Villanova Univeristy Athletics

Villanova celebrated 50 years of women’s athletics in 2018 and chronicling many of the top teams, student-athletes, coaches and individual moments that have come to define the Wildcats tradition of excellence for the last half century.  The women’s tennis program was Villanova’s first women’s sport and played its inaugural match in the fall of 1968.  Today, the Wildcats have 13 women’s sports comprised of more than 300 student-athletes.  The remarkable women who have worn the Villanova uniform have been Olympic medalists, national champions and All-Americans in athletic competition.  More importantly they have been Rhodes Scholars, NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipients and Academic All-Americans in the classroom. 
 
AUGUST 3 (WOMEN'S TENNIS)
Women's Tennis Becomes First Villanova Women's Athletic Team in the Fall of 1968
In the fall of 1968 several women on campus decided they wanted to form a tennis team, and they asked the men’s tennis coach – Dr. Bob Langran – if he would consider coaching them as well.  Dr. Langran not only obliged, but he went on to coach the women’s tennis team for the next 25 years.  Dr. Langran’s willingness to add another responsibility to his already full academic and athletic plate led to the first Villanova women’s athletic team being formed.  

 
AUGUST 6 (WOMEN'S BASKETBALL)
Women’s Basketball Advances to Elite Eight in 2003 NCAA Tournament
The women’s basketball program has made 11 appearances in the NCAA Tournament over the years, none more successful than in 2003 when the Wildcats earned a No. 2 seed and advanced to the Elite Eight for the only time in school history.  Villanova had one of its most successful seasons ever in 2002-03, winning 28 games and capturing the BIG EAST title with an upset win over undefeated and eventual national champion Connecticut.  Led by honorable mention All-American and first team All-BIG EAST selection Trish Juhline, the Wildcats defeated St. Francis (Pa.) and George Washington in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament in Norman, Okla. to advance to the Sweet 16.  Villanova then tallied a 53-51 win over Colorado in the Mideast Region semifinal to advance to an Elite Eight game against top-seeded host and eventual national runner-up Tennessee.  The Wildcats were nationally-ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the final 12 weeks of the 2002-03 season and reached as high as No. 11 in the nation in the final poll released before the NCAA Tournament.


AUGUST 8 (WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD)
Vicki Huber is two-time Olympian in 1988 and 1996 Summer Games
One of the most accomplished athletes in school history, Vicki Huber was a two-time Olympian for the United States.  She competed at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea in the 3000 meters and at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta in the 1500 meters.  Huber made her Olympics debut in 1988 while still a current member of the Wildcats team, as she had one remaining year of collegiate eligibility. 
 
The 1988 season was a big one for Huber leading up to becoming Villanova’s first women’s Olympian.  She won the 1500 meters at the USA Outdoor Championships with a personal best time of 4:07.40.  At the Olympic Trials, she finished second in the 3000 meters in 8:46.48 to qualify for the U.S. team that would travel to Seoul.  Despite battling several injuries following the end of her collegiate career, Huber finished fourth at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 1992 and also set an American record for a 5000 meter road race with a time of 15:14 that same year.  She competed in both the 1500 meters and the 5000 meters at the 1996 Olympic Trials, finishing third in the 1500 meters to earn her second trip to the Olympics. 
 
During her collegiate career Huber won eight individual NCAA titles, was a 10-time All-American and won 20 BIG EAST titles.  She has won more NCAA and BIG EAST championships than any other male or female track & field athlete in school history.  Huber was named the Honda Sports Award winner for track & field in 1987-88 and for cross country in 1989-90, as well as winning the overall Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year (formerly the Honda-Broderick Cup) in 1988-89.  She still holds nine school records at Villanova, as well as the NCAA Championships meet record in cross country on a 5000 meter course.  Huber is a member of the Villanova Track & Field Wall of Fame and is a two-time inductee to the Penn Relays Wall of Fame.


AUGUST 10 (WOMEN'S SOCCER)
Villanova made six NCAA Tournament appearances in a nine-year span from 2001-09
The women’s soccer program advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history during a memorable 2001 season in which the team won 13 games.  That postseason appearance wound up being the first of four straight for the team during a run which included advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2003.  Villanova returned to the NCAA Tournament in both 2006 and 2009 to cap off six national postseason berths in a nine-year span. 
 
Villanova advanced to at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament in four of their six appearances, which included winning their first tournament game in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2006.  During the nine-year stretch from 2001-09 the Wildcats had an overall record of 115-46-32 (.679).  Villanova won the BIG EAST title in 2003 and won a school-record 16 games during the 2006 season.  The Wildcats also earned three All-America honors, 21 NSCAA All-Region honors and 23 All-BIG EAST accolades in the nine-year span.


AUGUST 13 (WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING)
Maddy Crippen was a 1999 NCAA Champion and 2000 United States Olympian
During the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Maddy Crippen achieved a rare distinction by competing for the United States at the Olympics while she still had three years of collegiate eligibility remaining for Villanova.  She raced to a sixth place finish in the 400 meter individual medley in Sydney with a time of 4:44.00 after placing fourth in her preliminary heat with a time of 4:44.63. 
 
Crippen was already an NCAA champion by the time she competed in the Olympics.  She won a national title in the 400 yard individual medley and was a four-time All-American in the event during her collegiate career.  Crippen was an eight-time All-American overall for the Wildcats, also earning the distinction twice each in the 500 yard freestyle and the 200 yard breaststroke.  She was twice named the Outstanding Female Swimmer (1999, 2001) at the BIG EAST Championships and was a 10-time BIG EAST champion. 
 
Crippen had a distinguished international career beyond her Olympics competition. She swam for Team USA at the Pan Pacific Championship in Fukuoka, Japan in 1997 prior to the start of her collegiate career. Crippen earned a silver medal in the 400 meter individual medley at the meet, then went on to notch a sixth place finish in the 200 meter individual medley at the 1998 World Aquatics Championships in Perth, Australia. She again represented the United States at the Pan Pacific Championships in 1999 and placed fourth in the 400 meter IM.
 
After redshirting what would have been her sophomore season in 1999-00 to train for the Olympics, Crippen came in second in the 400 meter IM at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2000 to earn her spot on the Olympics team. She went on to be a three-time U.S. national champion, winning two national titles in the 400 meter IM and one in the 200 meter breaststroke. Crippen also competed at the 2002 Pan Pacific Championships and the 2003 World Championships in Barcelona, Spain.


AUGUST 15 (ROWING)
Villanova Has Made Six Appearances at the Historic Henley Women's Regatta in England
The opportunity to travel overseas is a prestigious honor for a Villanova student-athlete.  The women’s rowing program has made such a trip six times over the years, as the Wildcats have regularly competed at the famed Henley Women’s Regatta in England.  Villanova made its most recent appearance at the Henley regatta in 2015 when it competed in the Senior Eights category. 
 
The Henley Women’s Regatta has been held each year since 1988 in the historic town of Henley on Thames.  The race course has evolved over the years and is currently 1500 meters long, beginning at Temple Island and finishing at Remenham Club.  Prior to their trip to England in 2015, the Wildcats previously raced at Henley in 1994, 1999, 2002, 2006 and 2010.
 
In addition to testing its mettle against strong competition at the Henley Women’s Regatta, Villanova has used its trips to England to tour many of the country’s historic sites.  Previous trips have included visits to Windsor Castle, London and Oxford.


AUGUST 17 (FIELD HOCKEY)
New Field in Conshohocken Dedicated in 2016 After Largest Donation to a Women’s Program
The field hockey program moved to a brand new home in 2016 with the dedication of the “Villanova University Field Hockey Field” at the Proving Grounds in Conshohocken, Pa.  The construction and dedication of the venue was made possible by a $1.3 million gift, the largest ever made to a Villanova Athletics’ women’s program.  A key feature of the Wildcats new home field is a synthetic playing surface known as “wet turf,” in which water cannons are used to wet the field prior to and at halftime of every game. 
 
Villanova hosted its first game at the Proving Grounds on September 16, 2016 against conference foe Liberty and officially dedicated the field two days later in a pre-game ceremony before the Wildcats took on Ohio in a non-conference matchup.  Following the festivities prior to the start of the game, Villanova used a late surge to tally a 5-3 victory over the Bobcats.


AUGUST 20 (VOLLEYBALL)
Kim Maroon Set the NCAA Record for Digs Per Set and Was an All-American in 2011
One of the top student-athletes to come through the Villanova volleyball program was Kim Maroon, who holds the single-season and career school records for both digs and digs per set.  Maroon was a two-time BIG EAST Libero of the Year, a three-time All-BIG EAST selection and a three-time AVCA All-Northeast Region pick. 
 
Maroon had her most notable season as a senior in 2011, when she broke the NCAA single-season record with 6.87 digs per set and also established a new BIG EAST record with 749 digs for the year.  Maroon was an AVCA third team All-American in 2011 and became the first player in program history to garner All-America honors.  She was also the BIG EAST Libero of the Year and a first team All-BIG EAST honoree for the second straight year, in addition to earning AVCA All-Northeast Region accolades for the third time in her career.
 
Among the many firsts that Maroon established during her collegiate career are becoming the only Villanova volleyball player to surpass 2,000 career digs and to average better than five digs per set.  Maroon totaled 2,369 digs and averaged 5.67 digs per set for the Wildcats, and she also ranks third in school history with 191 career service aces.  In addition to her success on the court, Maroon was also a three-time member of the BIG EAST All-Academic Team.


AUGUST 22 (WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY)
Women's Cross Country Has Won a Record Nine National Championships
Villanova is the most successful women’s cross country program in the nation, with a record nine national championships to its credit as well as nine individual national champions.  No other Division I program has won more than five national titles all-time, but the Wildcats won six championships in a row from 1989-94.  Villanova has continued to maintain its position of national prominence in recent years with back-to-back national titles in the 2009 and 2010 seasons. 
 
Since making their debut at the NCAA Championships in 1983, the Wildcats have made 29 appearances at the national meet.  Villanova has produced 55 All-Americans at the NCAA Championships.  The program’s success in cross country also includes 14 NCAA regional titles and 22 individual regional champions.  Villanova has also won 15 BIG EAST team titles, including six straight conference crowns from 1989-94 and four consecutive titles from 2008-11.  The Wildcats have had 16 individual BIG EAST champions.


AUGUST 24 (SOFTBALL)
Villanova Won a School-Record 45 Games During a Memorable 2002 Season
The 2002 campaign was a memorable one for the Wildcats, who set a school-record with 45 victories while recording a number of notable team and individual accomplishments.  Villanova raced out of the gates with five straight victories to open the season and eventually pushed their record to 17-2 by the end of March.  The team kept rolling during BIG EAST play and went 14-6 in conference games to earn the #2 seed in the BIG EAST Championship. 
 
Junior pitcher Theresa Hornick became the first player in program history to be named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year after a dominant season which saw her tie a single-season school record with 22 wins.  Hornick posted a 1.32 ERA over 206 2/3 innings for the year, and against BIG EAST opponents held batters to a .131 batting average against her while racking up 103 strikeouts over 19 appearances.  Hornick also earned second team All-Northeast Region honors for the year.
 
On the offensive side, junior second baseman Sara Carlson started all 60 games and was recognized for both her academic and athletic success during the year.  Carlson led the Wildcats with a .383 batting average, including a torrid .455 mark in regular season BIG EAST games.  She had 21 extra-base hits and a .544 slugging percentage on the season, while also posting a .986 fielding percentage at second base.  Carlson earned first team All-BIG EAST and first team All-Northeast Region accolades, and was also a first team Academic All-American.  Carlson was Villanova’s Female Senior Student-Athlete of the Year in 2002 and graduated cum laude with a Civil Engineering degree.  She was a four-time BIG EAST All-Academic honoree and during her collegiate career was a member of two honor societies – Tau Beta Pi (engineering) and Chi Epsilon (civil engineering). 
 
Also earning individual honors for the Wildcats in 2002 were the outfield trio of sophomore Robin Flier, sophomore Lisa Krueger and freshman Allie Wisniewski.  Flier and Krueger garnered second team All-BIG EAST accolades and Wisniewski was named to the All-Rookie Team.


AUGUST 27 (WATER POLO)
Villanova Reached the MAAC Championship Game in 2005
Villanova had a strong 2005 season in the pool and finished the year with a 15-15 overall record, marking the first time in five years that the Wildcats finished a season with a .500 or better record.  After going 5-5 in conference play during the regular season, Villanova earned the #2 seed in the MAAC Championship and advanced to the final with a 7-2 semifinal win over Iona.  It was the third win over the Gaels in as many tries for the Wildcats, who had defeated Iona by scores of 6-3 and 10-7 earlier in the year.  Villanova was dealt a narrow 17-14 loss by conference champion Wagner in the championship game. 
 
