< Previous2020-21 VILLANOVA BASKETBALL Basketball Staff 50 n WWW.VILLANOVA.COM DAN ERICKSON Head Athletic Trainer JOHN SHACKLETON Strength Coach MATT FRASCHILLA Video Coordinato ARLESHIA DAVIDSON Director of Program Administration MALCOLM GRACE Assistant AD/ Compliance BLAKE BURKEY Assistant AD/Equipment Operations r REV. ROB HAGAN, O.S.A. Team Chaplain DR. MICHAEL DUNCAN Team Physician DR. WILLIAM EMPER Team Orthopedic Surgeon DR. ROB GOOD Team Orthopedic Surgeon MIKE SHERIDAN Director of Media Relations JENN BROPHY Assoc. Director of Academic Support MARISSA PAFFAS Coordinator of Academic Support JIM BRENNAN, PHD. Team Performance Consultant DR. JEREMY KEES Faculty Athletics Representative ROB DEPERSIA Graduate Manager JOE FLANNERY Graduate Manager TOM LIEBIG Graduate Manager TIM SAUNDERS Graduate Manager TYSON WEST Graduate Manager2020-21 VILLANOVA BASKETBALL Glimpse Of Villanova 52 n WWW.VILLANOVA.COM SINCE 1842, Villanova Universi- ty’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionate- ly and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 under- graduate, graduate and law students in the University’s six colleges – the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova Universi- ty School of Law. As students grow intellectually, Villanova prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. Villanova University was founded in 1842 by the Order of Saint Augustine. To this day, Villanova’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition is the cornerstone of an academic communi- ty in which students learn to think crit- ically, act compassionately and suc- ceed while serving others. Villanova prepares students to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. The strength of the Villanova expe- rience comes in part from the Univer- sity’s welcoming community. All mem- bers are bonded together by a shared responsibility to uphold the ideals of Saint Augustine and let the principles of truth, unity and love guide their lives. The Villanova community helps students grow intellectually, profes- sionally and spiritually, and challenges them to reach their full potential. The University’s rigorous academic experience, rooted in the liberal arts, forms an environment in which stu- dents and professors are partners in learning. The Villanova community is dedicated to providing a personalized experience that fosters every student’s intellectual and spiritual well-being. As part of their education, students are encouraged to enrich their own lives by working for those in need. Through academic and service pro- grams, students use their knowledge, skills and compassion to better the world around them. Villanova University is located in a suburban community 12 miles west of Philadelphia, Pa. AN EXCELLENT ACADEMIC REPUTATION For nearly two decades, Villanova has ranked first in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” in its category of Master’s Universities (North). Villanova is also a member of the two most prestigious honor soci- eties – Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. Villanova’s College of Nursing is designated a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing. The value of the Villanova education has also been recognized: U.S. News & World Report ranks Villanova first in Great Schools, Great Prices (Master’s, North Region) and Bloomberg Busi- nessWeek ranks Villanova in the top 25 nationwide in Top Undergraduate Return on Investment. THE STUDENTS Villanova’s more than 6,300 under- graduates come from 45 states plus Washington, D.C.; Guam; Puerto Rico; the U.S. Virgin Islands; and 53 foreign countries. The mid 50 percent SAT scores of the recently admitted class is 1330–1440/1600, ACT: 30–33, and the GPA range is 3.80–4.20 on a weight- ed 4.0 scale. 53 percent of first-year students receive need-based financial assistance from the University. THE FACULTY Villanova’s 585 full-time faculty - 90 percent of whom hold the highest degree in their field - teach classes that average 22 students. The student : faculty ratio is 11:1. THE EXPERIENCE Villanova is a welcoming, car- ing community of learners. Villanova offers themed Learning Communities, which create innovative educational environments where first-year student live in the same residence hall, take their Augustine and Culture Seminar together, and participate in tailored co-curricular programs. Service to others through volunteerism and ser- vice-learning projects is a fundamental part of the Villanova experience, and 75 percent of undergraduates participate. Villanova students may also choose to study abroad for a summer, a semester or a year; compete on one or more of 11 men’s and 13 women’s sports teams at the NCAA Division I level or on one of 44 club and intramural sports; and take part in any of more than 250 extracur- ricular groups and activities. ACCREDITATION Villanova University is accredit- ed by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an institution- al accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. In addition, Villanova and its undergraduate programs have received accreditation from the Amer- ican Chemical Society, the Computing Accreditation Commission, and the National Catholic Education Associ- ation. Villanova is a member in good standing of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. Vil- lanova School of Business programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Busi- ness (AACSB). Villanova College of Engineering programs are accredit- ed by the Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology). The Villanova College of Nursing program is fully accredited by the CCNE (Com- mission on Collegiate Nursing Edu- cation) and is approved by the State Board of Nursing of the Common- wealth of Pennsylvania. Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX (regis- tered nurse licensing exam) 2020-21 VILLANOVA BASKETBALL President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PHD. 54 n WWW.VILLANOVA.COM THE Reverend Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, became the 32nd president of Villanova Uni- versity on June 1, 2006. Under his leadership, Villanova has charted a course of significant transformation that includes embarking on an ambi- tious ten-year strategic plan, launch- ing the University’s largest compre- hensive fundraising campaign, initiat- ing a vibrant physical campus renova- tion and dramatically expanding stu- dent opportunities. PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE Throughout this transformative peri- od in Villanova’s history, the Univer- sity has introduced new initiatives, become more nationally recognized for its academic prowess and broken University admission records. Father Donohue has also worked together with students, faculty, staff, alumni and parents to strengthen the Villanova community and renew its commitment to the institution’s Augustinian, Catho- lic educational mission. A champion of the role of service learning at Villanova, Father Dono- hue instituted an annual St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service as a way for the University community to pro- pel its Augustinian ideals into action. Each September, nearly 5,000 stu- dents, faculty, staff and alumni take part in projects throughout Greater Philadelphia. This is just one of the many service learning opportunities at the University, which boasts more than 250,000 hours of service in the local, national and international community. AN ACCOMPLISHED SCHOLAR Born in the Bronx, New York, and raised in Royal Oak, Michigan, Father Peter earned a bachelor’s degree from Villanova University in 1975 and was ordained an Augustinian priest in 1979. He has a master’s in Theatre from the Catholic University of America, a mas- ters in Divinity from the Washington Theological Union, and a PhD in The- atre from the University of Illinois. Father Donohue is a tenured associ- ate professor at Villanova who served as chair of the University’s depart- ment of theatre from 1992 to 2006. He annually directed musical theatre productions on campus, earning six Barrymore Award nominations and one Barrymore Award for Outstanding Direction of a Musical from the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. PRESIDENT’S CABINET PRESIDENT Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA PROVOST Patrick G. Maggitti, PhD EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Kenneth G. Valosky SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT Michael J. O’Neill VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATION & MARKETING Ann E. Diebold VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL E. Michael Zubey, Jr., JD CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER Kelly P. Doney VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE Neil J. Horgan VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Mark W. Jackson VICE PRESIDENT FOR FACILITIES MANAGEMENT Robert H. Morro VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT LIFE Rev. John P. Stack, OSA VICE PRESIDENT FOR MISSION AND MINISTRY Rev. Kevin DePrinzo, OSA, PhD VICE PROVOST FOR ACADEMICS Craig M. Wheeland, PhD ASSOC. VICE PROVOST FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AND CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER Teresa A. Nance, PhD2020-21 VILLANOVA BASKETBALL Director Of Athletics Mark Jackson 56 n WWW.VILLANOVA.COM MARK Jackson is in his sixth year as the Vil- lanova University Director of Athlet- ics in 2020-21 and he was named to the position of Vice President on January 13, 2020. Jackson is part of the university’s senior leadership team and serves as a direct liaison between the Athletics Department and the broader campus community. As Vice President and Director of Athletics, he is responsible for providing executive leadership, strategic direction and oversight for all of Villanova’s 24 varsity sports and more than 600 student-athletes. He is also charged with man- aging the department’s fiscal affairs, personnel, strategic planning, facilities, general operations and public relations. Villanova is a member of the BIG EAST Confer- ence and the Colonial Athletic Association Football Conference, and also competes in the Colonial Athletic Association (rowing) and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (water polo). Club sports and an extensive intramurals and recreation program fall under the auspices of the Athletics Depart- ment. Jackson’s vision for Villanova Athletics during his time on campus has been a commitment to excellence in every facet of the student-athlete experience, and to fostering an environment that allows the Wildcats to be successful on all fronts while maintaining the university’s place among the nation’s elite institutions for the combination of its academic prestige, athletic achievement and community service. To this end, Jackson was announced as one of 28 winners of the Under Armour AD of the Year Award in March 2020. The award is presented by The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and highlights the efforts of athletics directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contri- butions to student-athletes, campuses and their surrounding communities. Villanova