Good Morning, Nova Nation 4/3: Hoppin' Along

24th-Ranked Wildcats Win For Sixth Time In Past Seven Games

April 03, 2026

The Official Newsletter of Villanova Athletics

Good Morning, Nova Nation. It was a moment that we’ll never, ever forget!

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

🥍 Hoppin’ Along
🏀 Dialing It Up
🤽 Finishing Strong
🔷 And much more!

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

🔼 Hoppin’ Along. The 24th-ranked Villanova women’s lacrosse team continued its torrid stretch, picking up their sixth win in the past seven games with a 10-8 road win over UConn on Wednesday.

Allie Bell made a career-high 10 saves between the pipes for Villanova, earning her third straight victory as VU's starting netminder. Leslie Iorio contributed a hat trick for the 'Cats while Rose Christie (three points) and Kathryn Monaco each added a pair of goals.

🔼 Dialing It Up. Villanova women’s hoops senior Ryanne Allen will be looking to dial it up from long distance tonight as she was selected to participate in  the Celsius Women's 3-Point Championship as part of the 37th annual State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships.

The event will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 3 at Hinkle Fieldhouse on the campus of Butler University. It will air nationally at 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 5, on ESPN.

🔼 History Maker. If Allen needs any shooting advice, she can call up Villanova alum Collin Gillespie who made history on Thurday night.

With two 3-pointers against Charlotte, Gillespie became the Phoenix Suns’ all-time single-season leader in 3-pointers with 227, surpassing Quentin Richardson’s old mark of 226 from 2004-05.

🔼 Finishing Strong. Senior Ella Mattocks of the women’s water polo squad is leaving it all in the pool for the ‘Cats.

With 12 goals over the weekend at the VMI MAAC Showcase, Mattocks was named MAAC Offensive Player of the Week. Her best performance of the weekend came against Siena March 28, when she scored six goals. 

🔼 Among The Elite. For just the second time ever, Villanova women's lacrosse has a Midseason All-American as junior draw specialist Emma Verhoest was named an Honorable Mention on the Nike Lacrosse Midseason Media AA list.

Less than a week after setting the VU program record for career draw controls at 384, Verhoest joins previous record holder Caroline Curnal as the only Wildcats ever to achieve the All-America honor. 

🥍 The Full Story

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.

Friday, April 3rd
🎶 Live Music with James Clark at 2SP Brewing Company
⚾️ Baseball vs. Butler @ 2pm
🥎 Softball at UConn @ 3pm (DH)
👟 Women’s Track & Field at Florida Relays (Gainesville, Fla.)

Saturday, April 4th
🎭 PCS Theater Presents: Witch
🎾 Women’s Tennis vs. UConn @ 10am
🥍 Men’s Lacrosse vs. Denver @ 12pm
⚾️ Baseball vs. Butler @ 12:05pm
🥍 Women’s Lacrosse at Marquette @ 1pm
🎾 Men’s Tennis vs. DePaul @ 2:30pm
🥎 Softball at UConn @ 4pm
🚣 Rowing at Ram Invitational Regatta (Leonia, N.J.)
👟 Women’s Track & Field at Florida Relays (Gainesville, Fla.)
👟 Track & Field at Sam Howell Invitational (Princeton, N.J.)

Monday, April 6th
🎨 The Joyful Artist at Wayne Art Center
⛳️ Men’s Golf at Wildcat/Fazio Invitational (Galloway, N.J.)

Tuesday, April 7th
🎣 J. Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum: Fish250
🎾 Men’s Tennis vs. St. John’s @ 2:30pm
⚾️ Baseball at Delaware State @ 3pm
⛳️ Men’s Golf at Wildcat/Fazio Invitational (Galloway, N.J.)

Wednesday, April 8th
🖼️ John Sloan’s Street Theater at Brandywine Museum of Art
🎾 Men’s Tennis vs. Lehigh @ 2:30pm
🥎 Softball vs. Delaware @ 3pm

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Have a great one, Nova Nation!