to-toe leather leaves have fallen and the perfectly outfits. Enough said. mild Bryn Mawr temperature we

Improved Handshakes: No know and love dropped to a cool 30 matter the weather this winter, elbow degrees. With these rapid changes length leather gloves are making of seasons come the rapid changes headway. I recommend utilizing this in fashion as the runway trades the bright hues and linens of summer for trend by pairing long gloves with a short sleeve shirt or blouse. Not to the neutral tones and wool of winter. mention how much cooler handYou heard that right. It’s time for shakes will be. another seasonal trend report. Hang

Glitter Sequins: Although tight. sparkling ensembles are usually

Optimism seems to be the reserved for special events, recent overarching theme of the winter runways have convinced us otherwise.

2021-22 season as designers grace Want to dress down shiny fabric? Just the runways with splashes of color, pair it with casual jeans for the pereye-catching prints and vintage infect daytime outfit. Not to mention, spired comebacks. layering glitter sequined clothes with

Geometry Class: The first trench coats and blazers create the up and-coming trend this winter is crowned by standout geometric prints. ultimate elevated look.

Fur x10: When major fashion These statement colors and shapes are meant to add dramatic flair to any en- houses such as Fendi, Dion Lee and semble. The focal point of this joyous Burberry tell the world to add volume to our fur coats, we easily oblige. Floor trend is the mixing and matching of length and cropped at the waist fur differing intrepid patterns no matter coats are the move this winter, no in how much they may clash. So by all between. Picture yourself as Margot means, let your freak flag fly.

Tenenbaum on steroids.

Ski Season: Forget après-ski,

Incognito: This probably we’re wearing ski gear before, during takes the crown as my all-time favorite and after we hit the slopes. Wheth-

trend this winter. This look can be accomplished in many forms, such as an oversized hoodie, a skin-tight overhead ski mask, fabric draped over head or even the classic babushka.

Want to look even more mysterious?

Add a pair of oversized sunglasses, and you’re golden.

There you have it folks,

Villa-Vogue’s official winter 2021-22 trend report. You better believe I’ll be sporting babushkas and après ski wear in the middle of Pennsylvania, as should you. As the days grow shorter and colder, the fashion industry flips a 180 to comply. That being said, it’s time to put the flip flops away boys.

Your dogs are barking.

This winter is all things leather to make for a sleek and sophisticated look.

Courtesy of Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

Villanova Students Visit The Kelly Writers House Molly Carriero Staff Writer

Take a stroll to 3805 Locust Walk at the University of Pennsylvania. There, you will find an old, Victorian-style home with a green wrap-around porch. In front of the charming structure, a sign reads in yellow lettering, “The Kelly Writers House.”

The Kelly Writers House was founded in 1995 by a group of students, faculty, staff and alumni of the University of Pennsylvania.

It serves as a mixed-use community space, and today, it hosts more than 300 events and projects per year. Such events include readings, art exhibits, lectures, film screenings, seminars and literary celebrations.

Funded and supported by UPenn alumni, Philadelphians and other literary minded people interested in creative undertakings, The Kelly Writers House is open to all college students, local artists or hobbyist writers. Most Writers House events are open to the public, and all events are free.

During the fall and spring semesters, The Writers House hosts a Speakeasy Open Mic Night On the first Wednesday of each month. The open mic night is student-run and led by Equilibria, an arts magazine at UPenn that explores the relationship between writing and art.

According to the publication’s website, “Equilibria’s primary aim is to provide a creative space for Penn undergraduate artists and writers. We encourage students to engage in a creative exchange, where they create a piece inspired by the one they receive.”

Rachel Dennis is a senior

Jackie Carroll reads poetry at the Kelly Writers House.

Courtesy of Molly Carriero

at UPenn and currently runs the open mic night. Dennis graduates in the spring and is looking for a younger student to take over after graduation.

“The Speakeasy is an old writers house tradition institution,” Dennis said. “I went as a freshman for my new student orientation and the girl who was running it said they needed someone. I love it. It is so fun to hear people read.

I remember most people who read, especially if they do something crazy. We get Penn Students, but

we also get a lot of non-students.

It is cool to be a part of something like this. People started recognizing me on Locust Walk or even on campus.”

Villanova English student Jackie Carroll attended the Speakeasy after hearing about the event from a friend. Carroll wanted fellow English majors and literary minded students at Villanova to share in this positive experience.

On Wednesday, Nov. 3, Carroll and three fellow English majors attended the Speakeasy.

They took the Norristown High Speed Line from Villanova’s campus, transferred trains in Philly and walked to 3805 Locust after arriving on UPenn’s campus.