The team was led by junior driver Kim Pare and senior utility Ellen Howe during the 2005 season, and both garnered All-MAAC and MAAC Championship All-Tournament Team honors.  Pare was a first team All-MAAC selection and finished the year with a team-high 83 goals and 99 points.  She scored 12 goals alone during the conference tournament, including four in the semifinal win over Iona and eight in the championship match against Wagner.  Pare also was second on the team to Howe with 16 assists for the year.  Howe broke the Wildcats career record for assists with 162, including a team-best 49 during her senior campaign.  She added 45 goals and led the team with 88 ejections drawn for the year.  Howe had a goal and an assist in the semifinal win over Iona and chipped in five assists in the championship match. 
 
In addition to the all-conference honors, Villanova also led the conference with eight student-athletes named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.  The all-academic honorees were Aimee Corsiglia, Danielle Hanson, Ellen Howe, Sarah Oberhauser, Kim Pare, Brynn Rooney, Taylor Schrang and Kate Sparveri.


AUGUST 29 (WOMEN'S BASKETBALL)
Villanova won the 1982 Eastern AIAW Title and Advanced to the AIAW Final Four
Written by Mel Greenberg
In 1982, Villanova stood for victory throughout the women's basketball season.  By the time the year ended, the Wildcats had produced a 29-4 record - their best ever - placed third in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletic for Women (AIAW) national tournament, and joined the country's elite with a ranking of 11th in the final top 20 poll.
 
Additionally, Villanova enlarged its trophy collection with several team and individual honors.  The Wildcats won two in-season tournaments: the Dial Classic, hosted by Montclair State, and the BIG EAST Conference Invitational, played at St. John's.  They captured their third straight Women's Big Five crown. 
 
The Wildcats qualified for the national tournament by winning the Eastern AIAW title in a 63-57 thriller over Rutgers.  It was Villanova's initial triumph over the perennial top 10 power.  But the Knights, who were an at-large selection to the AIAW tournament, got revenge several weeks later by stopping the Wildcats, 83-75, in the semifinals enroute to the AIAW title.
 
Senior Lisa Ortlip, who finished her brilliant career with a school-record 1,634 points, gained several honors.  She shared the Women's Big Five Most Valuable Player of the Year award with teammate Kathie Beisel.  She was also a Wade Trophy finalist and was selected to the EAIAW and AIAW Kodak all-region teams.
 
Senior Stephanie Vanderslice, who also concluded an outstanding career, was selected to the CoSIDA District II Academic All-American team and was named Southern New Jersey's Women's College Player of the Year.
 
Villanova's most successful season began with wins over East Carolina, an eventual NCAA Tournament participant, and Montclair State for the Dial Classic title.  A clue to the Wildcats fortunes was next offered when they routed BIG EAST contender St. John's, 75-46.
 
But Penn State, another NCAA Tournament participant, stopped Villanova's unbeaten string at four with a 79-60 win.  After that performance, head coach Harry Perretta wondered which was the real Wildcat team.
 
He got his answer a few days later when the Wildcats traveled to College Park and defeated Maryland, 74-61.  It was the first win over the Terrapins, who went on to the NCAA final four.
 
The confidence gained from the Maryland triumph led to victories over Connecticut, Providence and Syracuse for the BIG EAST Invitational title.  The steamroller continued to gain momentum with wins over Queens, Providence again, Massachusetts, cross-town rival Saint Joseph's, and Fairleigh Dickinson.
 
The Wildcats were then stopped cold, however, by Cheyney State, 68-58.  The Wolves went on to finish second in the NCAA Tournament.  Rutgers dealt Perretta's team its second-straight and third setback of the year with a 63-57 win.
 
Villanova struggled, but recovered its winning ways, with close wins over Temple and La Salle, in Women's Big Five competition.  Seton Hall almost upended the Cats, but fell short, 57-56.
 
The pace picked up with a 61-49 win over NCAA participant St. Peter's.  Villanova finished the regular season with triumphs over Boston University, Pittsburgh, Princeton, Georgetown, Penn and Connecticut.
 
First-round play in the Eastern AIAW saw the 'Cats barely survive Seton Hall again - this time, 67-66.  Perhaps, Villanova's national tournament bid was in jeopardy.
 
But there was never a doubt in the Eastern finals.  They routed St. John's, 68-45, and then overcame Rutgers for the region title and a national tournament berth.
 
Wins against Mid-American Conference champion Miami (Ohio) and Delta State advanced Villanova to the AIAW Final Four at the University of Pennsylvania's Palestra.  The 'Cats title ambitions, however, were stopped by Rutgers.
 
However, the season ended on an upbeat note with a 90-81 win over Wayland Baptist for third place.  In 1982, Villanova had shown it stood for victory.


AUGUST 31 (WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING)
Becky Koch was an All-American in the 500 Yard Freestyle in 2003
During an outstanding collegiate career for the Wildcats, freestyle swimmer Becky Koch was a two-time All-American and a four-time BIG EAST champion.  As a junior during the 2002-03 campaign, she recorded the sixth-fastest time in the nation in the 500 yard freestyle during the season and went on to finish 11^th at the NCAA Championships.  Koch was also the BIG EAST champion in the 500 free in 2003 and was named the Most Outstanding Swimmer by the conference.    
 
Koch competed at the NCAA meet three straight years from 2002-04, each time qualifying for the championships in three different freestyle events.  She earned All-America honors for her 11^th place finish in the 500 free in 2003 and also for an 11^th place finish in the 400 meter freestyle as a senior in 2004.  In addition to making an impact on the national collegiate scene, Koch also qualified for the 2004 United States Olympic Trials in Long Beach, Calif. and was a Senior Nationals qualifier in the 200 free, 500 free and 1650 free in 2003. She was a two-time BIG EAST champion in the 500 free (2003, 2004) and also won conference championships in the 200 free (2004) and the 1650 free (2003).


SEPTEMBER 3 (WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD/CROSS COUNTRY)
Nnenna Lynch Becomes Villanova's First Rhodes Scholar
Wildcats track & field and cross country star Nnenna Lynch was the first Villanova University student to be named a Rhodes Scholar and also the first student-athlete to be selected as the NCAA Woman of the Year.  She was a national champion and a seven-time All-American during one of the most successful periods in Villanova track & field history and stood out nationally for her combination of elite academic and athletic achievement.    
 
Lynch graduated from Villanova in 1993 with a B.A. in Sociology and went on to earn a Masters in Social Anthropology at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar.  In addition to being awarded one of the most esteemed academic honors in 1992 and becoming the first of what is now three Rhodes Scholars from Villanova, Lynch was also the 1992-93 NCAA Woman of the Year.  That same year she also earned an NCAA Top Eight Award, which is awarded to a student-athlete based on their athletics ability and achievement, academic achievement, character, leadership and activities.
 
Among her other prestigious academic honors, Lynch was a two-time Academic All-American and was named the overall female Academic All-American of the Year for the 1992-93 academic year.  She was also the 1992-93 BIG EAST Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year and earned an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship in 1993.  Lynch was recognized for her academic success by being named to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team and the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Team multiple times during her collegiate career.
 
Lynch was presented with an NCAA Silver Anniversary Award in January 2018.  The honor annually recognizes distinguished individuals on the 25^th anniversary of the conclusion of their college athletics careers.  The annual Villanova Athletics award to the team with the highest GPA in the preceding academic year also carries Lynch’s name.  Lynch was inducted to the Villanova University Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 2011.
 
Since concluding her collegiate and professional running careers, Lynch has become well-known in the business world.  She was named to the Villanova Board of Trustees in January 2015 and is currently the Director of Development at The Georgetown Company, LLC, a privately held real estate investment and development firm in New York City.  Prior to joining The Georgetown Company, Lynch served as Senior Policy Advisor to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for six years.  In that role, she led inter-agency teams to create and implement economic development policies, projects and initiatives.
 
Lynch is a previous partner of Urban Green Builders, LLC, a real estate development firm with a focus on transportation-based, mixed-use real estate projects in distressed neighborhoods throughout the New York City metro area, emphasizing eco-friendly design.  She has also worked as an analyst with Goldman Sachs and was a professional runner and spokesperson for the sporting goods corporation, Fila.
 
Lynch was a member of four straight national championship teams in cross country and was also an individual NCAA champion in the 3000 meters during the outdoor track & field season.  She won the 3000 meter title in 1992 and was also a 10-time BIG EAST champion, winning the individual conference crown in cross country in 1990 as well as the 1500 meters (1991) and the 3000 meters (1992) outdoors.  Lynch was also a member of seven relays that won BIG EAST titles, including six indoors and one outdoors.  She ran on three Championship of America winning relays at the Penn Relays during her career, leading off the distance medley relay in 1991 and running legs on champion 4x1500 meter relay squads in 1990 and 1992.  The team that won the 4x1500 title in 1990 was inducted to the Penn Relays Wall of Fame in 2000 on the 10^th anniversary of their victory.


SEPTEMBER 5 (WOMEN'S TENNIS)
Bob Langran Led Women's Tennis to Over 300 Career Victories
After starting the women’s tennis program in the fall of 1968, head coach Bob Langran led the team to more than 300 victories over the next quarter century.  His career record as head coach of the women’s team was 305-132, and he compiled a winning percentage of .698. 
 
Langran also revived the men’s tennis program in 1967 after a 25-year absence and led the men’s team to 323 victories with a .647 winning percentage during his career.  In all, his teams won more than 600 matches and had a .670 winning percentage during his time as head coach.  Langran was inducted to the Villanova University Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1992 for his strong dedication and effort to the athletics program.


SEPTEMBER 7 (WOMEN'S SOCCER)
Women's soccer won first BIG EAST title in 2003
Villanova enjoyed one of the most successful and memorable seasons in program history in 2003, with the year’s highlights including the team’s first BIG EAST title as well as making its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance where the Wildcats advanced to the Sweet 16.  Villanova finished the season with a 15-5-5 overall record and went unbeaten in its final 10 games to continue the memorable postseason run. 
 
The 2003 season started and ended on a high note for the Wildcats, who won their first seven games and raced out to a 9-1 record.  Three straight losses in early October dropped the team’s record to 10-5 however, including a 2-2 mark early in the BIG EAST schedule.  A 1-0 loss at Rutgers on October 15 proved to be the last time Villanova was beaten the rest of the year. 
 
Beginning with a scoreless draw against West Virginia on October 19, the Wildcats reeled off six consecutive shutouts in a streak which carried them into the championship game of the BIG EAST Tournament.  Villanova won its last three regular season contests against Penn, Pittsburgh and Loyola (Md.), and carried a 13-5-1 mark into the start of the conference tournament. 
 
The postseason began with a 1-0 victory at Connecticut in a quarterfinal game on November 2, followed by dramatic games against West Virginia in the semifinals and Boston College in the championship game which were each decided on penalty kicks.  Villanova outlasted the Mountaineers, 5-4 on PKs, after a scoreless semifinal match and then played to a 1-1 draw against the Eagles in the championship before winning the BIG EAST crown by a 7-6 penalty kick margin.  Laura Koch was selected as the Most Outstanding Defensive Performer of the conference tournament. 
 
Additional season honors for the Wildcats included defender Michelle Biehl earning third team NSCAA All-America honors.  She was one of four Mid-Atlantic Region selections from Villanova, earning first team accolades while Koch garnered a spot on the second team and both Chrissy Dolan and Laura Johnson earned third team selections.  Biehl was also a second team All-BIG EAST honoree and Jamie Weist was named to the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team.


SEPTEMBER 10 (VOLLEYBALL)
Volleyball earned at-large berths to the NCAA Tournament in 1997 and 2015
Villanova’s volleyball team has enjoyed consistent success since it became a varsity program in 1973, with more than 700 victories and 15 seasons with 20 or more wins.  In addition to qualifying for the BIG EAST Championship a total of 19 times, the Wildcats earned at-large berths to the NCAA Tournament in both 1997 and 2015. 
 
The 1997 team finished the year with a 20-9 overall record, including a 9-2 mark in BIG EAST play during the regular season.  Villanova earned the #2 seed in the BIG EAST Championship and defeated #3 seed Connecticut, 3-1, in the semifinals before falling on four sets to top-seeded Notre Dame in the championship match.  Villanova became the first BIG EAST team to earn an at-large NCAA berth, and the Wildcats faced MAC champion Northern Illinois in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Senior middle blocker Stacy Evans was a first team All-BIG EAST selection and an AVCA All-Region honoree in 1997, and finished her collegiate career holding school records which still stand for career kills (1,723), total blocks (518), solo blocks (187), block assists (331) and points (2205.5).  Other veteran members of the 1997 team included senior middle blocker Marisa Davidson and junior outside hitter Elizabeth Jones.  Davidson was ranked 10^th in school history in career kills at the time of her graduation, while Jones is the former school record holder in career digs (1,720) and also tallied 1,330 career kills. 
 
