VILLANOVA, Pa. – Joe Ryan, a Villanova Basketball standout while playing for head coach Alexander Severance from 1956-59 and a Varsity Club Hall of Famer, passed away on March 13 at the age of 88.
 
Ryan came to Villanova from St. Joseph's Prep, where he had scored 1,287 points. As a senior he was a team captain for a Wildcats unit that finished 18-7 and earned a trip to the National Invitation Tournament at Madison Square Garden. He averaged 15.4 points per game that season.
 
In 1991, Ryan was inducted into the Philadelphia Big Five Hall of Fame. A moment of silence was held in Ryan's honor at Monday's annual Coaches vs. Cancer breakfast at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
 
In recent decades Ryan was a regular at Villanova's annual "Summer Jam" event and an occasional guest at practices in the Davis Center.
 
Funeral services are set for Wednesday, March 13 at St. Dorothy's Parish in Drexel Hill, Pa. Details and a full obituary can be found by clicking the link at the top of this page.