The event was outside, and attendees huddled around space heaters to watch the artists step up to the mic. Artists shared poetry, short stories, spoken word pieces and unfinished work in a creative and safe space. All work was welcome, and artists were encouraged to express their authentic individuality. An artist known as the “Puppet Master” expressed her unique and creative imagination as she held up a hand puppet to the speaker and moved the doll in accordance with her music.

Villanova senior Chloe Cherry attended the event on Wednesday. Carroll and Cherry both shared their literary work with the crowd.

“Because it was such an intimate and kind of a quirky session, I felt comfortable enough to share my piece with the crowd,” Cherry said. “I felt like the rating of my work didn’t matter, but just the fact that I shared a part of myself with a group felt important.

And that’s how I felt about everyone else’s piece. In that space I was just excited to hear people perform their voice. I wasn’t as overly critical and analytical as some spaces kind of provoke you to be.”

Wednesday, Nov. 3 marked the final open mic night of the fall 2021 semester, but Equilibria plans to start the speakeasy again at the start of the spring semester.

You can register to attend at the Writers House Garden, but if you cannot make it in-person, you can stream the event on YouTube as well.

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Chloe Miller Co-Culture Editor

CULTURE

The Villanovan | 11

The Vincent Van Gogh Immersive Experience Comes to Philadelphia

We have all seen a painting that we wished to step into. Picture walking the streets in Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” or being in his bedroom in Arles. Now you can.

The Immersive Vincent Van Gogh Exhibition has traveled the world and has finally landed in the Philadelphia area. Located in Upper Darby, the exhibit is a short 25 minute drive from campus. The exhibit was built in The Tower Theater, a popular music and concert venue that was named one of the top 10 live music venues in America by The Rolling Stone Magazine. Running through the end of February, the Van Gogh exhibit is the perfect weekend activity with friends or family.

Weekend tickets are $44.90 for adults and $34.90 on weekdays. VIP tickets are also available, which gets one online access to the exhibit, a VR experience, ability to skip the line and a complimentary poster. The run time of the experience is around an hour. Ticket information is available on https:// vangoghexpo.com/.

The experience begins with an in depth background on Van Gogh’s life. Within the theater, there are multiple boards depicting Van Gogh’s painting and life progression. Along the way, there are sculptures, visuals of Van Gogh’s paintings and multiple prints of his most famous works. This part of the exhibition is the prep-work.

Only after learning the intricacies

of Van Gogh can one go into the following section with open-eyes.

Now comes the important part and probably the part everyone has viewed on Instagram: the 360 degree digital show. Walking in, there are comfortable chairs, carpets and pillows scattered around the floor creating an intimate and relaxing atmosphere.

The show then moves through Van Gogh’s paintings, highlighting his series on sunflowers, “Starry Night” and his iconic wheatfield pieces. Flowing from one image to the next, the exhibit brings the paintings to life with moving people and images. The movie-like experience lasts about 25 minutes.

Leaving the digital showroom, one is led into a room where they can do their own coloring page of Van Gogh’s paintings. In the same room, for a five-dollar fee, one can choose to participate in a Virtual Reality viewing of Van Gogh’s works. This viewing takes people through the streets of Arles and the “Starry Night” painting and through the country wheatfields. It opens in Van Gogh’s bedroom, known from his famous piece “Bedroom in Arles.” The VR glasses lead patrongs down the stairs and along the roads, exactly where Van Gogh himself would have walked.

Many students have experienced the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit in different cities, as it has already been to New York City, Buffalo, Chicago and Pittsburgh.

“I didn’t know much about

Van Gogh before I went, and the history of his life and brother was super interesting,” sophomore Georgia Mowers said. “It was actually a really magical experience.”

The Van Gogh Exhibition

is changing the way the world is able to view art. Despite one’s knowledge of Van Gogh’s pieces or life, the Immersive Experience is well worth the money and afternoon trip to Upper Darby.

The Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit is currently showing in Upper Darby Courtesy of Exhibition Hub

ABBA Returns With New Album Voyage Ryan Batkay Staff Writer

After a 40-year musical hiatus, the international smash hit band ABBA released its album, “Voyage,” on Nov. 5, 2021. The Swedish band, made up of two married, then divorced couples well into their seventies, has maintained its influence over each generation with its timeless musi-

cal hits. The new album continues the band’s legacy and disco-pop style that have kept fans invested for decades.

Those who listened to ABBA in its prime could never have predicted that ABBA would be one of the groups that persisted into the next millennium, but it surely did. Being the best-selling Swedish band of all time and one of the best-selling bands from Europe of all time are not easy feats to achieve, but ABBA did both seamlessly. In the United Kingdom, ABBA

Abba’s Björn Ulvaeus (left), Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson.

Courtesy of Baillie Walsh

even surpassed The Beatles back in 2013, having the second biggest-selling album of all time in the country.