Villanova returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2015 and finished that season with a stellar 25-9 overall record, including a 14-4 conference mark and an undefeated 12-0 slate at home.  Like they were in 1997, the Wildcats were the #2 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament and swept #3 seed Xavier in a semifinal match.  Top-seeded Creighton dealt Villanova a 3-0 loss in the championship match, but a regular season victory over the nationally-ranked Bluejays went a long way in earning the Wildcats their at-large NCAA bid. 
 
There was plenty of recognition to go around for Villanova during one of the top seasons in school history.  Wildcats head coach Josh Steinbach was named the AVCA East Coast Coach of the Year, while senior setter Emma Pettit and sophomore outside hitter Allie Loitz each garnered first team all-region accolades.  Pettit and Loitz were also first team All-BIG EAST honorees, while junior middle blocker Gabby Pethokoukis was a second team all-conference pick. 
 
Loitz tallied 419 kills, 312 digs and 93 total blocks during the season, while Pethokoukis led the team with a .316 hitting percentage and 127 total blocks.  Pettit had 1,367 assists and averaged 11.20 assists per set for the season, and wound up third in school history with 3,791 career assists.


SEPTEMBER 12 (ROWING)
Villanova won a national title in the Lightweight Eight competition at the 1998 IRA National Lightweight Championships
The 1998 season was a storybook one for the Villanova rowing team, with the many highlights from the year including the program winning its first national title when the lightweight eight boat took first place at the IRA National Lightweight Championships. 
 
After a successful season which included a second straight team title at the Dad Vail Regatta and a pair of runner-up finishes at the BIG EAST Championships, the Wildcats competed in the Lightweight Eight and the Open Eight events at the national championships on the Cooper River in Camden, N.J. 
 
Villanova won the Camden County Freeholders Trophy after the lightweight eight boat won the national title in a close finish against Radcliffe, while the Wildcats also came in second in the Open Eight petite final and finished fifth in the overall points race with 126.0 points.  The national champion lightweight eight boat from bow to coxswain featured: Kristen Bubnis, Kelly O’Brien, Carole Martell, Meghan Sarbanis, Lyndsay Walters, Hannah Moore, Maureen McCurry, Katie Douglas and Jessica Merriam (cox).  Villanova recorded a winning time of 6:45.0, finishing six-tenths of a second ahead of Radcliffe and just over four seconds in front of third-place Princeton. 
 
Prior the IRA regatta, the Wildcats won the overall points trophy and women’s points trophies at the Dad Vail Regatta.  The lightweight eight boat and the lightweight freshman/novice eights each won Dad Vail titles, while the varsity heavyweight eight and the second varsity eights tallied second place finishes.  It marked the second straight year that the Wildcats captured the Jack & Nancy Seitz Trophy as the overall points leader at the Dad Vail Regatta, as well as the Jack Bratten Trophy for the most women’s points.
 
Villanova was invited to compete in the prestigious Henley Women’s Regatta in England for the first time in 1998, and the team traveled to London where it finished second overall in the College Eight and second in the Cox College Four events.  Highlights from the season also included the varsity lightweight four boat and the second varsity eight boat finishing second at the BIG EAST Championship.  Villanova tallied six first place finishes at its own home regatta early in the season and won three races at both a dual competition against Massachusetts and at the Kerr Cup.  The 1998 national champions were coached by longtime Wildcats mentor Jack St. Clair, while current Villanova head coach Carissa Adams was in her first year as an assistant coach in 1998 and worked with the team’s novice boats.

SEPTEMBER 14 (SOFTBALL)
Villanova ousted Notre Dame from the 2001 BIG EAST Tournament
There was little doubt who the top two teams in BIG EAST softball were during the 2001 season.  Villanova and Notre Dame each finished the season with overall winning percentages above .800, while no other team in the league had a winning percentage above .650.  The year wound up being one of the best in program history for the Wildcats, who finished the season with a 43-10 record and went 15-5 in regular season conference play. 
 
Notre Dame had won each of the last two BIG EAST titles entering the 2000 season and then proceeded to go 54-7 overall and a perfect 20-0 in BIG EAST play entering the conference tournament.  On the first day of the BIG EAST Championship the top-seeded Fighting Irish were knocked off by #4 seed Seton Hall, while #3 seed Connecticut defeated the Wildcats to set up an elimination game between Villanova and Notre Dame the next day. 
 
With both teams’ season on the line, Theresa Hornick pitched a five-hit shutout and Sara Carlson hit a solo home run for the game’s only run as the Wildcats ousted the Fighting Irish from the conference tournament with a 1-0 victory.  Villanova tallied its first win over Notre Dame since 1996 and just its second all-time in what was then 17 meetings between the schools.  The victory in the conference tournament also marked the highest ranked opponent the Wildcats had ever beaten, as the Fighting Irish came into the game at No. 8 in the USA Today/NFCA poll. 
 
Villanova earned due recognition for its success during the 2001 season, as both Carlson and infielder Jackie Pasquerella were named first team All-BIG EAST selections.  Hornick, along with infielder Heather Garboden and designated player Karen Niwinski garnered second team All-BIG EAST accolades.  The trio of Carlson, Hornick and Pasquerella also went on to earn first team all-region honors following the season. 
 
In addition to the recognition for her on-field success, Carlson also was voted an Academic All-American and became only the third Villanova student-athlete to be named the overall Academic All-American of the Year for all sports.  She was one of eight Wildcats who were named NFCA Academic All-Americans, while senior pitcher Keri Stoller was selected as the female Villanova Senior Student-Athlete of the Year.
 
Villanova has had its share of success in the BIG EAST Championship over the years, highlighted by the upset of Notre Dame in 2001 and advancing to the conference championship game in both 1993 and 2003.


SEPTEMBER 17 (WOMEN'S LACROSSE)
Villanova played its first season of varsity women's lacrosse in 1989
Villanova women’s lacrosse started out as a club program in 1983 and was elevated to varsity status prior to the 1989 season.  The team’s steady and substantial growth in its first several years after being formed was cited as being a key reason for the Wildcats gaining varsity status. 
 
Among the standouts for Villanova in its early years were Leigh Ann Leone and Kelly Morley, who were the first two Wildcats to earn regional All-America honors.  Leone was honorable mention selection in 1993 and Morley garnered second team honors one year later.  Shannon O’Neil and Kristine Streeker were both second team regional All-Americans in 1996, and O’Neil later went on to become Villanova’s head coach from the 2001 through 2005 seasons. 
 
Villanova played in the Patriot League from 1999-06, with several student-athletes earning significant honors during those seasons.  Megahn Carolan was a three-time first team All-Patriot League honoree and the Wildcats compiled a total of nine all-conference honors during their Patriot League stint.  Sarah DePeters was a second team All-Patriot League choice in 2001 and was chosen as the Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2002. 
 
The 2010 season marked a new beginning for Villanova when it began BIG EAST play.  Since then the Wildcats have posted four seasons with eight or more victories, including a 9-7 mark in 2018.  Midfielder Justine Donodeo was Villanova’s first All-BIG EAST selection when she was named a second team pick in 2011.  In their nine seasons as a BIG EAST member the Wildcats have earned 14 All-BIG EAST honors and had a pair of major award winners.  Jackie Froccaro was named the BIG EAST Attacker of the Year in 2015, while Katie Comerford was the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year in 2017. 
 
Villanova has also been recognized for its success of the field.  The team has had 237 selections to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team since 2010, while Froccaro (2015) and Chelsey Henderson (2014, 2016) were each Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Selections.  Christine O’Reilly (2014) and Kathleen O’Connor (2017) were each presented with Villanova’s prestigious Sister Mary Margaret Cribben Award.


SEPTEMBER 19 (WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD)
Villanova set the all-time collegiate record in the 4x800 meter relay at the 2013 Penn Relays
On the final day of competition at the 2013 Penn Relays, Villanova not only won the Championship of America title in the 4x800 meter relay but in the process set an all-time collegiate record which still stands by posting a winning time of 8:17.45.  The lineup for the Wildcats in the record-setting race included Kelsey Margey, Angel Piccirillo, Nicky Akande and Emily Lipari. 
 
Villanova’s win in the 4x800 relay was its 10^th title in the event at the Penn Relays, but its first since 1997.  Head coach Gina Procaccio, then in her 13^th season leading the Wildcats, noted that she had not previously entered a 4x800 team at the Penn Relays.  Villanova had already won a title in the distance medley relay two days earlier during the 2013 meet, with Lipari also anchoring that relay. 
 
On the final leg of the 4x800 race, Lipari ran down the anchor from Oregon during the final lap and wound up delivering the Wildcats to the Championship of America title by a thrilling margin of less than two-tenths of a second in a memorable finish.  Lipari was named the College Women’s Athlete of the Meet for the relay events. 
 
Villanova lowered the previous collegiate and Penn Relays record in the 4x800 relay by 0.46 seconds.  The old mark of 8:17.91 had been set by Tennessee at the Penn Relays in 2009.


SEPTEMBER 21 (WOMEN'S SOCCER)
Jillian Loyden earned first team NSCAA All-America honors in 2006
Former women’s soccer goalkeeper Jillian Loyden earned numerous honors and awards during her career, but perhaps none were more impressive than being named a first team NSCAA All-American for the 2006 season.  Loyden is the only Villanova women’s soccer player in history to earn first team All-America accolades, and with only one goalie being named to the first team each year she was essentially recognized as the nation’s best goalkeeper in 2006. 
 
The first team All-America honor is just one of several “firsts” that Loyden accomplished during her illustrious collegiate career.  She is also the only three-time winner of the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year and still holds six school records.  Loyden garnered All-BIG EAST honors and NSCAA Mid-Atlantic All-Region accolades four straight years for the Wildcats before going on to a successful professional playing career. 
 
Villanova enjoyed one of the best seasons in school history in 2006, and Loyden was the focal part of a team defense which took the program to new heights.  She helped lead the Wildcats to a school-record 16 victories, while setting single-season Villanova records for goals-against average (0.45), shutouts (15) and victories (16).  Her awards tally for the year included the first team All-America honor as well as the second of her three BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year trophies. 
 
In addition to the single-season records she set in 2006, Loyden established new Wildcats career records in 2007 for goalie minutes, shutouts and victories.  Her total of 7,542 career minutes in the net ranked 10^th in Division I history at the time of her graduation, while her 37 shutouts and 48 victories shattered the previous school records.
 
Loyden continued to be successful upon advancing to the professional ranks.  She was drafted in the sixth round of the Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) draft in 2009 and was the backup goalkeeper for the St. Louis Athletica during the league’s inaugural season.  Loyden was the staring goalkeeper for the WPS Chicago Red Stars in 2010 and also played for the league’s magicJack in 2011.  She joined Sky Blue FC in the National Women’s Soccer League in 2012 and spent her final two years as a professional player with the club.  Loyden was later an assistant coach for Sky Blue FC in 2016 and 2017.
 
In international play, Loyden made her debut for the U.S. Women’s National Team in a 2-1 victory over China on October 1, 2010.  She earned a spot on the U.S. WNT roster for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany and also served as an alternate in London for the Gold Medal winning U.S. WNT side at the 2012 Summer Olympics.


SEPTEMBER 24 (WOMEN'S BASKETBALL)
Legendary women's basketball coach Harry Perretta has 746 career victories
Women’s basketball head coach Harry Perretta will enter the 2018-19 season with an all-time record of 746-463 (.617).  He currently ranks 19^th all-time on the list of winningest collegiate women’s basketball coaches, including 12^th among active coaches.  His 746 career victories are the most of any Villanova men’s or women’s basketball coach. 
 
Perretta has established himself as one of the most respected and knowledgeable coaches in the country.  A true teacher both on and off the court, Perretta strives to have a positive influence on his student-athletes not only as basketball players, but also as people.  On February 21, 2016 with a 63-60 win over Georgetown, Perretta became only the third active Division I women’s coach to win 700 games at one school.  He had previously become only the seventh collegiate women’s basketball coach ever to coach 1,000 games at one school when he reached that milestone during the 2011-12 season. 
 
