Good Morning, Nova Nation 6/17: Countin' Down

The Countdown To The 2026 Kickoff Continues

June 17, 2026

The Official Newsletter of Villanova Athletics

Good Morning, Nova Nation. These videos will never get old!

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

⏱️ Countin’ Down
⏱️ Making An Impact
🏀 A Legend Forever
🔷 And much more!

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

🔼 Countin’ Down. The calendar may read June, but we’re all counting down the days until the Wildcats hit the gridiron this fall.

We are just 72 days away from the season opener against William & Mary on Friday, August 28th.

Wearing #72 this fall will be sophomore Matthias Ogrinc, a 6-4, 270-pound OL, who earned Honorable Mention All-Conference accolades twice in high school and did not allow a single sack during his time at St. Sebastian’s in Massachusetts.

Last fall against William & Mary, this Wildcat started the second-half off with a historic 100-yard kickoff return for a TD that gave Villanova the lead for good in a 31-24 victory over the Tribe.

Who was it?

Got a guess?

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

🔼 Fresh Faces. With the season still a few months away, there’s no better time to get to know some of the new faces that will be wearing Wildcat uniforms this year.

First up, let’s meet 5-7 sophomore guard, Miky Panait, who arrives after an outstanding career in Romania.

🔼 Making An Impact. For the third consecutive year, Villanova had a pair of student-athletes attend the Athlete Activism Summit, this time held in Poconos of Pennsylvania in early June.
 
Joined by Assistant AD for UNITAS - Community, Culture and Engagement Leashia Lewis, Lauren Short of water polo and Maria Deaviz of women's track and field represented Villanova at this year's event. The summit is an annual gathering for college athletes, coaches and administrators from across the country to learn and discuss ways to create a more welcoming environment in sports.

🔼 Forever A Legend. A four-time collegiate All-American who held the BIG EAST meet record in the 1500 meters for 37 years and ran that distance at the 1988 Olympics, Gerry O'Reilly '87 passed away suddenly on June 11.

It is with extreme sadness that Villanova mourns the death of O'Reilly, who was described by his close friends and former teammates as a kind and generous family man who excelled at friendship. O'Reilly was part of Villanova's Irish Pipeline of track & field stars and a member of the program's vaunted sub-four-minute mile club.

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, June 17th
✨ Media’s Dining Under The Stars

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