Part of the band’s everlasting success is due to the cultural influence of the movie franchise and Broadway musical, “Mamma Mia!” This jukebox musical had younger audiences falling in love with music previous partiers were dancing to. Hits like “Dancing Queen” and “Gimme! Gimme!

Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” are frequently played at modern venues and even now flood TikTok explore pages.

With the release of “Voyage,” ABBA once again recharges its influence. The album features 10 brand new tracks, all continuing the classical style and keeping the disco style alive in the 2020s. Highlights on the album include single, “Don’t Shut Me Down,” which brings another high energy hit to the band’s discography, and “I Can Be That Woman,” a track that shows off a more mellow side of the band and reiterates the groups versatility.

This album utilizes a Taylor Swift re-release concept to finally deliver old songs that never made it onto albums to fans. One song, “Just A Notion,” was recorded back in 1978 but was never released. This is extremely important, as fans who heard about this song back in the 70s can finally hear this much anticipated track.

The harmonies, background vocals and instrumental sequences are so intrinsically ABBA that audi-

ences immediately connect these new tracks with the band’s signature style.

Revitalizing the disco-pop that once dominated the radio and music industry as a whole may naturally inspire some modern artists to adopt styles from that genre. It can be seen already with successful artists like Doja Cat and Conan Gray who integrate aspects of disco into their pop hits. The success and acclaim of both ABBA and modern artists by fans reveals this idea that audiences yearn for more of this music style. Fortunately for them, their wishes may be met if more artists recognize the ability of this market.

Not only is this album bringing ABBA back into the forefront of music, but the group is even providing its fans with an incredibly unique concert experience. While four, 70-yearold Swedes are not totally physically able to perform, avatars will take their place with a 10-piece live band. This event will take place in spring 2022 in a custom-built arena in London, which will surely attract fans from all over the world.

Depending on the success of the concert, American fans can hope that the concert will be brought across the Atlantic soon enough. This is also not where ABBA’s influence ends in terms of longevity. The director of the “Mamma Mia!” films has teased fans recently about the possibility of another sequel coming out in the near future. This will allow the band’s popularity and the fan’s love to grow even more.

12 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

CULTURE

Book Buzz: The Secret Life of Addie LaRue

Elena Rouse Co-Culture Editor

“The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” by V.E. Schwab takes the world on an unforgettable journey.

The novel is a USA TODAY Bestseller, National Indie Bestseller, The Washington Post Bestseller and has been recommended by Entertainment Weekly and Oprah Magazine, among others.

Spending weeks on the New York Times’ best-sellers list and popping up all over media platforms and captivating its vast audience, Schwab’s 20th published novel is one for the ages.

The story starts off in France in 1714 with Addie LaRue, a woman in a desperate situation.

Feeling trapped, she finds herself with an opportunity to make a deal with a god of darkness as a

means to escape her life. When the deal is done, Addie has immortality, but like all dark magic deals, it comes with a price.

Though she can live forever, with each new day Addie is forgotten by the people she meets. Her name can’t be written, or said, relinquishing Addie’s identity to the confines of her own mind and a life of solitude. For Addie, leaving a mark upon the world is quite literally impossible. For hundreds of years, Addie is on a lone adventure across time and place with no one but herself and an occasional god to remember her. That is, until she walks into a bookstore one day, and the man working there remembers her name. Suddenly, Addie’s immortal world is turned upside down and the meaning of a life remembered is at the tip of her

fingers—if only she can figure out how to break her curse.

The novel is a sweeping,

lush tale of adventure, love, loss and deep yearning. Schwab’s writing gives the novel a deeply poetic tone. The book is split up into sections based on pieces of artwork which Addie has been a muse for or influenced in some way. The connection to art, to Addie’s love of art and her inability to draw and leave a mark, plays into the poeticism of the piece.

The novel also has

LGBTQ+ representation. Two of the main characters, Addie included, are bisexual, and other characters of various sexualities are written in as well. It is a refreshing read due to the intricate and real depictions of LGBTQ+ individuals, not falling prey to stereotypi-

cal roles or tropes these characters are often written for.

What popularized this book, beyond anything, was how it makes readers think. Diving into philosophical pondering and ripping at the core of the very questions each of us think about while in the shower or lying in bed at night, “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue ‘’ brings to the forefront thoughts that we often think make us all alone. There is a deep relatability and perspective gained from reading a story about someone trying to find the meaning of her story when it cannot be remembered.

V.E. Schwab is popular for multiple books and series, most notably her “Vicious” series. Currently, multiple works are being adapted for the big screen.

Villanova Haveners at Radio City Music Hall Skylar Musick Staff Writer

The Haveners, one of Villanova’s all-female a cappella groups, performed at Radio City Music Hall on Saturday, Nov. 6.