During his legendary career, Perretta has led his Villanova teams to national postseason play 21 times, including 11 NCAA Tournament appearances and 10 WNIT berths.  Villanova has advanced to postseason play 16 times in the last 19 years, a stretch which includes reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2018 and making a run to the semifinal round of the WNIT in 2017.  Perretta’s tenure also includes taking the Wildcats to the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament in 2003 and to the 1982 AIAW Final Four. 
 
Villanova has won a total of six BIG EAST titles under Perretta, including three regular season crowns in a span of four years (1983-84, 1984-85, 1985-87) as well as three BIG EAST Championship titles (1986, 1987, 2003).  Perretta has also guided the Wildcats to at least a share of 16 Philadelphia Big 5 championships. 
 
Perretta was named the BIG EAST Co-Coach of the Year in 2017-18, marking his fourth career BIG EAST honor.  Villanova finished the season with a 23-9 overall record and a 12-6 mark in conference play.  It marked the team’s sixth straight season and 20^th in the Perretta era with 20 or more victories.
 
Perretta began his career on the Main Line in 1978 at the age of 22 and was the youngest coach ever to head a Villanova women’s program.  He led the Wildcats to a 17-8 record in his first season and was a finalist for AIAW small college coach of the year.  Now the dean of BIG EAST and Big 5 coaches, Perretta has brought Villanova national respect and success during his coaching tenure.  His teams are renowned for their aggressive play, disciplined style, defensive prowess and pre-game preparation of an opponent. 


SEPTEMBER 26 (WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING)
Erin Malone earned All-America honors in the 200 yard breaststroke at the 2013 NCAA Championships
Villanova swimming & diving standout Erin Malone qualified for the NCAA Championships in 2013 and tallied a 16^th place finish in the 200 yard breaststroke at the national meet.  She became the Wildcats first swimmer in nine years to score a team point at the NCAA Championships with that finish, which capped off a stellar career as a two sport student-athlete. 
 
Malone was a five-time All-BIG EAST performer and, at the time of her graduation, was the school record holder in both the 100 yard and 200 yard breaststroke.  She set the records in each event at the 2013 BIG EAST Championships, where Villanova earned a fourth place team finish.  Villanova was one of just three BIG EAST schools to have qualifiers for the NCAA Championships in 2013, with Malone and fellow senior Hayley Edwards each earning spots at the meet.
 
In addition to setting school records in the breaststroke events at the BIG EAST meet, Malone was also a part of school-record performances in the 400 yard medley relay and the 800 yard freestyle relay.  She earned two career all-conference accolades in both the 100 yard breaststroke and the 200 yard breaststroke, as well as one All-BIG EAST honor in the 800 yard freestyle relay.  Malone was also a driver for the Wildcats water polo team.  She joined the team in 2012 and tallied eight goals and two assists that season.
 
Malone was named the Female Senior Student-Athlete of the Year at Villanova at the end of her senior year in 2013.  She was also a three-time selection to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team as a swimmer and a two-time honoree on the MAAC All-Academic Team for water polo.  Malone was voted the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Women’s Swimming Performer of the Year as a senior in 2013.


SEPTEMBER 28 (FIELD HOCKEY)
Head coach Joanie Milhous won her 200th game at Villanova on October 29, 2016 vs. Georgetown
The final home game of the 2016 season was a memorable one for the Wildcats field hockey team, as head coach Joanie Milhous notched her 200^th win at Villanova in a 3-2 victory over Georgetown.  Three unanswered goals in the first half, including the first goal of the game just over four minutes in, were all the offense the Wildcats needed in securing the milestone win. 
 
Milhous began her Villanova coaching career in 1995 after four seasons at Cabrini, and during her time on campus has been a two-time BIIG EAST Coach of the Year while leading the Wildcats to nine conference tournament appearances.  She has coached the Villanova field hockey program for more than half of its 44-year history and is in her 24^th season on the Wildcats sideline in 2018. 
 
Villanova’s success on the field includes a remarkable run of 11 straight seasons with double-digit victories from 1998-08.  During that span, the Wildcats appeared in the BIG EAST Championship seven times and advanced to the championship game in 2001, 2002 and 2005.  Milhous was the BIG EAST Coach of the Year in 1999 when Villanova posted a 13-9 record, and earned the honor for a second time during the 2005 season when the Wildcats set a program record with 15 victories. 
 
Milhous has coached her Villanova student-athletes to numerous national and regional honors, with the 2005 team still ranking as the only one in program history to have a pair of All-America selections.  Rory Rogers and Megan Foster were each third team All-Americans in 2005, with Foster going on to garner second team recognition one year later. 
 
Milhous has also seen her players earn Mid-Atlantic All-Region laurels 26 times, including 10 first team selections.  She has mentored a BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year (Rory Rogers, 2005), a BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year (Lauren Campanelli, 2005) and a BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year (Meghan Helwig, 2001).  Villanova has earned 49 All-BIG EAST selections under Milhous’ watch, including a dozen first team honorees.  She has also seen her student-athletes be named NFHCA Academic All-Stars and to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team more than 100 times.


OCTOBER 1 (WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD/CROSS COUNTRY)
Becky Rhodes became Villanova's second Rhodes Scholar in 1994
Becky Spies was a standout both on the track and in the classroom for Villanova during one of the program’s longest periods of sustained national success.  She earned one of academia’s most esteemed honors in 1994 when she became the second Villanova University student ever to be named a Rhodes Scholar.  Spies is now one of three Wildcats student-athletes who have had this honor bestowed upon them. 
 
Spies was an NCAA champion, a seven-time All-American and a nine-time BIG EAST champion as a member of the track & field and cross country teams from 1991-95.  Her commitment to her academic studies also led to her being recognized on a national level.  Spies was a two-time Academic All-American, receiving first team honors in 1994-95 and second team accolades one year earlier.  She also earned an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and was chosen as the 1994-95 BIG EAST Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. 
 
Spies majored in Philosophy and Biology at Villanova and was named by Villanova Athletics as the female Senior Student-Athlete of the Year for the 1994-95 academic year.  She was a three-time selection to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team and was also named to the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Team during her collegiate career. 
 
The women’s track & field and cross country program was at the height of its legendary success during Spies’ time on the team.  She was a member of the Wildcats lineup for three straight national championship cross country teams in 1992, 1993 and 1994, and earned All-America honors in each of the latter two seasons.  She was also a three-time All-BIG EAST performer in cross country. 
 
During the 1994-95 indoor track & field season, Spies helped Villanova win a national title in the distance medley relay.  She ran the 800 meter leg of the relay and garnered one of her three career indoor All-America honors for the team’s national championship.  Spies was previously the anchor of the Wildcats DMR squad at the 1994 NCAA Championships and also earned individual All-America laurels in the Mile in both 1994 and 1995.  She won six career indoor BIG EAST titles, including two individually in the Mile and four as part of the distance medley relay. 
 
Spies garnered her only outdoor All-America recognition in 1994 in the 1500 meters.  She was a six-time Penn Relays champion, including running legs on all three distance relays (4x800, 4x1500, DMR) which won Championship of America titles in 1995.  Spies was previously a part of winning teams in the DMR (1994) and the 4x1500 relay (1993, 1994).  She was a two-time BIG EAST champion in the 1500 meters and also ran the second leg of the champion 4x800 meter relay.

OCTOBER 3 (SOFTBALL)
Head coach Maria DiBernardi won 880 games during her legendary Villanova career
There is no name that is more prominent in the history of the Villanova softball program than Maria DiBernardi, who retired at the end of the 2018 season after 34 years as head coach. DiBernardi compiled an overall record of 880-758-12 with the Wildcats and ranked among the all-time coaching greats in college softball when she retired. 
 
DiBernardi created a culture of excellence, enthusiasm and determination that drove her Villanova teams to historic accomplishments.  Her dedication to the program both on and off the field helped DiBernardi guide the Wildcats to 12 seasons with 30 wins or more, including three 40-win seasons in 1999, 2001 and 2002.  At the end of the 2018 season DiBernardi ranked 24^th among active Division I head coaches in career victories, and her 880 wins also put her 37^th all-time among head coaches with at least 10 years at the Division I level.  DiBernardi was committed to maintaining constistent success in the BIG EAST and she led the Wildcats to the postseason conference tournament 17 times. 
 
Villanova student-athletes were consistently recognized during DiBernardi’s tenure for their success both on the field and in the classroom.  The list of honors for the Wildcats under DiBernardi’s watch includes 80 All-BIG EAST honorees, including 30 who were first team all-conference selections.  Villanova also won five major conference awards, including BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year four times and BIG EAST Rookie of the Year once.  DiBernardi also saw her players garner all-region recognition a total of 29 times. 
 
Perhaps even more impressive were the accolades that the Wildcats earned for their academic accomplishments while DiBernardi was head coach.  Villanova had a total of 319 selections to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team during DiBernardi’s coaching tenure, as well as 11 Academic All-Americans including one Academic All-American of the Year.  The softball team was also represented by six female Senior Student-Athletes of the Year at the annual Villanova Athletics senior recognition night. 
 
DiBernardi has always impressed upon her student-athletes a sense of balance. She places a heavy emphasis on academic achievement and encourages her team to work tirelessly toward their educational, professional and personal goals. The comradery and dynamic of her teams have been a defining characteristic of her coaching style. From frequent individual meetings with her players to holiday dinners at her home, DiBernardi strives to create a unique support system for her team that stays with her players long after graduation, even inspiring many former players to pursue successful coaching careers.
 
Her impact on the sport and the community extends far beyond Nova Nation. DiBernardi led a team to two gold and two silver medals over a four year span at the Keystone State Games. From 1997-2000, she served as the president of the BIG EAST Conference Softball Committee. In 2002, DiBernardi's own athletic accomplishments were recognized as she was named to Norristown's All-Time Team for the 20th Century as a pitcher and was honored as Co-Player of the 20th Century. DiBernardi was voted into the Downingtown High School Hall of Fame in 2015 for her achievements in coaching; the highest honor awarded by her alma mater.

OCTOBER 5 (ROWING)
Villanova won three straight Dad Vail Regatta titles from 1997-99
After becoming a varsity sport in the spring of 1997, the Villanova rowing program quickly achieved and maintained a high level of success.  One of the team’s most notable accomplishments from its first several varsity seasons is an unprecedented run of three consecutive overall team titles at the Dad Vail Regatta from 1997-99. 
 
Held in Philadelphia on the Schuylkill River every spring, the Dad Vail Regatta attracts more than 100 schools annually and is the largest collegiate rowing event in the country.  In addition to several race categories which make up the regatta, trophies are awarded to the men’s and women’s teams with the highest point total as well as to the school with the most overall points. 
 
Villanova had what was considered to be its most successful year of competition in 1995-96 and followed up that campaign with a successful fall season in 1996 before attaining varsity status in the spring of 1997.  The heavyweight varsity squad made the finals at the Dad Vail Regatta in 1997 for the first time ever and tallied a fourth place finish.  The varsity lightweights won the Dad Vail title in commanding style, while the freshman heavyweights also finished first and the lightweight freshmen won a gold medal in their first time competing at the event.  With those victories, the Wildcats won the Jack and Nancy Seitz Trophy for the most overall points and the Jack Bratten Trophy for the most women’s points at the regatta.
 
Many of the same faces returned for Villanova in 1998, when the team won the Jack and Nancy Seitz as well as the Jack Bratten trophies for the second straight year.  Victories in both the lightweight eight and the lightweight freshman/novice eight races helped fuel the Wildcats second straight title, as did runner-up finishes in the varsity heavyweight eights and the second varsity eight.  It was more of the same in 1999 when Villanova won the overall and women’s trophies for the third consecutive season.  The last act in the trilogy featured wins in the varsity heavyweight eight and the junior varsity eight categories, runner-up finishes in the freshman/novice eights and the freshman/novice lightweight eights, and a fourth place finish by the varsity lightweight eight boat.

OCTOBER 8 (WOMEN'S BASKETBALL)
Shelly Pennefather was the 1987 Wade Trophy winner as the nation's top player
Arguably the greatest baskeball player in Villanova history among both men and women, Wildcats legend Shelly Pennefather was the 1987 winner of the Wade Trophy which is given to the nation’s most outstanding senior who serves as a positive role model, demonstrating leadership and sportsmanship, and a total commitment to academics.  Pennefather was named to the Kodak All-America team for the 1986-87 season and was the Wildcats first women’s basketball player ever to earn All-America recognition and to win the Wade Trophy. 
 
