VILLANOVA, PA. -- Villanova University Vice President & Director of Athletics Mark Jackson today announced that former Wildcat women's basketball star Maddy Siegrist is returning to Villanova as the Special Assistant to the SWA (Senior Women's Administrator).
 
In this newly created position, Siegrist will work cooperatively with Athletics Marketing, Ticket Office, Legends, Villanova Athletic Fund and Alumni Relations in the overall promotion, branding and marketing of the women's basketball program to enhance exposure, build fan base and generate revenue through season ticket sales, individual game sales, group sales, special events and donations. 
 
Siegrist just completed her rookie season with the Dallas Wings of the WNBA where she was the third overall pick in the first round of the 2023 WNBA Draft.
 
"We warmly welcome back to campus one of the best ever to wear the Villanova uniform," Jackson said. "Maddy is a generational talent who we had the privilege to watch in the Blue and White, but she is an even better person than she is a player. I am eagerly looking forward to watching her grow into this role as an ambassador for our women's basketball program and for our department. We like to say 'Once a Wildcat, Always a Wildcat' and I am thrilled to welcome Maddy back home!"
 
Siegrist led Villanova to a 30-7 overall record and a spot in the Sweet 16 last season by leading the country in scoring at 29.2 points per game to go with a 9.2 rebounds per contest average. She shot 51.0 percent from the field (403-of-790), 36.1 percent from three-point range (52-of-144) and 85.8 percent from the foul line (223-of-260). 
 
"It is a very exciting day for our entire program to have Maddy joining Villanova Athletics in this new role," women's basketball head coach Denise Dillon said. "Even while we were watching her set one record after another these past few years, we knew that her accomplishments on the court were only the beginning of the lifelong connection she will have to Villanova Women's Basketball. Maddy is as special off the court as she is on it, and I can't wait to see the contributions she will continue to make to our University."
 
She scored 20 or more points in all 37 games in 2022-23, including 17 games of 30 points or more. The 37 consecutive 20-point game stretch is the longest streak by any women's or men's D-1 player this century.  She became the all-time leading scorer in the history of Villanova basketball and finished her illustrious career with 2,896 points. She also became the all-time leading scorer in BIG EAST Conference history for men and women with 1,693 points for regular season conference games only.
 
For her efforts last year, Siegrist was named the BIG EAST Player of the Year for a second consecutive season, and she earned first team All-American honors from the Associated Press, WBCA, USBWA and was one of five players selected as a Wooden All-American. She also won the Katrina McClain Award which is given to the top power forward in the country.