The group opened for the morning show of New York City’s beloved Rockettes.

The Haveners were the University’s first all-female a cappella group and are one of the eight groups on campus. The group was established in 1963 and is the sister organization of Villanova’s all-female choir, The Villanova Voices. The Haveners are performance professionals when it comes to singing on campus, having performed at countless events like A Cappella Palooza and Special Olympics, as well as at events like Family Weekend and Homecoming Weekend. This weekend was not the group’s first time opening for the Radio City Rockettes, but due to the pandemic, the opportunity to do so this year was special, and for some newer members, was a first time experience.

The group arrived in New York City early Saturday morning.

Dressed in red and black to invoke the holiday spirit, the Haveners spent the morning warming up their voices and taking photos together. When it was finally time to go to the venue, the 15 members were ready.

For their performance, the Haveners sang a version of “Won-

derful Christmastime” by Paul McCartney, which was arranged by junior Katherine Moffa.

“It was extremely rewarding to share the product of all our hard work in such a respected venue,” Moffa said.

All of Villanova’s a cappella groups sing arrangements written by their own members, and the performance this weekend was no different. Arranging music is not an easy task, which is a tribute to how much work these students put into these performances.

Overall, singing at Radio City was a special and unforgettable experience for the Haveners.

“It was exciting to sing on a stage, especially after COVID,” sophomore Stephanie Gentile said. “I loved dressing up and performing with my friends.”

The Haveners unfortunately did not get to meet the Rockettes. However, when the Haveners walked on stage, they heard an audience member say, “Oh my gosh, it’s the Rockettes.”

One member of the group shared a chuckle at that moment.

“We thought it was so funny,” sophomore Katie Schulz said.

According to sophomore Caroline Jakubik, and the president of The Haveners, going into New York City with the group was a blast, with the group members enjoying some sights and each other’s company once the performance was over.

“After the show, some of us hung out in New York and visited

Bryant Park, the library and the Strand bookstore,” Schulz shared.

If you want to hear this amazing and talented group of women sing before the semester ends, get your tickets to hear The Haveners and Vocal Minority, one of Villanova’s all-male A cappella

groups, sing at A Cappella Showcase on Friday, Nov. 19 at 8 p.m.

The rest of the University’s a cappella groups will also be performing at the Showcase throughout that weekend (November 19-21).

Tickets can be purchased online, and they sell quickly.

The Villanova Haveners performed at Radio City Music Hall.

Courtesy of Faith Robinson and Stephanie Gentile

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

The Villanovan | 13

SPORTS

SPORTS

Wildcats Dominate in Season Opener, Win 91-51 Colin Beazley Co-Sports Editor (Continued from p.1) He’s playing with great confidence, and we need it.”

The Wildcats jumped out to a 10-0 lead, blitzing the Mountaineers with an early full court press. Villanova turned three turnovers into a pair of threes from Moore and a layup from Gillespie, stunning the Mountaineers .

“I thought we started well defensively and we want to do that every game,” Wright said. “Sometimes we don’t start as aggressively as we like defensively, but I thought we did a good job tonight.”

After the initial run, the Wildcats continued pushing the pace.

With eight minutes left in the half, the Wildcats went on an 8-0 run punctuated by a three from Brandon Slater, and the Wildcats finished the half on a 10-2 run to enter the break with a commanding 45-21 lead.

Moore led the ‘Cats in scoring with 17 points in the first half, while Samuels was just behind with 13.

Villanova shot 57% from the field in the half, including 44% from beyond the arc, while the Mountaineers were forced into nine turnovers and shot just 39% from the field.

“I thought Justin also did a great job,” Wright said. “We’re trying to teach him, you gotta stay aggressive and be a killer, even though you want to get everybody else involved. If it’s there, you gotta take it. And that’s

Graduate point guard Collin Gillespie scores over Mount St Mary’s Jalen Benjamin.

Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

what I thought he really did a good job [of] tonight.”

After the half, the Mountaineers looked to get back into the game with six straight points, but Villanova quickly began extending the lead again. Redshirt sophomore forward Eric Dixon and Moore hit threes to increase the lead, but each time The Mount cut the lead back to 24.

With ten minutes remaining in the game, the Wildcats renewed their defensive intensity, holding the Mountaineers without a basket for over four minutes. Villanova went on a 14-2 run to stretch the lead even further, punctuated by freshman

guard Jordan Longino’s first points as a Wildcat.

“They’re a good team,” Wright said. “They’re an NCAA Tournament team from last year with a lot of veteran players ... we think we played well if we played defensively like that against them... so that was a good start for us.

“Mount St Mary’s is a better team than that score, I promise you.”