Villanova went 27-4 during Pennefather’s senior year in 1986-87, including a 15-1 regular season BIG EAST record.  Pennefather led the Wildcats to both regular season and conference tournament titles while averaging 21.8 points, 9.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per contest.  She shot 59 percent from the field and 77 percent at the foul line while also leading the team with 35 blocked shots and 74 steals.  Pennefather pushed her scoring average to 23.1 points per game while shooting 64 percent from the field, averaged 22.3 points per contest in three BIG EAST Championship games and registered a double-double with 27 points and 10 rebounds in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against North Carolina State.
 
The four years that Pennefather spent at Villanova was one of the most successful stretches in the history of the women’s basketball program.  She led the Wildcats to regular season and/or postseason BIG EAST titles all four years of her career, including consecutive conference tournament crowns in 1986 and 1987 and regular season championships in 1983-84, 1984-85 and 1986-87.  Villanova was 93-28 (.769) overall during Pennefather’s career and reached the NCAA Tournament in consecutive years her junior and senior seasons. 
 
Pennefather won major BIG EAST awards every year of her career, including being the conference Rookie of the Year as a freshman and the BIG EAST Player of the Year each of the next three seasons.  She was a four-time All-BIG EAST selection and a two-time BIG EAST Tournament Most Valuable Player in addition to earning BIG EAST Player of the Week recognition nine times.  Pennefather was also the Philadelphia Big 5 Rookie of the Year in 1984 and a two-time Big 5 Player of the Year. 
 
During her collegiate career, Pennefather played in 117 games and scored in double figures in all but four of those contests.  She was the Wildcats leading scorer 86 times and the team’s leading rebounder 92 times, and at the time of her graduation had produced four of the 10 highest scoring games in school history.  Her 2,408 career points remain the most in school history by any men’s or women’s basketball player, while she also still holds the women’s school records for points in a game (44) and a season (685) to go along with the single-season and career rebounding records with 317 and 1,171, respectively.  Pennefather also remains fourth in school history with 485 assists.

OCTOBER 10 (WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD)
Patty Bradley was Villanova's first All-American at the NCAA Championships
By the time the NCAA track & field championships began to hold a women’s indoor and outdoor championship meet in 1983, Villanova sprinter Patty Bradley had already established herself as one of the top runners in the country.  She was an indoor and outdoor All-American during the 1981-82 academic year, when her season highlights included finishing third in the AIAW Division II National Championships in the 400 meter hurdles.  Bradley was the school record holder in the 100 meter hurdles and the 400 meter hurdles, as well as the long jump both indoors and outdoors by the end of her sophomore year. 
 
She continued to make an impact nationally when NCAA competition began, earning three All-America honors for the 1982-83 season.  Bradley ran the third leg of the Wildcats two-mile relay team which was the national-runner up at the inaugural indoor NCAA Championships, and she went on to place fifth in the 400 meter hurdles and seventh in the 800 meters at the outdoor NCAA meet.  Bradley concluded her outstanding collegiate career with four more All-America honors, with the recognition coming in the 4x400 meter relay and the 800 meters indoors as well as the 400 meter hurdles and the 800 meters outdoors. 
 
Bradley was a 12-time BIG EAST champion and an 18-time All-BIG EAST performer during her Villanova career.  She was named the Most Outstanding Performer at the outdoor conference championships in 1983, and was recognized for having the Most Outstanding Performance at both the 1983 and 1984 outdoor BIG EAST meets.  Bradley was also an ECAC champion outdoors in the 100 meter hurdles in 1984 and a Penn Relays champion as part of the Wildcats lineup in the distance medley relay that same year.

OCTOBER 12 (WOMEN'S SOCCER)
Villanova reached the Sweet 16 in 2003 and hosted a Sweet 16 game on campus
After winning the first BIG EAST title in program history, the 2003 women’s soccer team was ranked No. 15 in the nation entering the NCAA Tournament.  Villanova advanced through the first two rounds of the tournament and hosted a Sweet 16 game against BYU in campus in what remains the program’s longest postseason run to date. 
 
The first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament took the Wildcats to Charlottesville, Va., where they tallied a 2-1 victory over Princeton in the first round and a scoreless draw against host Virginia in the second round.  Villanova advanced past the Cavaliers with a 4-2 edge on penalty kicks to secure a Sweet 16 berth.  Playing at home against BYU, the Wildcats tallied their second straight 0-0 draw before the Cougars advanced with a 5-3 penalty kick advantage. 
 
In the first round NCAA game against Princeton, Elizabeth Dauble and Lindsey Finnegan scored less than two minutes apart midway through the first half to give Villanova a 2-0 lead.  Princeton answered with a goal of their own 10 minutes before halftime to trim the margin to 2-1, but the Wildcats defense took over from there and held on to the lead by giving up just six total shots on goal in the contest.  Villanova was outshot by Virginia 20-5 in the second round of the tournament, but in a truer indication of how the game was played the Cavaliers owned just a slight 3-2 edge in shots on goal in the scoreless battle.  Senior goalkeeper Chrissy Dolan made three saves in the contest, then two more in the penalty kick shootout before Kelly Breslin drilled the decisive kick to send the Wildcats into the Sweet 16. 
 
A near-capacity crowd of more than 900 fans packed the West Campus Soccer Complex on November 22, 2003 for the Sweet 16 game against BYU.  Dolan made eight saves in the 0-0 contest, including four in the second half of regulation and two more in overtime to preserve the draw.  Although the Cougars advanced on penalty kicks, the Wildcats still finished the 2003 season with a then-school record 15 victories to go along with the program’s first-ever BIG EAST title.

OCTOBER 15 (VOLLEYBALL)
Stacy Evans (1994) and Stacey Moline (1996) were each named BIG EAST Rookies of the Year 
During a five-year run of success from 1993-97 when Villanova won 106 matches and compiled a .684 winning percentage, two of its top performers were middle blocker Stacy Evans and setter Stacey Moline who each earned BIG EAST Rookie of the Year honors to start their collegiate careers.  Evans became the first player in program history to earn the award in 1994, while Moline was presented with the honor two seasons later in 1996. 
 
Villanova went 19-12 in 1994, including winning its first 10 matches on the way to a 15-2 start to the season.  Evans led the team in kills, hitting percentage and blocks while ranking second on the team in digs as a freshman.  She played in a team-high 115 sets (out of 116 total) and had 486 kills while attacking at a .376 clip.  Evans also totaled 160 blocks for the year, including 67 solo blocks and 93 block assists.  She averaged 4.2 kills per set and 1.4 blocks per set on the year. 
 
Moline joined the fold in 1996 and had an immediate impact for a team which went 21-8 overall and 9-4 in BIG EAST play.  She had 1,342 assists and averaged 13.2 assists per set on the year while adding 167 digs, 46 kills and 40 total blocks.  Moline directed an offense which featured three different players that surpassed 300 kills for the season, while the Wildcats as a team finished the season with a .260 attack percentage and an average of 16.8 kills per set.

OCTOBER 17 (WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING)
Villanova has won five consecutive BIG EAST titles since 2014
The women’s swimming & diving team will begin the 2018-19 season riding an impressive wave of dominance in the BIG EAST Conference.  Villanova has won each of the last five conference titles since 2014, and during that span has won more than 80 percent of the individual races and relays which make up the BIG EAST Championships. 
 
This current stretch of success for the Wildcats started with the team winning the 2014 conference crown and has continued with BIG EAST championships in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.  Villanova has won 49 of 65 individual events at the last five conference meets in addition to going undefeated in all five relays each year.  Or, to say that another way, the Wildcats have won 25 consecutive relay races at the BIG EAST Championships.  Put together, Villanova has won 74 out of 90 event titles during their five-year run.    
 
Major award winners at the conference championships have also been plentiful for the Wildcats, including head coach Rick Simpson and his staff being named the Women’s Coach of the Year five straight seasons.  Villanova has also won at least a share of the meet’s Most Outstanding Swimmer award for five years running.  Rising senior Darby Goodwin has won the award in each of the first three seasons of her collegiate career (2016-18), while Kaisla Kollanus was the 2015 winner of the honor and Fiona Hardie shared the award with a Seton Hall swimmer in 2014. 
 
Following each year’s conference championships, the BIG EAST names its swimming All-BIG EAST teams.  Villanova has had a total of 222 honorees over the last five years, including 41 or more all-conference performers each season. 

The current run of success by the Wildcats is actually the second time in program history that the program has won five consecutive BIG EAST titles.  The first occasion was from 1992-96, giving Villanova a total of 10 women’s swimming & diving titles all-time.

OCTOBER 19 (WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD)
Sonia O'Sullivan competed in four straight Summer Olympics and was a silver medalist in the 5000 meters in 2000
When she won the silver medal in the 5000 meters at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Sonia O'Sullivan became the first woman in Villanova history to win an Olympic medal. She also competed at the Summer Olympics in 1992 (Barcelona, Spain), 1996 (Atlanta) and 2004 (Athens, Greece) during a career in which she made headlines around the globe as one of the top distance runners in the world. O'Sullivan won a total of 16 medals in international competition during her career, including eight gold medals, nine silvers and two bronze medals. She won those medals at competitions that included the Olympics, World Championships, European Championships, World Cross Country Championships, World Indoor Championships, World University Games and World Cup.
 
O'Sullivan made her Olympics debut in 1992 and competed in the 1500 meters and the 3000 meters in Barcelona. She advanced to the final of the 3000 meters after winning her preliminary heat with a time of 8:50.08. She went on to finish just outside of medal contention in the final and notched a fourth place finish in 8:47.41. In the 1500 meters that year, O'Sullivan came in fifth in her first round heat with a time of 4:07.70 and automatically advanced to the semifinals. She came in 11th in her semifinal heat with a time of 4:06.24. In 1996 in Atlanta, O'Sullivan set an Olympic record in the opening round of the 5000 meters when she won her heat with a time of 15:15.80. She also ran in the 1500 meters and crossed the finish line in 4:19.77 to come in 10th in her opening round heat.
 
At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, O'Sullivan reached the final of both the 5000 meters and the 10000 meters. She won her opening round heat of the 5000 meters in 15:07.91, then lowered that time to a personal best mark of 14:41.02 to win the silver medal in the final. O'Sullivan came in seventh in her first round heat of the 10000 meters in 32:29.93 and automatically qualified for the final. She finished sixth in the final in 30:53.37. In her final Olympics appearance in 2004, O'Sullivan once again reached the final of the 5000 meters. She placed seventh in her heat of the event in 14:59.61 and advanced on time to the final, where she came in 14th with a time of 16:20.90.
 
O'Sullivan concluded her collegiate career with the 1991 cross country season and then had a breakout year of competition in 1992. She finished seventh at the World Cross Country Championships at the start of the year, and in the coming months improved her personal best times in a number of distances between 800 meters and 5000 meters. She set six Irish national records in the process, including five in a span of 11 days in mid-August following the Olympics. O'Sullivan wrapped up the 1992 calendar year by winning the Grand Prix Final in the 5000 meters. She had gotten her first taste of international success when she won a gold medal in the 1500 meters and a silver in the 3000 meters at the World University Games in Sheffield, England in 1991.
 
During her professional career, O'Sullivan won a gold medal in the 5000 meters at the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden and the 1998 World Cup in Johannesburg, South Africa. She also captured a silver medal in the 1500 meters at the World Championships in 1993 in Stuttgart, Germany. O'Sullivan won gold medals at distances of four kilometers and eight kilometers at the 1998 World Cross Country Championships in Marrakesh, Morocco. She also won bronze medals in the team competitions at those distances in 1997 in Turin, Italy (eight kilometers) and in 2000 in Dublin, Ireland (four kilometers). O'Sullivan won a silver medal in the 3000 meters at the World Indoor Championships in Paris.
 
Some of the best performances of O'Sullivan's career came at the European Athletics Championships, where she was a five-time medalist. She won gold in the 3000 meters in 1994 in Helsinki, Finland and also captured gold in both the 5000 meters and the 10000 meters in 1998 in Budapest, Hungary. She won silver medals in both those events in 2002 in Munich, Germany.

O'Sullivan's career at the Olympics includes far more than just competition on the track. She was selected to be the flag bearer for Ireland during the opening ceremonies at the 2000 Olympics. During the torch relay for the 2012 Olympics in London, O'Sullivan carried the flame when the torch arrived in Dublin on June 6. She carried the flame onto St. Stephen's Green and lit an Olympic cauldron. O'Sullivan was later made the Chef de Mission for Team Ireland at the 2012 Olympics.
 
