Villanova Wildcats | |
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University | Villanova University |
Conference |
Big East Conference CAA (football & women's rowing) |
NCAA | Division I /FCS |
Athletic director | Mark Jackson |
Location | Villanova, Pennsylvania |
Varsity teams | 24 |
Football stadium | Villanova Stadium |
Basketball arena |
William B. Finneran Pavilion (on campus) Wells Fargo Center (high-attendance games) |
Baseball stadium | Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth |
Soccer stadium | Higgins Soccer Complex |
Mascot | Will D. Cat |
Nickname | Wildcats |
Fight song | "V for Villanova" |
Colors | Navy Blue and White |
Website | www |
Villanova Ruby Football Club | |
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University | Villanova University |
Association | USA Rugby |
Conference | Keystone Conference |
The Villanova Wildcats are the athletic teams of Villanova University. They compete in the Big East (NCAA Division I) for every sport except football and women's rowing, where they compete in the Colonial Athletic Association (Football Championship Subdivision, formerly Division I-AA, for football only). On December 15, 2012, Villanova and the other six Catholic, non-FBS schools announced that they were departing the Big East for a new conference. This conference assumed the Big East name on July 1, 2013.
The Villanova Wildcats compete in the Big East Conference and are coached by Jay Wright. The team has traditionally divides its home schedule between its on-campus arena, the William B. Finneran Pavilion, and the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia, for larger draws. During the 2017-18 season, the team played its entire home schedule that season at the Wells Fargo Center following the reconstruction of the Pavilion scheduled to be completed in time for the 2018-19 school year. Wright has taken the Wildcats to 12 postseason appearances including 7 consecutive trips (2005–2011) and 5 consecutive trips (2013-2017) to the NCAA Tournament. The 2011-12 team struggled and missed postseason but Coach Wright brought a surprising young team back to the 2013 NCAA Tournament. Villanova has appeared in the NIT 17 times, winning in 1994, and won the Big East Tournament in 1995, 2015 and 2017. The Wildcats have appeared in the NCAA Men's Tournament 37 times, the 8th highest total in NCAA history have reached the Elite Eight 13 times. They have been to the Final Four of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament on five occasions. The 1939 team coached by Al Severance reached the inaugural NCAA Final Four played at the Palestra for the 1939 NCAA Basketball Tournament. All-American Howard Porter led a Wildcat team coached by Jack Kraft to Final Four of the 1971 NCAA University Division Basketball Tournament. Coach Rollie Massimino took Villanova to a surprising 1985 National Championship. Current Coach Jay Wright reached the Final Four at the 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament behind Dante Cunningham and Scottie Reynolds. The team most recently won the 2018 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament for their third National Championship.