Three freshmen played valuable minutes for the Wildcats, including Longino and forward Nnanna Njoku, both of whom made their Villanova debuts. Longino played 14 minutes off the bench, while Njoku

played nine minutes. Njoku recorded four rebounds in his limited gametime, adding a block as well.

“They just came in and brought great energy off the bench, played really hard,” Gillespie said of the freshmen. “I think that’s something that we didn’t really have to teach those guys... I think that’s super impressive of those guys.”

The Wildcats were also helped by a return of the home fans to the Finn, as the team played in front of their home fans for the first time since February 2020. The student section made their presence known throughout the game, both with the return of several Villanova traditions and in relentless booing of Mountaineer junior guard Jalen Benjamin, who committed six turnovers.

“It was definitely exciting, finally getting to have the fans out there,” Moore said. “But really it’s just exciting to be back playing with my guys, my teammates out there together, that’s what was most exciting.”

After Tuesday’s initial tuneup game, Villanova faces an immediate test on a national stage, as the fourth ranked Wildcats travel to Los Angeles Friday to take on second ranked UCLA. The Bruins, led by junior guard and Preseason All-American Johnny Juzang, present a vastly different test than the Mountaineers, but Wright believes that the Wildcats are prepared for the early season battle.

“I think we’re ready to play a team like that,” Wright said. “It’s gonna be a good test for us.”

Men’s Soccer Advances to Big East Semifinals Owen Hewitt Staff Writer

Villanova men’s soccer advanced to the Big East tournament semifinals on Saturday night with a 2-1 win over Creighton in Omaha.

It’s the squad’s first win in the tournament since its last appearance in 2016. Sophomore forwards Akinjide Awujo and Luke Pompliano scored the goals for the Wildcats, with Awujo finding the back of the net in the 76th and Pompliano scoring in the 83rd. The win was head coach Tom Carlin’s 115th at the helm of the program, making him the program’s all-time leader in wins.

The first half was largely uneventful. The ‘Cats were able to get off to a good start, as they dominated possession for roughly the first 40 minutes of the match. Then in the final five minutes of the first, the Bluejays’ offense came to life, applying heavy pressure to the Wildcats’ back line. The ‘Cats’ defense was able to hold up, and the two teams went into the half in a scoreless gridlock.

“I thought the first 40 minutes may have been the best soccer we have played all season,” Carlin said to Villanova Athletics. “We had good possessions and movement. But in the last five minutes we got stuck in our end.”

Out of the half, the Bluejays carried forward the offensive momentum they had managed to find in the closing minutes of the first, as they produced a flurry of chances in the

first 10 minutes of the second. The Wildcats were able to respond with some chances of their own, with one becoming the most dangerous of the night to that point. Junior midfielder Josh Belluz headed a ball toward the frame off a corner that junior defender Viktor Benediktsson was able to redirect with a foot, but Bluejays’ senior keeper Paul Kruse made a stunning effort to block the ball, keeping the game level.

Kruse’s efforts were quickly rewarded, as a cross in from the right off the foot of junior midfielder Dominic Briggs found senior midfielder Daniel Espeleta, who was able to slot the ball home past ‘Cats senior keeper Carson Williams in the 63rd minute.

After the goal, the Bluejays continued to apply pressure, forcing Williams to step up and make some major saves to keep the Wildcats within striking distance. One such save came in the 67th minute, when Williams dived out to his right to get a hand on a Creighton shot that seemed destined for the back of the net.

“Carson made a bunch of big saves,” Carlin said to Villanova Athletics. “That was a big one. If it goes to 2-0 there it might have been game, set and match.”

Shortly after, Carlin made an aggressive substitution, bringing on Pompliano to try and insert some offense for the ‘Cats into the match.

The substitution paid off, as the Wildcats started to gain some attacking momentum.

“[Pompliano] changed the game,” Carlin said to Villanova Ath-

letics. “He gave us energy and we just became more aggressive.”

The aggression paid off in the 76th, as sophomore defender Jack Bonas found Awujo on a long throw. Awujo was able to redirect the ball from the left inside the post past Kruse to bring things level.

After the goal, the ‘Cats continued with their offensive pressure, which led to their victory. Junior forward Lyam MacKinnon dribbled in from outside the 18-yard box, and after eluding a Bluejays defender, found Pompliano, who took the pass and smashed it home in the 83rd minute.

The ‘Cats were able to hold on to their lead for the rest of the match, earning them their first outright victory in the Big East tournament since 2012 (the 2016 win against DePaul came on penalties). It earns the team a chance to take on the Big

East No. 1 seed and No. 4 nationally ranked Georgetown on Thursday at 11 a.m. in Washington D.C. The two squads have already met once this year in a match that resulted in a 3-1 Georgetown victory.