O'Sullivan's personal best times during her racing career include: 800 meters (2:00.69), 1000 meters (2:34.66), 1500 meters (3:58.85), Mile (4:17.25), 2000 meters (5:25.36), 3000 meters (8:21.64), two miles (9:19.56), 5000 meters (14:41.02), 10000 meters (30:47.59), half marathon (1:07:19) and marathon (2:29:01). She set a world record in the 2000 meters in July 1994 and was the world record holder in the two miles from 1998-2007. She also held the European record in the 3000 meters from 1994-2002. On January 25, 1991, O'Sullivan broke the indoor world record in the 5000 meters when she recorded a time of 15:17.28 at the Terrier Classic in Boston, Mass. That time still stands as the Villanova school record in the 5000 meters. She also ranks second in school history in the Mile (4:33.49) and the 3000 meters (8:56.27). O'Sullivan is part of the existing school record in the two mile relay (8:33.94) and was a part of a distance medley relay which ranks second in school history (10:49.81).
 
As a collegiate runner, O'Sullivan won five individual NCAA titles, was a seven-time All-American, captured 11 BIG EAST titles and helped Villanova win six Championship of America wheels at the Penn Relays. She was a national champion in cross country in 1990 and 1991, won outdoor NCAA titles in the 3000 meters in each of those years and was also the 1991 indoor champion in the 5000 meters. Her other All-America performances came indoors in the 3000 meters (1990) and the Mile (1991). O'Sullivan was a part of national championships teams in cross country three straight years from 1989-91, the first three seasons in a string of an unprecedented six national titles for the Wildcats. O'Sullivan was also a part of Villanova teams which won three straight BIG EAST team titles in cross country (1989-91), as well as three indoor track & field championships (1988, 1990, 1991) and consecutive outdoor track & field crowns (1988, 1989).
 
O'Sullivan was the BIG EAST individual cross country champion in 1991 and was an All-BIG EAST performer three straight years from 1989-91. She also was the District II and ECAC individual champion in 1990 and 1991. During the indoor track & field season, O'Sullivan was named the Most Outstanding Performer at the 1991 BIG EAST Championships. She led the Wildcats to a team title by winning the Mile and the 3000 meters individually, as well as running the anchor leg of the team's first place 4x800 meter relay. O'Sullivan also was the indoor conference champion in the 3000 meters in 1990. She was the ECAC indoor champion in the 3000 meters in 1990.
 
A few months after being chosen as the meet's top performer at the 1991 indoor BIG EAST meet, O'Sullivan repeated as the Most Outstanding Performer at the outdoor conference championships. She doubled in the 3000 meters and the 5000 meters to win a pair of individual titles. O'Sullivan was a three-time outdoor BIG EAST champion in the 3000 meters (1989-91) and also won consecutive titles in 1988 and 1989 as part of the team's lineup in the 4x800 meter relay. She was a nine-time All-BIG EAST performer overall at the outdoor conference meet. She was the ECAC champion in the 3000 meters during her junior and senior seasons.
 
O'Sullivan won six Championship of America titles at the Penn Relays, including two each in the 4x800 meter relay, the distance medley relay and the 4x1500 meter relay. She ran the second leg of the 4x1500 relay in victories in both 1989 and 1990, and was inducted to the Penn Relays Wall of Fame in 2000 when the 1990 squad was enshrined on the 10th anniversary of the win. O'Sullivan was a three-time Penn Relays champion in 1990, as she also led off the DMR and ran the third leg of the 4x800 relay. She anchored the DMR and ran the second leg of the 4x800 relay in 1991.

OCTOBER 22 (WOMEN'S BASKETBALL)
Villanova upset No. 1 Connecticut and ended the Huskies 70-game winning streak to capture the 2003 BIG EAST title
After winning 22 regular season games and going 12-4 in conference play during the 2002-03 season, Villanova entered the BIG EAST Championship as the #3 seed.  A veteran Wildcats team defeated Notre Dame and Miami in their first two games of the conference tournament to reach the final against top-seed and undefeated Connecticut. 
 
The heavily-favored Huskies, in fact, were not only unbeaten during the 2002-03 campaign but had won 70 consecutive games since a loss in the 2001 Final Four.  Three of the 70 wins had come against Villanova by an average margin of 32.3 points, not out of line compared with the scores Connecticut was routinely putting up against most teams during the streak. 
 
It wasn’t as if the Wildcats came out of nowhere in their surprising upset victory in that 2003 title game, however.  Villanova had played in the NCAA Tournament in both 2001 and 2002 while surpassing 20 wins in each of those seasons.  Senior guard Trish Juhline starred for the 2002-03 squad, earning Associated Press honorable mention All-America honors in addition to being a first team All-BIG EAST selection and the Philadelphia Big 5 Player of the Year.  Senior Katie Davis garnered second team All-BIG EAST honors and junior Courtney Mix was an honorable mention all-conference pick. 
 
While the Wildcats defeated Notre Dame and Miami to reach the conference championship game in 2003, the Huskies posted wins over Seton Hall by 23 points and Virginia Tech by 17 points to set up the title game clash.  Both teams shot below 30 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes, and Villanova took a 20-17 lead into halftime. 
 
It appeared that Connecticut had executed one of its dominant runs early in the second half when a 19-7 run forged a 36-27 lead for the Huskies with 9:35 left in the game.  The run that took place after that point turned the tide for good in the contest, but it was the Wildcats who had the final answer.  Senior forward Nicole Druckenmiller kicked off an 18-2 spurt with one of three 3-pointers that she would make in the run, narrowing the gap to 36-30 and giving Villanova an immediate chance to get back into the game.
 
Mix made a baseline jumper to further cut into the Connecticut lead and Druckenmiller hit again from downtown to pull the Wildcats to within 36-35 with 5:08 to play.  Following a Huskies turnover, Mix converted a three-point play for a 38-36 lead with 4:33 remaining.  Druckenmiller later hit two free throws and then nailed the third of her three-pointers to push the margin to 45-38 with 2:12 to go.  Villanova made 7-of-8 free throws in the final 1:50 to secure the historic win. 
 
Juhline scored a game-high 18 points and Druckenmiller added 13 on a night when the Wildcats took down Goliath despite shooting only 34 percent from the field.  It was a better percentage than the Huskies 30.4 percent clip though, and Villanova turned the ball over just five times in a trademark display of its disciplined offense.  Juhline was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player and Drucknemiller also landed on the All-Tournament Team.
 
The 2002-03 season was of course historic for more than just the BIG EAST title that the Wildcats won in dramatic fashion.  Villanova finished the year 28-6 overall, advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history and was presented with the Wanamaker Award by the Philadelphia Sports Congress.  The award is given to the athlete, team or organization that has done the most to reflect upon Philadelphia and to the team or sport in which they excel.

OCTOBER 24 (WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD/CROSS COUNTRY)
Sheila Reid was a five-time NCAA champion, including winning consecutive cross country titles
Few runners in the Wildcats storied track & field history can match Sheila Reid's list of accomplishments. She was a five-time individual NCAA champion for Villanova and also racked up 11 All-America honors and 12 BIG EAST titles during her collegiate career. Reid helped the Wildcats win consecutive national championships in cross country in 2009 and 2010, and Villanova won three consecutive BIG EAST and NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region titles from 2009-11. Reid was also the Most Outstanding Track Performer at the indoor BIG EAST Championships in 2010 when she helped lead the Wildcats to the team title at the conference meet.
 
At the height of her collegiate career, Reid had an incredible stretch of performances during the 2010-11 academic year. It started with her winning her first national title in cross country and leading Villanova to its second consecutive national championship. During the indoor season, Reid anchored the Wildcats to an NCAA title in the distance medley relay and finished second individually in the 3000 meters. Her best was still to come, as she became the first woman in history to win both the 1500 meters and the 5000 meters in the same year at the outdoor NCAA Championships. Reid also doubled up in winning both events at the BIG EAST Championships that year. She swept the Mid-Atlantic Region Athlete of the Year awards in cross country, indoors and outdoors in 2010-11, and was also named the winner of the prestigious Honda Sports Award for both cross country and track & field. Reid was one of three finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year. She repeated as the Honda Sports Award winner in cross country as a senior in 2011.
 
As a cross country runner, Reid was a three-time All-American and three-time BIG EAST champion in addition to winning the two national titles. She was a three-time champion at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional and earned both All-Mid-Atlantic and All-BIG EAST honors all four years of her career. Reid won BIG EAST titles indoors in the 1000 meters, Mile and 4x800 meter relay in 2010, as well as the 1000 meters, 4x800 relay and distance medley relay in 2011. She was an All-American in both the distance medley relay and the 3000 meters in consecutive years.
 
Reid added to her legacy as a senior in 2012 when she anchored Villanova to a Championship of America title in the distance medley relay at the Penn Relays. It wound up being the first of four consecutive titles in the race for the Wildcats. Reid was a four-time All-American outdoors, earning the honor twice each in the 1500 meters and the 5000 meters. She was also a BIG EAST champion in the 800 meters (2010).
Reid is Villanova's outdoor school record holder in the 5000 meters with a time of 15:23.64 which she recorded at the Mt. SAC Relays in California during her senior season in 2012. She also helped the Wildcats set an indoor school record in the distance medley relay of 10:52.52 in the team's national championship race in 2011. Reid owns the fastest time in school history on a 6000 meter cross country course as well, with a mark of 19:34 which was recorded at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional her junior year.
 
There was another list of accomplishments for Reid during her time at Villanova which was equally impressive to her efforts in competition: her academic achievements. Reid was a first team Academic All-American for both the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years. She was also named the USTFCCCA National Scholar-Athlete of the Year in both cross country (2010, 2011) and track & field (2011). Reid was named to USTFCCCA national All-Academic teams a total of four times between the cross country and track & field seasons, and she was also a five-time selection to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team. She was the winner of the BIG EAST Sport Excellence Award in cross country in both 2010 and 2011, and was the conference's selection as Villanova's Institutional Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for the 2009-10 academic year. Reid was a two-time Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Performer of the Year in cross country, and was named Villanova's Female Senior Student-Athlete of the Year in 2011.
 
Just two short months after wrapping up her record-setting collegiate career for Villanova, Reid competed for Canada at the 2012 Olympics in London. She was chosen under her country's "Rising Star" program to be its representative in the 5000 meters in London, and Reid tallied a time of 15:27.41 to finish 15th in her preliminary heat of the event. In 2016, Reid had the fastest Olympic qualifying time in the 1500 meters - 4:03.96 - of any Canadian athlete but was forced to withdraw from the country's Olympic trials due to an injury.
 
After making her Olympics debut in 2012, Reid continued to have success on an international stage. She competed at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow in 2013 and posted a time of 4:10.90 in her heat of the 1500 meters. Reid also placed 12th in the 3000 meters with a time of 9:19.67 at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland, Ore. in 2016. She had already established herself on the international scene prior to coming to Villanova. Reid ran in the Junior Race at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in both 2006 (Fukuoka, Japan) and 2007 (Mombasa, Kenya).

OCTOBER 26 (WATER POLO)
Villanova's water polo team was first formed in 1993 and played its first varsity season in 1996
Villanova first formed its water polo program in 1993 and the Wildcats initially played as a club team in the College Water Polo Association through several of the program’s early years.  After going 11-14 during the 1996 season, Villanova went 13-7 overall and 6-5 in CWPA action during the 1997 campaign.  That year was followed by the Wildcats being elevated to varsity status one year later.
 
The first several seasons as a varsity program were fruitful ones for Villanova, which went 11-13 in 1998 and then surged to a 23-8 during a 1999 season in which the Wildcats earned a national ranking in the United States Water Polo collegiate women’s poll.  Villanova finished fourth at the Eastern Water Polo Championships in 1998 and was fifth in 1999 under first year head coach Allyson Gillespie.    
 
Up until the 2003 season, the Mid-Atlantic division of the Collegiate Water Polo Association was the only conference available for teams on the east coast to play in.  A new chapter of the Wildcats water polo history started when the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) began to sponsor water polo in time for the 2003 campaign. 
 
Villanova is one of the original members of the MAAC water polo conference and has enjoyed its share of success in the league over the years.  That success includes the Wildcats qualifying for the postseason MAAC Championship a total of 10 times, with the 2005 squad advancing to the conference championship game.  Villanova had a selection to the MAAC All-Tournament Team in each of its 10 appearances at the conference tournament. 
 
In addition the postseason honors, the Wildcats have also earned recognition for their play during the regular season.  Villanova has produced three MAAC major award winners, including one Offensive Player of the Year (Kim Pare, 2006), one Defensive Player of the Year (Julie Conrath, 2016) and one Coach of the Year (Paige Cull, 2004).  The Wildcats have also had 27 All-MAAC selections, with seven student-athletes combining for 13 first team accolades. 
 
Rounding out the Villanova award winners are 45 student-athletes who have combined to be named to the MAAC All-Academic Team 96 times.