was presented with the BIG EAST Conference President’s Cup in three of the first four years that the across-the-board honor was presented. The President’s Cup recognizes the BIG EAST member school that has excelled at an elite level in athletic competition, academic perfor- mance, community service and leadership. Jackson’s commitment to all members of the campus community stood out during an unprec- edented year of challenges in 2019-20, as he directed the Villanova Athletics response to the COVID-19 pandemic and expanded the depart- ment’s UNITAS initiative which collaborates with all areas of the campus community to foster an environment of diversity, equity and inclusion. In May 2020, Jackson formed the Caritas Task Force which was officially tasked with guiding the plan for the Reopening of Villanova Athlet- ics for the Fall 2020 semester. The task force is comprised of senior administrators, department staff and coaches. Jackson also worked tirelessly during the spring and summer months to keep the Villanova Athletics community regularly connect- ed and engaged through frequent department communications and virtual town hall meetings for student-athletes and their families. Under Jackson’s watch, the Wildcats have cel- ebrated two national championships in men’s basketball and an individual national title in men’s cross country. The last five years have seen 10 different sports programs earn team or individual berths to national postseason competition, while Villanova has won 20 conference championships and produced dozens of individual conference titles during Jackson’s tenure. The momentum of the department’s success was not diminished by a short- ened 2019-20 season of com- petition. Villanova celebrated BIG EAST titles in men’s cross country, men’s basketball, wom- en’s swimming & diving, men’s indoor track & field and wom- en’s indoor track & field. The football team along with the men’s and women’s cross coun- try teams each advanced to national postseason competi- tion during the fall. Villanova had BIG EAST Coaches of the Year in men’s cross country, men’s indoor track & field, women’s indoor track & field, women’s swimming and men’s diving in 2019-20. Additional conference honors were the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year in both men’s and women’s basketball, the CAA Football Chuck Boone Leadership Award winner, the BIG EAST Most Outstanding Women’s Swimmer and the BIG EAST Most Outstanding Men’s Diver. The 2019-20 campaign also saw the Wildcats have All-Ameri- cans in men’s basketball, women’s cross country, men’s lacrosse and baseball to go along with 26 individual conference champions and 134 All-Con- ference honors. Several notable success stories highlighted ath- letic competition in 2018-19, beginning with men’s basketball continuing to set the BIG EAST stan- dard by winning the conference regular season and tournament titles as the defending national champions. The women’s swimming & diving team set a program record by winning the BIG EAST title for a sixth consecutive year, while the women’s cross country and track & field teams completed a second straight “triple crown” with BIG EAST titles during the cross country, indoor and outdoor seasons. The men’s and women’s cross country teams each earned team berths to the NCAA Champi- onships, the men’s basketball team played in the NCAA Tournament for the 14th time in the past 15 years and the women’s basketball team advanced to the WNIT to notch its 17th national postseason berth in the past 20 years. The academic achievement of Wildcats stu- dent-athletes continues to break records even at a university with a history of standing out on the national level for success in the classroom. Villano- va topped all of Division I in 2018 and 2019 with the highest number of its sports programs earn- ing NCAA public recognition awards by having a multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) score that ranked within the top 10 percent of their sport. In 2020, each of Villanova’s sport programs met or exceeded the national average APR score from all Division I schools. Despite having to adjust on the fly to virtual learning during the Spring 2020 semester, Wildcats student-athletes set a depart- ment record with a 3.637 GPA. It marked the 34th straight semester that the mark has been over a 3.0 and the 11th straight grading period that the student-athlete GPA has been higher than a 3.2. Each of the department’s 24 varsity sports posted a team GPA above a 3.3 for the first time ever in Spring 2020, while 16 sports were above a 3.6 for the semester. The department also had a record number of student-athletes who achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA and who were named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. Villanova has had the highest number of stu- dent-athletes named to the BIG EAST All-Ac- ademic Team in each of the last five years, including a record 370 honorees in 2019-20. The football, rowing and water polo teams have also been well-represented on their respective conference all-ac- ademic teams. Jackson created the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll starting with the Fall 2016 grad- ing period to recognize Wildcats student-athletes with a semester GPA of 3.2 or higher. The number of student-athletes on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll has steadi- ly increased and most recently set a record with 88 percent of all student-athletes achieving this distinction for the Spring 2020 semester. Jackson’s leadership has enabled Villanova Ath- letics to reach record