Villanova Univeristy Athletics

Art Mahan was a longtime Villanova athletic director and head baseball coach who also played for the Wildcats during his own collegiate career from 1934-36.  In all, he was a part of Villanova Athletics for more than 40 years as a student-athlete, coach and administrator.  Mahan also played Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies and was the organization’s oldest living player when he passed away in 2010 at age 97. He is a member of the Villanova University Class of 1936 and was inducted to the Varsity Club Hall of Fame as a baseball coach in 1985.
 
Mahan graduated from Villanova in 1936 and would later coach the team for 23 years from 1950-72.  He was also the Director of Athletics from 1961 until his retirement in 1978.  Over the years, Mahan presided over some of the greatest moments in the school’s athletics history.  During his first year as Director of Athletics, the Wildcats celebrated one of the most remarkable days in their athletics history on December 30, 1961.  That day the football team defeated Wichita State in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, while that night the men’s basketball team knocked off Iowa in Philadelphia to win the Quaker City Tournament.
 
Such accomplishments would come to define Mahan’s stewardship of the University’s athletics program.  The men’s basketball team reached the NCAA Tournament seven times during his tenure, including reaching the 1970 regional final and the 1971 national championship game.  Meanwhile, the football team made back-to-back postseason appearances at the 1961 Sun Bowl and the 1962 Liberty Bowl.
 
In addition, the Villanova track team, coached by Jumbo Elliott, was one of the nation’s best under Mahan’s watch.  The Wildcats turned out numerous Olympians, including gold medalists Paul Drayton and Larry James.
 
While coaching the baseball team for 23 years, Mahan registered 20 winning seasons and led the Wildcats to the NCAA Region II playoffs on five occasions.  He had a career record of 262-155-5 (.627) as coach and is third in program history in career victories.  Villanova reached the postseason for the first time ever in 1952 and returned to the playoffs in 1953, 1958, 1960 and 1961.  Mahan is one of six Wildcats to have his baseball jersey (#4) retired.
 
Mahan was part of three consecutive winning seasons as a Wildcats student-athlete from 1934-36, with Villanova going 27-11 overall during those three seasons.  After his graduation, Mahan was signed by the Phillies and played in the minor leagues until he was called up in 1940.  He played in 146 games during the 1940 season, batting .244 with two home runs and 39 RBI as the team’s starting first baseman.
 
Mahan served as a Naval officer during World War II, training new recruits at the Quonset Point (R.I.) station while also coaching and instructing in physical education.  He returned to his alma mater when he was hired as the baseball coach in 1950.