OCTOBER 29 (WOMEN'S LACROSSE)
Meghan Doyle is the all-time leading goal scorer in Villanova women's lacrosse history
One of the top women’s lacrosse players in Villanova history is Meghan Doyle, who played from 1996-99 and remains the program’s all-time leading goal scorer with 138 career goals.  Doyle also ranks second in school history in career points and is currently seventh in career goals per game.  She still holds the Wildcats single-season records for goals, goals per game, points and points per game. 
 
Doyle’s career totals in 58 games played include 138 goals, 27 assists and 165 points.  She averaged 2.38 career goals per game and surged to the top of the Villanova record book by scoring an incredible 114 goals over her final two collegiate seasons.  She tallied 51 goals and 10 assists in 1998, setting the Wildcats single-season goal record for the first time and also tying the former school record with 61 points on the year.  Both of those marks were shattered in 1999, when Doyle tallied 63 goals, 10 assists and 73 points in 16 games. 
 
As a junior during the 1998 season, Doyle became only the third player in program history to reach 100 career points.  She had 107 career points as of the end of her junior campaign, and it took a three-goal effort on the final day of the season against nationally-ranked Rutgers to break Villanova’s previous single-season goals record (the old record of 49 was set by Leigh Ann Leone in 1993). Doyle was recognized for her efforts during the season by being named a Brine/IWLCA second team All-American. 
 
Doyle’s senior season in 1999 coincided with the Wildcats joining the Patriot League as an associate member.  Doyle was a two-time Offensive Player of the Week during the 1999 season, and following the year was named a first team All-Patriot League honoree.

OCTOBER 31 (WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING)
Lisa Flood was the first NCAA champion for the women's swimming & diving program, and a two-time Olympian for her native Canada
Lisa Flood was one of the top swimmers in Villanova history and a two-time Olympian for Canada who excelled just as much in her academic pursuits as she did during a Hall of Fame athletic career. Flood swam the 100 meter breaststroke for Canada at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona and the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, each time advancing to the "B" final of the event. In her Olympic debut in Barcelona, Flood came in third in her opening round heat of the 100 meter breaststroke with a time of 1:10.95. She went on to finish sixth in the "B" final in 1:11.17. Flood posted even faster times in Atlanta in 1996. She came in fifth in her preliminary heat with a time of 1:10.26, then touched the wall in 1:10.21 and was the runner-up in the "B" final.

Flood, who is a member of the Ontario Aquatic Hall of Fame, enjoyed a great deal of international success beyond the Olympics. She burst onto the scene following her freshman year at Villanova by winning bronze medals in both the 100 and 200 meter breaststroke races at the Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba. She eventually won two gold medals in the breaststroke races, as well as a silver medal in the 400 meter medley relay at the 1995 Pan American Games in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Flood also won bronze medals in the 200 breaststroke and the 400 medley relay at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, B.C. She was a part of the Canadian team that won a silver medal in the 400 medley relay at the 1995 FINA Short Course World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

As a collegiate swimmer, Flood was the Wildcats first women's swimmer to become an NCAA champion when she won the national title in the 100 yard breaststroke at the 1992 NCAA Championships. Flood earned All-America honors in both the 100 and 200 yard breaststroke events four straight years from 1991-94, in addition to being an All-American in both the 200 yard medley relay and the 400 yard medley relay as a junior in 1993. During her years on the team, Villanova achieved a great deal of success both individually and as a team at the BIG EAST Championships. Flood was named the Outstanding Female Swimmer at the meet in both her freshman and sophomore years, while her efforts helped the Wildcats win three straight BIG EAST team titles from 1992-94. Flood was the BIG EAST champion in the 100 yard breaststroke all four years of her career, and also won the 200 breaststroke three times (1991-93) and the 200 yard individual medley in 1992. She added to her eight individual conference crowns by being a part of seven BIG EAST relay champions, including the 200 yard medley relay all four years of her career and the 400 yard medley relay in 1991, 1993 and 1994. Flood was part of the 2015 induction class to the Villanova Varsity Club Hall of Fame.

Flood received as much acclaim for her academic accomplishments at Villanova as she did for her efforts in the pool. As a senior, the Psychology major earned an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and was also named a first team Academic All-American. She is one of 20 student-athletes ever from Villanova to earn a postgraduate scholarship, and one of two from the women's swimming & diving team. Flood was also the first-ever Villanova Female Senior Student-Athlete of the Year in 1994 and was presented that year with an NCAA Top Eight Award, which is given out at the end of each academic year to the top eight collegiate student-athletes in the nation, as chosen by the NCAA. Flood was also a two-time honoree on the BIG EAST All-Academic Team.

NOVEMBER 2 (FIELD HOCKEY)
Villanova upset No. 3 Connecticut in the 2007 BIG EAST opener
In the 2007 conference opener for both teams, Villanova went on the road and tallied a 3-2 victory over No. 3-ranked and previously undefeated Connecticut.  The victory marked the highest nationally-ranked team the Wildcats had beaten during head coach Joanie Milhous’ tenure.  Entering the game, unranked Villanova had been 3-2 on the year while the Huskies had gone 7-0 during their non-conference schedule. 
 
Junior midfielder Stephanie Campbell broke a 2-2 tie and scored the game-winning goal for the Wildcats with just 2:22 left in regulation.  Villanova overcame a 2-1 deficit in the second half thanks to a penalty stroke goal by junior back Sam Coveleski which tied the game with 15:26 to play, followed by Campbell’s late game-winner.  Earlier in the game, freshman forward Meg Ryan had given the Wildcats a 1-0 lead when she scored on an unassisted tally with 8:23 remaining in the first half. 
 
Connecticut answered with a pair of goals early in the second half, first tying the score at 1-1 with 33:46 to play and later going in front on a goal off a penalty corner with 25:19 left.  The host Huskies outshot Villanova by a 20-8 margin, but Wildcats redshirt freshman goalie Maura McCormick came up with 11 saves to preserve the victory.  She made seven of her 11 stops in the decisive second half, while Coveleski was credited with a defensive save in the game. 
 
Villanova went on to finish the 2007 with an 11-7 overall mark and a 3-3 record in conference play.  Campbell and freshman forward Lauren Wuzzardo each earned second team All-BIG EAST honors and were named NFHCA All-Region selections.  Wuzzardo was also named to the womensfieldhockey.com All-Rookie squad.

NOVEMBER 5 (SOFTBALL/WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD)
Villanova has had three Academic All-Americans of the Year
One of the prestigious honors that a student-athlete can earn during the year is to be named an Academic All-American for their combined efforts in athletic competition and in the classroom.  Dating back to the 1972-73 academic year, Villanova has had 54 student-athletes earn Academic All-America recognition a total of 71 times.  There have been three student-athletes who stood out beyond their individual sport and were named the overall Academic All-American of the Year.  The three student-athletes to earn this top honor were track & field athletes Vicki Huber (1989) and Nnenna Lynch (1993), and softball player Sara Carlson (2001).
 
In order to be eligible for the Academic All-America team, a student-athlete must have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher in addition to having significant athletic accomplishments.  Ballots are first cast to name an Academic All-District Team for each sport, with the members of those teams moving on to earn consideration for the Academic All-America squad.  The overall Academic All-American of the Year is announced following the end of each academic year.
 
Huber was a two-time winner of the Honda Sports Award which is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate women’s student-athlete in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports.  She earned the honor for the 1987-88 track & field season and the 1989 cross country season, and was also the 1988-89 Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year.  Huber was an eight-time individual NCAA champion during her collegiate career, including winning the 3000 meters both indoors and outdoors three consecutive years.  She was a 10-time All-American and a 20-time BIG EAST champion for the Wildcats, and still holds seven individual school records. 
 
Lynch became the first student in Villanova history to be named a Rhodes Scholar when she was presented with the esteemed award in 1992.  She was a two-time Academic All-American and was the 1992-93 BIG EAST Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.  Lynch was an NCAA champion in 1992 when she won the national title in the 3000 meters outdoors, and she finished her career as a seven-time All-American.  Villanova won national championships and BIG EAST titles in cross country all four of Lynch’s years on the team, and she was also a 10-time BIG EAST champion and 20-time All-BIG EAST performer.  Lynch is a current member of the Villanova University Board of Trustees. 
 
Carlson was named an Academic All-American for the 2000-01 and 2001-02 academic years.  She was a four-time selection to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team and a three-time all-conference honoree for her efforts on the field.  She is the Villanova record holder with 148 career runs batted in, and also ranks second in school history in hits (234) as well as third in home runs (22), doubles (48) and runs scored (119).  Carlson was a second team Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-American in 2001, and was the first All-American in Villanova softball history.  She ranked third nationally during the 2001 season with a .455 batting average and led the Wildcats to a 43-10 record and a 15-5 conference mark during the year.

NOVEMBER 7 (WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD)
Carrie Tollefson was the First Woman to Win NCAA Titles in the 3000 and 5000 Meters in the Same Year
Track & field star Carrie Tollefson made history as a junior during the 1999 outdoor season when she became the first woman ever to pull off a double in the 3000 meters and the 5000 meters at the outdoor NCAA Championships.  She won both of those events after also completing the same double at that year’s BIG EAST Championships, and in between she was the 1500 meters champion at the 1999 ECAC Championship. 
 
As a collegiate student-athlete, Tollefson was a five-time individual NCAA champion and was a part of one team national championship and five team titles at the BIG EAST Championships. She earned four career All-America honors in every season (cross country, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field) and was a nine-time BIG EAST champion. Tollefson also earned outdoor All-America honors in the 1500 meters (1997) and a second time in the 3000 meters (2000). She repeated as the BIG EAST champion in the 3000 meters and the 5000 meters as a senior in 2000, when she helped lead the Wildcats to a team title at the BIG EAST meet. Villanova won four BIG EAST crowns on the track during Tollefson's career, sweeping both the indoor and outdoor titles in 1997 and again in 2000.
 
Tollefson ran on two 4x1500 meter relays which won Championship of America titles at the Penn Relays. She ran the third leg of the relay in 1997 and then moved up to the second leg when the Wildcats won again in 2000. During the indoor track & field season, Tollefson was a two-time national champion in the 3000 meters in 1999 and 2000. She earned three career All-America honors (1997 as well) in that event, in addition to being an All-American in the 5000 meters as a senior in 2000. Tollefson was named the Most Outstanding Track Performer at the BIG EAST Championships in 2000 after recording a signature double in the 3000 meters and the 5000 meters, while helping lead Villanova to the team title as well. Her other BIG EAST titles indoors came in the 3000 meters (1997) and the distance medley relay (1996).
 
The first NCAA title Tollefson won was in cross country, where she was the 1997 individual champion. Tollefson earned cross country All-America honors four straight years from 1995-98, and was also the Wildcats top runner in 1998 when the team won its seventh NCAA title. Prior to becoming an individual champion as a junior, Tollefson had finished seventh and fifth, respectively, during her first two collegiate seasons. She was the District II individual champion in 1997 and 1998, the BIG EAST individual champion in 1997 and a four-time All-BIG EAST performer. Between the three collegiate seasons, Tollefson was a 19-time All-BIG EAST selection overall. Her collegiate best time of 15:51.39 in the 5000 meters, registered on March 10, 2000 at the NCAA Championships in Arkansas, remains the fifth-fastest indoor time in school history.
 
After a collegiate career in which she earned more All-America honors than any men's or women's track & field athlete in school history, Tollefson went on to compete for the United States at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. Tollefson advanced to the semifinals of the 1500 meters in Athens, where she came in ninth in her heat with a time of 4:08.55. She had qualified for the semifinal round by finishing sixth in her preliminary heat and advancing on time with a mark of 4:06.46. On the way to reaching the Olympics, Tollefson won the 1500 meters at the USA Olympic Trials to capture her first career USA title.
 
Tollefson had a number of other career highlights at national and international meets. She won the 4000 meter race at the 2006 USA Cross Country Championships at Van Cortlandt Park in New York in 2006. That same year, Tollefson also won the 3000 meters at the US Indoor National Championships. She came in seventh in the 3000 meters at the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Moscow.


NOVEMBER 9 (WOMEN'S BASKETBALL)
Jessica Wamala becomes the third Villanova Rhodes Scholar
On November 23, 2013, women’s basketball player Jessica Wamala was announced as one of 32 American men and women chosen as Rhodes Scholars representing the United States.  She became the third Villanova University student-athlete to receive the prestigious academic award, joining former women’s track & field and cross country standouts Nnenna Lynch (1992) and Becky Spies (1994).  Rhodes Scholarships provide all expenses for two or three years of study at the University of Oxford in England. 
 