The squad improves to 11-6-1 on the year with the win, with an RPI rank of 32 before the win over the Bluejays is calculated. That gives the Wildcats a reason to be hopeful for securing a bid in the NCAA’s 48team College Cup regardless of what transpires on Thursday, although a win over the Hoyas would elevate the Cats’ resume and give them a chance at their first ever Big East conference title.

The winner of Thursday’s match between the Hoyas and the Wildcats will go on to battle against the winner of the other semifinal between Butler and Providence on Nov. 14 for the Big East title.

Sophomore Luke Pompliano celebrates after scoring what proved to be the winning goal.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

14 | The Villanovan

SPORTS

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Volleyball Falls In Two Big East Matches Amanda McKean Staff Writer

The Villanova women’s volleyball team’s playoff chances were dealt a crucial blow last week as the team dropped consecutive road games, falling Wednesday to Georgetown in five sets, before being swept by UConn on Saturday. With four games to play, the Wildcats’ record stands at 14-12, just 6-8 in conference play.

On Wednesday, Georgetown had control over the Wildcats during the first set, as the Hoyas led the entire set. When the Hoyas were up 16-12, they went on a 4-0 run that gave them an eight point advantage, their largest of the game. The Wildcats came back and cut the deficit to 23-20, but the Hoyas clinched the last two points to win the set.

During the second set, the Wildcats fought back. With the score close at 18-16, the Wildcats scored three consecutive points, paving the way for sophomore middle blocker Kiera Booth to capture the final four points for the Wildcats, giving her team the second set. At the end of the first two sets, Booth had collected nine out of her 19 kills of the game, a career-high for her.

The third set went to the Hoyas, although it was close for much of the set. The Hoyas seized momentum with a 3-0 run to make it 23-17, and closed out the set and won, 25-21.

The fourth set was neck

and neck up until the very end, when the two sides were tied at 21.

The Wildcats were able to go on a 3-0 run to make it 24-21, but the Hoyas fought off the Wildcats with two points of their own. However, sophomore outside hitter Riley Homer had a kill for the final point, forcing a decisive final set.

However, this momentum did not carry over into the fifth set. The Hoyas went on an early 4-0 run and the Wildcats never caught up, as Georgetown won the set and the match, 15-11. The win was just Georgetown’s second in Big East play.

“You can’t overlook anyone in this league,” coach John Steinbach said before the game.

“We lost to Providence early on, and you can’t just say that we are good enough to beat this team by just showing up. You know it’s a one-match-at-a-time focus and just worry about this next one right away.”

On Saturday, Villanova faced 18-7 UConn, but the Wildcats were swept by the Huskies in three straight sets.

“They’re very good and you know they’re playing at a high level,” Steinbach said before the game. “They’re experienced, they’ve got three or four seniors and two are graduate students.

They’re playing confidently, so that’s going to be a tough match.”

Steinbach’s sentiments were quickly proven correct as the Huskies dominated the first set, winning, 25-14. The set was close at first, as UConn led just 7-6, but

the Huskies went on a 6-1 run and the Wildcats could not catch up.

In just the first set, Caylee Parker had seven kills for UConn.

The Wildcats tried to gain some momentum in the second set and started strong, jumping out to a 3-1 lead. The Huskies quickly refocused, taking an 11-6 lead, but the Wildcats were able to cut the lead to 11-9 with three straight points, including a kill from Homer. Despite the Huskies winning back-to-back points, the Wildcats went on a 3-0 run that cut the score to 13-12 with kills from junior middle/right side Kathleen Johnson and sophomore setter Andrea Campos. However, the Huskies answered quickly with a 6-0 run to take a commanding 24-15 lead, winning the set, 25-16.

In the third set, the Wildcats took a 6-4 lead behind another kill by Booth. However, the Huskies responded with a 7-0 streak as Jasmine Davis had a pair of kills. The Wildcats still battled until the end, taking the lead three times in the set. Campos had a service ace to put Villanova ahead 21-20, but the Huskies finished the match on a 5-2 run to send the Wildcats home empty-handed.

The Wildcats play at home twice next weekend, facing Providence on Friday and Creighton on Saturday. The Wildcats were swept in three sets by both teams earlier this season, but the Friars have won just three times in Big East play. Both matches will take place at 7 p.m. in Jake Nevin Field House.

WEEKLY SCOREBOARD Nov. 3 - Nov. 9

Wednesday, November 3 Men’s Soccer vs. Seton Hall 1-0 W Women’s Volleyball @ Georgetown 2-3 L Thursday, November 4 None Friday, November 5 Men’s Swim @ NJIT 153-147 W Saturday, November 6 Football @ Elon 35-0 W Women’s Volleyball @ Connecticut 0-3 L Men’s Soccer @ Creighton Big East Tournament 2-1 W Sunday, November 7 None Monday, November 8 None Tuesday, November 9 Men’s Basketball vs. Mount St. Mary’s (Md.) 91-51 W

Women’s Basketball Opens Season Against Princeton Meghann Morhardt Staff Writer

The Villanova women’s basketball team opens its season on Wednesday against Princeton.

