The Official Newsletter of Villanova Athletics

Good Morning, Nova Nation. The boys are back at it! Spring ball is officially underway!

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

🏀 Dynamic Duo
🥍 And Another One
⚾️ No Place Like Home
🔷 And much more!

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

🔼 Dynamic Duo. Move over Batman & Robin, Villanova men’s hoops has its own dynamic duo.

On Monday, the BIG EAST Conference announced its winners for the four major individual awards for the 2025-26 season. Tyler Perkins has been tabbed BIG EAST Most Improved Player, while Devin Askew has been chosen for the BIG EAST Sixth Man Award.

Perkins averaged 15.4 points and 6.2 rebounds in 20 league games in 2025-26, while Askew averaged 10.7 points per game in 20 BIG EAST games.

🏀 More On The Award Winners

Prior to Monday when Devin Askew was named BIG EAST Sixth Man of the Year, who was the last Wildcat to win the award?

Got a guess?

Scroll to the bottom to see if you know your stuff!

🔼 Tourney Time. The madness has officially arrived. Tourney time is here.

Tomorrow, the ‘Cats hit the floor for the first time at the 2026 BIG EAST Tournament, facing the winner between sixth-seeded DePaul and 11th-seeded Georgetown at 9:30 pm.

A win would send Villanova into the BIG EAST Semifinals on Friday at 8 pm at Madison Square Garden.

🏆 Tournament Central

🔼 And Another One. Death, taxes and Villanova men’s lacrosse bringing home weekly awards.

Maybe not that certain, but it’s close as three Wildcats were once again tabbed for BIG EAST weekly awards on Monday.

Jake Melchionni repeated as the Specialist of the Week for the third straight week, Kessy Cox picked up his second career Freshman of the Week honor and Jack Shoemaker was selected to his second Weekly Honor Roll of the season.

🥍 More On The Award-Winners

🔼 We’ll Take Two. The men’s squad wasn’t the only one taking home weekly accolades as the ‘Cats women’s lacrosse team picked up a pair of BIG EAST honors as well.

A record-setting performance from Emma Verhoest earned her BIG EAST Midfielder of the Week accolades, while Kathryn Monaco was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week.

🥍 Recapping The Award-Winning Performances

🔼 Leading The Way. On Tuesday, Villanova proudly announced a $1 million leadership gift from AJ '02 and Melissa Rohde to create the Villanova Tennis Endowed Fund. This historic commitment—the first seven-figure gift and largest in program history—creates lasting opportunities for student-athletes while strengthening the financial future of Villanova Tennis.

The gift also establishes the Rohde Family Endowed Men's Tennis Head Coach position and advances key program priorities, including sports performance, student-athlete services, enhanced travel and capital improvements that strengthen both Men's and Women's Tennis.

🎾 More On The Historic Gift

🔼 No Place Like Home. The Villanova baseball squad enjoyed its first home game of the 2026 season, scoring six runs in the final three innings to earn a 14-10 victory over city rival, La Salle, on Tuesday afternoon.

Michael Whooley and Brayden Leonard paced the offensive attack, combining to go 5-for-7 with five RBIs and four runs scored for the ‘Cats.

⚾️ The Full Recap

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.

Wednesday, March 11th
🤔 Trivia Night at 2SP
🥎 Softball at Monmouth @ 3pm
🤽 Water Polo at La Salle @ 6:30pm (Pomona, Calif.)

Thursday, March 12th
📚 Brandywine Museum of Art: Children’s Read-Aloud Program
🎾 Men’s Tennis vs. Creighton @ 2:30pm (Queens, N.Y.)
🏀 Men’s Basketball at BIG EAST Quarterfinals @ 9:30pm l Peacock
⛳️ Men’s Golf at People’s Championship (St. Simon’s Island, Ga.)

Friday, March 13th
🎶 Live Music at WaR3house 3
🥎 Softball vs. Butler @ 3:30pm
⚾️ Baseball at Charleston Southern @ 6pm
🏀 Men’s Basketball at BIG EAST Semifinals @ 8pm l Peacock (with quarterfinal win)
👟 Track & Field at NCAA Indoor Championships (Fayetteville, Ark.)
⛳️ Men’s Golf at People’s Championship (St. Simon’s Island, Ga.)

Saturday, March 14th
🎬 Media Film Festival
🎾 Women’s Tennis vs. Loyola University (Md.) @ 11am
🤽 Women’s Water Polo vs. Wagner @ 11am
🎾 Men’s Tennis vs. Loyola University (Md.) @ 11am
🥍 Men’s Lacrosse vs. #19 Towson @ 12pm
🥎 Softball vs. Butler @ 12pm
⚾️ Baseball at Charleston Southern @ 2pm
🏀 Men’s Basketball at BIG EAST Championship @ 6:30pm l Peacock
(with semifinal win)
👟 Track & Field at NCAA Indoor Championships (Fayetteville, Ark.)
⛳️ Men’s Golf at People’s Championship (St. Simon’s Island, Ga.)

Sunday, March 15th
🖼️ Brandywine Museum of Art: John Sloan’s Street Theater
🥎 Softball vs. Butler @ 12pm
🤽 Women’s Water Polo vs. Long Island @ 1pm
⚾️ Baseball at Charleston Southern @ 1pm

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Answer: Donte DiVencenzo

Have a great one, Nova Nation!