Wamala graduated magna cum laude from Villanova in May 2013 with undergraduate majors in political science, Arab and Islamic studies, and global interdisciplinary studies.  She also earned a graduate degree in political science at Villanova before enrolling in modern Middle Eastern studies at Oxford.  Prior to being announced as a Rhodes Scholar, Wamala learned first-hand about diplomacy as a Rangel Scholar and political intern at the US Embassy Belgrade in Serbia and at the State Department Office’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.  She received numerous awards for her scholarship and leadership, including the Harry S. Truman Scholarship (2012) and the Pamela Harriman Foreign Service Fellowship.  Wamala was also elected to Phi Beta Kappa – the National Honors Fraternity for Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
 
Outside of her academic pursuits, Wamala was a four-year member of the Villanova women’s basketball team and was a four-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection.  A former walk-on to the team, Wamala earned a scholarship and was co-captain of the 2013-14 squad.  She appeared in 29 career games with one start for the Wildcats, with her career totals including 15 points, nine rebounds and two assists. 
 
Wamala was part of Villanova teams that won 76 games during her career, including back-to-back 20+-win seasons in 2012-13 and 2013-14.  The team made three consecutive national postseason appearances while Wamala was on the team, including WNIT berths in 2012 and 2014 as well as an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2013.


NOVEMBER 12 (WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD)
Angel Piccirillo sets NCAA record in 1000 meters and is all-time winningest Penn Relays runner
Villanova track & field and cross country star Angel Piccirillo was an immediate success for the Wildcats at the start of her collegiate career, running on BIG EAST champion and All-American relays as a freshman during the 2013 indoor and outdoor seasons.  By the time she ran in her final collegiate race at the end of the 2017 outdoor campaign, Piccirillo had broken two records which cemented her place among the top distance runners in school history. 
 
At the indoor BIG EAST Championships on February 27, 2016, Piccirillo ran the 1000 meters in 2:40.82 to set the all-time collegiate record in the event.  She broke the mark of 2:41.00 which had been set by a Duke runner on January 21, 2011 and also shattered the previous Villanova and BIG EAST meet records.  Piccirillo eclipsed the old school record of 2:42.68 which Wildcats head coach Gina Procaccio herself had set at the NCAA Championships on March 13, 1987. 
 
History continued for Piccirillo at the 2017 Penn Relays, where she became the winningest collegiate women’s athlete of all time at the world’s oldest and largest track & field meet.  Piccirillo was a part of nine Penn Relays titles during her Villanova career, surpassing the previous collegiate women’s record of seven which was jointly held by a pair of Villanovans, Kathy Franey (1985-90) and Michelle Bennett (1988-91).  Piccirillo’s former teammate, Siofra Cleirigh Buttner, finished her own collegiate career with eight Penn Relays titles this past spring. 
 
On her way to the Penn Relays record, Piccirillo ran on a record-setting 4x800 meter relay as a freshman in 2013.  She ran the second leg of the relay in a race that the Wildcats won with a collegiate and school record time of 8:17.45.  It was the first of four times that Piccirillo was part of titles in the 4x800 relay.  She also ran the second leg of the relay in 2014 and 2017, and anchored a victory in 2015.  Piccirillo also ran on three distance medley relay champions (2013, 2015, 2017) and was twice a part of wins in the 4x1500 meter relay (2014, 2017).  She was named the College Women’s Athlete of the Meet for the relay events after leading off the DMR and anchoring the 4x800 relay to wins in 2015. 
 
In addition to the collegiate and school records that Piccirillo set, she was a nine-time All-American, an 11-time BIG EAST champion and an 18-time All-BIG EAST performer. Piccirillo was a two-time Mid-Atlantic region Women’s Track Athlete of the Year during the indoor season (2015, 2016).


NOVEMBER 14 (WOMEN'S BASKETBALL)
Villanova won consecutive regular season BIG EAST titles in 1984 and 1985
As one of the early powerhouses in the BIG EAST Conference, the women’s basketball team won a total of five conference titles during the 1980’s.  They included consecutive regular season championships in 1984 and 1985, while the Wildcats later went on to win the conference tournament title in 1986 and both the regular season and tournament titles in 1987. 
 
Villanova went a combined 43-16 overall and 18-6 in conference play during the 1983-84 and 1984-85 seasons.  The 1984 team won 22 games and was 6-2 in BIG EAST regular season action before falling in the semifinals of the conference tournament to St. John’s.  Wildcats legend Shelly Pennefather was a freshman on the 1983-84 squad and was named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year in addition to earning All-BIG EAST second team and All-Freshman Team nods.  Nancy Bernhardt was a first team All-BIG EAST selection for Villanova. 
 
In 1984-85, Pennefather was named the BIG EAST Player of the Year and a first team all-conference pick.  Lisa Angelotti earned a spot on the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team as the Wildcats went 21-9 overall and 12-4 in conference play.  Villanova defeated Georgetown and Boston College in the conference tournament before falling by a point to Syracuse in the conference championship game.


NOVEMBER 16 (WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD)
Veronica McIntosh is Villanova's first individual NCAA Champion (1984 indoor 800 meters)
In the early 1980’s, the women’s track & field and cross country program was quickly establishing itself as one of the best in the country.  Villanova won indoor and outdoor BIG EAST titles in 1983 and a BIG EAST “triple crown” with championships in cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field during the 1983-84 academic year. 
 
The women’s indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships meets were held for the first time in 1983, with the Wildcats earning All-America honors indoors in the two mile relay and outdoors in both the 400 meter hurdles and the 800 meters.  One year later, Veronica McIntosh became Villanova’s first women’s individual NCAA champion when she won the national title in the 800 meters at the 1984 indoor championships. 
 
McIntosh won the final of the 800 meters in 2:06.82 at the NCAA Championships, which were held at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.  Her performance not only gave the Wildcats their first women’s individual national champion, but McIntosh helped lead Villanova to a third place overall team finish at the 1984 indoor meet.  She added to her individual national title by anchoring the 4x400 meter relay squad to a fifth place finish and All-America honors.  McIntosh and Patty Bradley combined for a 1-2 finish in the 800 meters, while the Wildcats also came in third in the 4x800 meter relay and Lauren Searby was fourth in the 1500 meters.
 
McIntosh would be part of another national title at the 1985 indoor NCAA Championships when she anchored Villanova to a first place finish in the 4x800 meter relay.  She was a seven-time All-American and a 15-time BIG EAST champion during her career.


NOVEMBER 27 (WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD)
Villanova set all-time collegiate record in  the distance medley relay at the 1988 Penn Relays
One of the top performances in school history took place on April 28, 1988 at the Penn Relays when Villanova set the all-time collegiate record in the distance medley relay.  A team that consisted of Kathy Franey, Michelle Bennett, Celeste Halliday and Vicki Huber won the Championship of America title in the DMR with a winning time of 10:48.38 to set a record which still stands as the collegiate standard more than 30 years later. 
 
Villanova has won more Penn Relays titles than any other collegiate program and has won the distance medley relay more times than any other event, but the 1988 race stacked with Wildcats legends is one that has stood the test of time.  Franey led off the race with a split of 3:20.9 over 1200 meters, followed by Bennett with a sensational lap of 52.9 on her 400 meter leg.  Halliday ran a split of 2:04.7 over 800 meters and Huber closed the race with a 4:29.9 split on the 1600 meter anchor leg.  Only one other collegiate DMR team has even come within a second of the Villanova time of 10:48.38 in the last 30 years. 
 
All four members of the 1988 DMR team are inductees to the Villanova University Varsity Club Hall of Fame.  The relay squad was inducted to the Penn Relays Wall of Fame in 1999 on the 11-year anniversary of their record-setting win, while Huber (1995), Franey (2006) and Bennett (2013) have each been individual inductees to the Wall of Fame for their career accomplishments. 
 
Including both individual events and relays, the quartet of Franey, Bennett, Halliday and Huber combined for 13 NCAA titles, 32 All-America honors and 49 BIG EAST titles during their careers.  Villanova holds the all-time collegiate records in both the distance medley relay and the 4x800 meter relay.


NOVEMBER 28 (WOMEN'S BASKETBALL)
Women's basketball formed in the 1960's and played its first game on March 12, 1969
Although the date March 12, 1969 is recognized as being the first Villanova women’s basketball game – preceding the team’s first official year of intercollegiate competition in 1969-70 – the program had already existed in some form for several years before that. 
 
A group of women first began meeting regularly during the fall of 1965 to play on outdoor courts, in Alumni Gym and occasionally in the field house.  From those beginnings, the fledgling program began to practice and scrimmage against each other while organizing games with teams from nearby colleges who had women’s teams. 
 
By the start of the 1968-69 season, the team was regularly practicing on Sunday mornings in Alumni Gym.  There was a track to run on, uniforms and money to pay referees.  Contacts at nearby schools made it possible to arrange games during the season, including a few home games. 
 
As the season was winding down, the Villanova administration approved scheduling a women’s game in Nevin Field House and Holy Family agreed to the game.  The date was March 12, 1969, and the game attracted a crowd of 500 students thanks to flyers put up around campus as well as an article in the Villanovan prior to the game. 
 
Villanova joined the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) following the 1968-69 season and played its first season as a sanctioned varsity sport in 1969-70.  The team won four games that season and tallied eight victories a year later, and from there the Wildcats have grown into one of the most respected women’s basketball programs in the country.

NOVEMBER 29 (WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY/TRACK & FIELD)
Nnenna Lynch received an NCAA Silver Anniversary Award 25 years after being NCAA Woman of the Year
Former Villanova track & field great and current university Board of Trustees member Nnenna Lynch was among six former college athletes who were presented with an NCAA Silver Anniversary Award at the annual NCAA Honors Celebration in Indianapolis on January 17, 2018. The Silver Anniversary Award annually recognizes distinguished individuals on the 25th anniversary of the conclusion of their college athletics careers. Representatives of NCAA member schools and conferences, along with a panel of former student-athletes, select each year's recipients.
 
Lynch became the first Rhodes Scholar in Villanova history when she earned the prestigious honor in 1992. The Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest and most celebrates fellowship in the world, and brings outstanding students from around the world to the University of Oxford. The scholarship recognizes outstanding scholarly achievements, character, commitment to others and to the common good, and leadership potential.
 
Since concluding her collegiate and professional running careers, Lynch has become well-known in the business world. She was named to the Villanova Board of Trustees in January 2015 and is currently the Director of Development at The Georgetown Company, LLC, a privately held real estate investment and development firm in New York City, N.Y. Prior to joining The Georgetown Company, Lynch served as Senior Policy Advisor to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for six years. In that role, she led inter-agency teams to create and implement economic development policies, projects and initiatives.
 
Lynch is a previous partner of Urban Green Builders, LLC, a real estate development firm with a focus on transportation-based, mixed-use real estate projects in distressed neighborhoods throughout the New York City metro area, emphasizing eco-friendly design. She has also worked as an analyst with Goldman Sachs and was a professional runner and spokesperson for the sporting goods corporation, Fila.
 
A seven-time All-American and an NCAA champion during her incredible collegiate career, Lynch is a board member of the Association of American Rhodes Scholars and the New York Road Runners. She is also a member of the Robin Hood Foundation's Housing Advisory Board. Lynch received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Villanova's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in 1993. She earned her Master's degree in Social Anthropology from Oxford University in 1996.
 
Lynch was a member of four straight national championship teams in cross country and was also an individual NCAA champion in the 3000 meters during the outdoor track & field season. She won the 3000 meter title in 1992 and was a seven-time All-American overall spanning the cross country, indoor and outdoor seasons. Lynch was also a 10-time BIG EAST champion, winning the individual conference crown in cross country in 1990 as well as the 1500 meters (1991) and the 3000 meters (1992) outdoors. She was also a member of seven relays that won BIG EAST titles, including six indoors and one outdoors.
 
A big part of the Wildcats track & field legacy is the program's unrivaled success at the Penn Relays, the world's oldest and largest track meet. Lynch ran on three Championship of America winning relays during her career, leading off the distance medley relay in 1991 and running legs on champion 4x1500 meter relay squads in 1990 and 1992. The team that won the 4x1500 title in 1990 was inducted to the Penn Relays Wall of Fame in 2000 on the 10th anniversary of their victory.
 
Lynch's recognition on the national level for her collegiate career included being named the NCAA Woman of the Year and winning an NCAA Top Eight Award. She was inducted into the Villanova Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 2011.

NOVEMBER 30 (ATHLETICS)
Villanova celebrates 50 years of women's athletics with a signature event held at Finneran Pavilion