The Official Newsletter of Villanova Athletics

Good Morning, Nova Nation! There’s no better way to start your week than enjoying this call….

What all do we have in today’s edition? Check it out below!

✈️ Road Trippin’
🏐 Dub in DC
🏀 All The Buzz
🔷 And much more!

Tommy’s Tavern + Tap is proud to be an Official Partner of Villanova Athletics!

🔼 Mace’s Place. A 97-yard kickoff return for a TD by Ja’briel Mace highlighted an absolute dominant second half effort as the 18th-ranked Villanova football team battled their way to a 29-21 road victory at Elon on Saturday afternoon. It was Mace’s second kick return for a TD in the past three games.

Two touchdowns by graduated wide receiver Luke Colella in the span of just over three minutes sparked the ‘Cats, who outscored the Phoenix 26-7 in the second half.

🏈 The Full Game Story

🔼 Two Days Away. Hear from the William B. Finneran Endowed Men's Basketball Coach, Kevin Willard and this year's team at this signature annual event to kick off the 2025-2026 season.

🔼 Empire State Of Mind. With its second-largest shot differential of the season, Villanova picked its first win at St. John's in 25 years with a 1-0 victory Saturday night at Belson Stadium.

The victory snaps a 10-match losing streak for Villanova when visiting St. John's, grabbing its first win in Queens since a 1-0 victory on Sept. 10, 2000. Before 2022, the last win for Nova in the series was back in 2008.

A goal by Alex Little in the 12th minute held up as the ‘Cats limited the Red Storm to just two shots on the night.

🔼 Point Earned. The Villanova men’s soccer squad received a lift from a pair of reserves late in the first half that helped them earn a 1-1 draw with Seton Hall on a rainy Saturday at the Higgins Soccer Complex.
 
Not long after being inserted into the match in the 37^th minute, midfielder Marcello Mazzola and forward Javon Daniels combined to help create the Wildcats' only goal of the day. Mazzola picked up a ball on the right side and found Daniels. Daniels then lofted a ball into the box that found Zach Miles, who re-directed the ball via a header past Pirates' goalkeeper Matias Molina in the 41st minute

🔼 Sneak Peek. Women’s Basketball season is just around the corner, and we have the perfect way to celebrate.

Join us for our 𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓸𝓷 𝓗𝓾𝓭𝓭𝓵𝓮 during and after our exhibition game against Towson on Friday, October 24th!

Enjoy the game with some light refreshments available beginning at halftime, then following the game, hear from Head Coach Denise Dillon as she previews the 2025-26 season

🔼 Makin’ Waves. Villanova men's swimming and diving wrapped up a strong showing at the NJIT Invitational, finishing third overall with a team score of 849.5. The Wildcats turned in several top finishes throughout the meet, highlighted by two new additions to the program record book in the first meet of the season.

Freshman Hugh Boris notched two program record book finishes, winning the 200 breast to become the second-fastest performer in Villanova history. Classmate Carter Gray also made his mark, placing third in the event with a 2:03.08, a time that ranks him as the 10th-fastest performer in program history.

What’s Ahead is brought to you by our friends at Visit Delco, the #1 source for information on all there is to see and do in Delaware County, PA. Find fantastic places to stay, incredible food and drink, and music and art—and you may even find a few surprises.

Monday, October 13
🎃 Paint A Pumpkin & Sip at Artillery Brewing
⛳️ Men’s Golf at Georgetown Intercollegiate

Tuesday, October 14
🖼️ Little Luxuries at Main Line Art Center
⛳️ Men’s Golf at Georgetown Intercollegiate

Wednesday, October 15
🏚️ Bates Motel & Haunted Hayride in Glen Mills
⚽️ Women’s Soccer vs. Marquette @ 3 pm

Thursday, October 16
📚 Read Aloud Tours at Brandywine Museum of Art
🎾 Men’s Tennis at ITA Fall Regional Championships (Princeton, N.J.)

Friday, October 17
🍉 Landsdowne Farmers Market
👟 Men’s Cross Country at Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational @ 11:30 am
🏑 Field Hockey at Quinnipiac @ 1 pm
⚽️ Men’s Soccer vs. Creighton @ 3 pm
🏐 Volleyball at Providence @ 5 pm
🏊 Swimming at Seton Hall
🎾 Men’s Tennis at ITA Fall Regional Championships (Princeton, N.J.)

Saturday, October 18
🍷 Live Music On The Lawn at Penns Woods Winery
👟 Women’s Cross Country at Pre-National Invitational @ 11 am
🏈 Football vs. Hampton @ 1 pm
⚽️ Women’s Soccer at UConn @ 7 pm
🏐 Volleyball at UConn @ 7 pm
🏊 Swimming at UConn
🎾 Men’s Tennis at ITA Fall Regional Championships (Princeton, N.J.)

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Have a great one, Nova Nation!