This will be the Tigers’ first game in more than 600 days as the Ivy League cancelled its 2020-21 season due to COVID-19.

The ‘Cats finished last season with a record of 17-7 overall, 9-5 in the conference. Villanova finished fifth in the Big East for the regular season and fell to eventual champion, UConn, in the quarter finals of the conference tournament.

The Tigers went 26-1 in the 2019-20 season with their only loss coming on the road against Iowa, which was undefeated at home. Princeton won the Ivy League, and before the pandemic cancelled the season, it was favored to win the conference tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament.

Princeton returns 46% of its scoring and just one of its top three scorers from the 2019-20 season. Junior guard Julia Cunningham averaged 8.2 points per game and led the team with 31 three-pointers during her freshman year. Along with Cunningham, Princeton will look to its seniors, as well as a few newcomers to supplement its scoring.

Senior guard Abby Meyers

and senior guard/forward Neenah Young will play a huge role in leading the team and helping the new members adjust. Newcomers sophomore guard Kaitlyn Chen and freshman forward Paige Morton, who were both McDonald’s All-Americans in high school, are likely to make strong contributions offensively for the Tigers.

Villanova returns its top two scorers, junior forward Maddy Siegrist and graduate forward Brianna Herlihy. Siegrist and Herlihy averaged 22.8 and 13.8 points per game, respectively. Siegrist led the Big East in scoring and rebounds and was ranked 11th in the nation in scoring.

Villanova also returns its strong sophomore class, including guard Bella Runyan and forward Lior Garzon, who both had strong freshman campaigns. Runyan averaged five points per game and played a key role on the defensive end for the ‘Cats, often guarding one of the opponent’s top scorers.

Garzon averaged 8.8 points per game and was second on the team with 39 three pointers on the season.

Both teams are led by coaches known for putting an emphasis on the defensive end. In points allowed per game, Princeton ranked No.1 nationally in 2019-20, holding opponents to just 47.9 points, while scoring an average of 71.2. Villanova averaged 7.1 steals and 3.9 blocks per game.

The ‘Cats also allowed an average of 66.5 points, while scoring 70.9 points per game.

Coming off of a dominant victory in their exhibition game against Indiana University of Pennsylvania, in which they scored 93 points, the ‘Cats will look to counteract the intense defense of the Tigers with their fast paced offense. Wednesday’s game will be an early test for both teams.

Princeton will need to shake off the cobwebs that come with an 18-month break, while Villanova will have to find a way to maintain its strong offense facing the former top defensive team in the country.

Some key matchups to watch are Runyan and Chen at point guard. Both are young players with limited experience who will be asked to play a key role for

their respective teams this season.

Princeton’s Morton will have a tough challenge in guarding Siegrist, a clever scorer who is a threat for anywhere on the court.

The first game of the season is always unpredictable, but with the challenges and differences over the last two seasons due to COVID-19, there is even more uncertainty heading into Wednesday night.

This will mark the first time that the ‘Cats have played at home with regular fans since Senior Night of the 2019-20 season, as well as head coach Denise Dillon’s first game in front of the Villanova faithful. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Freshman guard Anahi-Lee Cauley dribbles up the court.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

The Villanovan | 15

SPORTS

Football Set For Last Regular Season Home Game Tyler Moore Staff Writer

Coming off of a shutout win over Elon, Villanova returns home for its final home game of the regular season as it looks to stay strong against 4-5 Stony Brook (3-3 in CAA play).

The ‘Cats had a dominating performance against the Phoenix on Saturday, as they tallied their second shutout of the season. The two shutouts are the first since the 2017 season and the first time in program history that Villanova has completed two shutouts against conference opponents in a single season. The game in North Carolina featured a strong performance on both sides of the ball. Graduate quarterback Daniel Smith led the way with a total of five touchdowns and 238 yards, while the defense held Elon to just 163 total yards and posted one interception and one fumble recovery.

While ‘Nova comes off a great bounce-back performance, Stony Brook comes into Saturday hot as well. The Seawolves started the season 1-5, but after a loss to Towson, they went on a three-game winning streak to improve their record. Their most recent game against Maine was a big step for the team as well, as the Seawolves knocked off the Black Bears 22-17. Redshirt junior running back Ty Son Lawton rushed for 96 yards on 26 carries and one touchdown, continuing a dominant season for himself. The

Seawolves’ past three games have seen nearly 1,000 yards of total offense and nine turnovers forced by the defense, propelling them to three straight wins.