levels of fundraising in the past five years. Since his arrival on campus, Villa- nova Athletics has raised more than $132 million while posting three consecutive record-setting years in terms of fundraising dollars. Most recently the department broke records for total number of donors and dollars raised on 1842 Day, Villanova University’s annual day of giving. The 2020 event saw more than 2,000 total donors raise over $700,000 in 24 hours. Jackson has steadily increased the number of leadership and major gift donors in support of athletics facility projects, most significantly helping to make possible $65 million in fundraising for the 100% donor funded Finneran Pavilion renovation. Other major projects include the October 2016 opening of the $18 million Andrew J. Talley Athletic Center and $4 million in facility enhancements to the Davis Center. Jackson also played a key role in securing $2 million for men’s and women’s lacrosse locker room upgrades and led construction of the $2 million track & field and cross country locker rooms and offices. In June 2016 Jackson helped to secure an anonymous $1.3 million gift, the largest ever to a Villanova Athletics women’s program, for the con- struction of a new home venue for the field hockey team at the Proving Grounds in nearby Consho- hocken, Pa. This transformational gift provides a new home for the field hockey team and positively impacts both the competitive and recruiting land- scape of the program. A similar project was com- pleted in September 2016 at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth, where the baseball team plays its home games. Through the generosity of alumni and friends of the baseball program, artificial turf was installed on the infield and behind home plate. Outfield wall padding was added in March 2017. In addition to numerous capital projects, Jackson has overseen the successful implementation of the “Nova Points” donor and season ticket holder points system and has prioritized fundraising for staffing, scholarship and operational support in the Athletic Department. Jackson is involved with several external com- mittees in addition to his responsibilities on cam- pus. He was named by the NCAA to its Division I Council, a four-year term which began on July 1, 2019 and continues through June 30, 2023. The Division I Council is a high-level group comprised of practitioners who work daily in Division I ath- letics, and it has primary legislative authority for Division I. Jackson also represents the Division I Council on the Strategic Vision and Planning Committee and was named the Vice Chair of that 2020-21 VILLANOVA BASKETBALL Compliance Letter 58 n WWW.VILLANOVA.COM To Our FansTo Our Fans AS a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Villanova University is respon- sible for exercising “institutional control” over its intercollegiate athletics program. The NCAA holds the University accountable for the acts of anyone identified as a Villanova University “ath- letics representative.” By definition, an “athletics representative” is any individual who is: • A season ticket holder. • A member of an institutional athletics booster club. • Involved in providing jobs or internships for enrolled student-athletes. • Involved in promoting the institution’s athletics program. • Has ever been involved with the Villanova University athletics program. • Has made contributions to booster clubs or to the athletics department. Once “athletics representative” status has been reached, fans retain that status for life. Under NCAA legislation, “athletics representatives” are prohibited from any contact (e.g., letters, telephone calls, face-to-face, and social media) with a prospective student-athlete or the prospect’s relatives or legal guardians for purposes of recruiting. Such contacts are to be initiated exclusively by authorized athletics department staff members. Athletics representatives are subject to NCAA legislation which requires member institutions to revoke or withhold privi- leges from any individual who has engaged in conduct that is determined by the NCAA, or its member conferences, to be in violation of NCAA legislation, regardless of whether such violation results in the imposition of sanctions. Such benefits or privileges may include, but are not limited to, ticket privileges being withheld by the University to any University-hosted athletics event, for a period of time which the NCAA, and its member conferences, deems appropriate. We request that “athletics representatives” do not make recruiting contact with prospective stu- dent-athletes at any time. No matter how well-meaning your intentions, any contact you make with a prospective student-athlete places you, our University, and the Villanova University athletics program at risk of receiving NCAA sanctions. If you have any questions, before taking action, please contact our compliance office at the address below and telephone number for clarification. Should you wish to receive more information on applicable NCAA policies, our compliance office will be happy to provide additional information and clarification to you. To request a free copy of our “Guide to NCAA Rules…for Alumni, Faculty & Friends” or to receive clarification of NCAA rules before taking any actions, please email athletics.compliance@villanova.edu or call 610-519-6607. We are grateful for your wonderful and enthusiastic support, and we appreciate your attention to all NCAA regulations regarding Villanova University prospective and enrolled student-athletes. Thank you, Katie LeGrand, Associate Athletic Director for ComplianceNext >