The Seawolves are pretty balanced when it comes to rushing and passing. Lawton and the Stony Brook rushing game will need to be contained, as he leads the 28th ranked rushing offense in the country with nine touchdowns and four games this season with more than 100 yards. Lawton leads the CAA in rushing yards with 883 yards, as well as rushing touchdowns. The passing game will also be a focus for the ‘Nova defense, as graduate QB Tyquell Fields averages 180 passing yards per game. The Stony Brook offense is the third best total offense in the conference, just behind ‘Nova.

While the Stony Brook defense should be manageable for head coach Mark Ferrante and his 17th-ranked scoring offense, the Seawolves come into the matchup with the 34th ranked total defense in the country to try and put a halt to a dominant effort. Smith comes in third in the CAA in passing yards. ‘Nova ranks third in both rushing and passing offense in the CAA. The ‘Cats still have yet to see if star graduate running back Justin Covington will return from injury. Covington suffered an injury earlier in the season against Albany but still leads the team in rushing yards.

In the spring, Villanova was able to squeeze out a close 16-13 at Stony Brook to start the season.

The recent history between the

Graduate student Dan Smith sets to throw a pass.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

teams has included several close games, with each game in the past four years being determined by less than a touchdown, including a 2019 Seawolves win.

Although Stony Brook sits in ninth in the CAA standings, the game is a must win for the ‘Cats, as Villanova still sits tied at first with James Madison. William & Mary, Villanova’s only conference loss, is not too far behind in the third spot, which makes the game

that much more important. The game also has big FCS playoff implications for Villanova as it currently sits 10th in the nation, and they will need to remain high in the rankings to receive a playoff bid and potentially gain home field advantage in the first round.

The matchup at Villanova Stadium will kick off at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Men’s Swim Takes Down NJIT For First Victory

Tyler Moore Staff Writer

The Villanova men’s swimming and diving team pulled off a 153-147 Win Over NJIT (0-3 overall) on Friday, giving the team its first win of the season. The match was highlighted by junior freestyle Jake McIntyre and senior diver Michael Ackert, as they both won two events each and collectively tallied six first place finishes to help Villanova improve to 1-1 on the season.

The meet started well as ‘Nova pulled off a sweep of first, second and third in the 1000 free.

McIntyre placed first at 9:48.91 as he narrowly finished ahead of freshman Aubrey Bowles (9:49.37).

Not far behind, sophomore Richard Nolan came in third with a

time of 10:00.92. Later in the 500 free, McIntyre and sophomore Charlie Hinckley took first and second with times of 4:40.83 and 4:48.20, respectively. Bowles placed fourth with a time of 4:50.08.

In the 200 breaststroke, Nolan finished first by just under three-quarters of a second to win at 2:08.63. Freshman Henry Halloran put points up for the ‘Cats with a fourth place-finish at 2:12.70. Freshman Patrick Hemingway won the 50 free with a time of 21.51. Junior Ryan Maher finished fourth in the 50 free with a time of 22.07, and senior Jesse Marsh finished fifth with a time of 22.46.

The Wildcats also had two teams in the 200 medley relay, placing second and fourth. Sophomore Ethan Brown led the Team

Junior Ryan Maher dives into the pool to start a race.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

A lineup for ‘Nova followed by Nolan, Marsh and Hemingway.

The team finished in 1:35.56 to come in second behind NJIT. The second team started with freshman Carson Brockette and finished with Halloran, junior Kevin Geist and freshman Andrew Mitchill, with the team putting up a time of 1:37.89 for fourth place.

On the diving side, the men swept the top three spots for both the one-meter and three-meter boards. Ackert won both competitions with 273.60 points on the three-meter and 284.50 points on the one-meter. In the three-meter, freshman Nicholas Jubilee came in second with 268.57 points and sophomore Noah Clipman followed in third with 250.87 points.

Members of the Villanova Swimming Team. The one-meter saw flipped results, Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

as Clipman came in second with 258.00 points and Jubilee followed with 237.00 points.

The final event, the 200 free relay, featured a second and third finish by the Wildcats’ best teams. Maher, Marsh, Mitchill and Hemingway hung behind the NJIT winning team with a time of 1:26.88 for second place. Hinckley, Brown, Geist and junior Reid Hutcherson followed close behind in third with a time of 1:28.25. A third team participated in the relay with Brockette, Bowles, junior Stephen Griner and sophomore Nolan Danus placing sixth with a time of 1:32.01.

Villanova comes home to face Penn in its first home match of the season in a dual meet with the women’s team. The meet is set

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DINING SERVICES

Villanova Dining Services

You’re invited to VDS Thankful Dinner Thursday, November 11 Donahue - Dougherty - St. Mary’s

Dining Services presents A traditional Thanksgiving Dinner!