WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2021 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan
STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916
VOLUME 113 | ISSUE 10
SGA Meeting Addresses Slur
Men’s Soccer Qualifies for NCAA College Cup
Jackie Thomas Staff Writer
On Nov. 10, the University Student Government Senate held its first public meeting since the resignation of a freshman Senator on Nov. 4 following their alleged use of a racial slur directed toward another student. The allegation and resulting resignation—referred to as “what happened last week,” “the incident” and “the situation we’ve all heard about” by Senators throughout the meeting—prompted the attendance of several members of the wider university community, notably including around 15 members of the Villanova Black Student Union and BSU President Mia Arrington, who detailed the motivation behind the BSU’s presence. “We’re here in light of recent events to express solidarity with Black students on campus,” Arrington said. “We want more answers and more action from the school.” Following the meeting’s routine procedures, the Senate opened the floor to Arrington and other BSU members for comments and questions. In her opening remarks, Arrington emphasized the situation’s increased gravity due to the former senator’s platform and leadership role. She added that this role makes a swift and significant University response, beyond just the removal of the individual from their Senate role, even more necessary. “This incident was between two people, but it was representative of so much more,” Arrington said, adding that this use Continued on p. 10
Villanova men’s soccer has been selected to be a part of the 2021 NCAA College Cup. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics
Owen Hewitt Staff Writer
Villanova men’s soccer has been selected to be a part of the 2021 NCAA College Cup. The ‘Cats received an at-large bid in the field of 48, which was announced live on NCAA.com Monday afternoon. The Wildcats will travel to Burlington to take on the Vermont Catamounts in the first round of the tournament on Nov. 18. The tournament berth is the program’s second all-time, the first coming in the 2016 season. The Catamounts, who went 13-4-2 this season, upset New Hamp-
shire in the America East championship game, 1-0, to secure their spot in the College Cup. It was easily the most impressive win of the Catamounts’ season, as it was then-sixth ranked UNH’s first loss of the season. The Wildcats and the Catamounts have never met in a match but did have two common opponents this year. The Wildcats had two America East foes, Hartford and Albany, on their home schedule. The ‘Cats picked up a 2-1 win against Hartford in late August and dropped a match to Albany, 1-0, in September. The Catamounts beat both Hartford
and Albany in conference play at home later in the season, both wins by a 2-0 scoreline. The two squads are fairly evenly matched in terms of RPI, with the Wildcats coming in at 28th and the Catamounts at 30th. The tournament is structured so that the top 16 teams receive automatic berths into the second round, while the rest of the teams go unseeded. The tournament selection committee chooses which teams will host the first round games, and the top 16 teams host second round matchups. Of the 16 teams hosting first round games, six have lower RPI
rankings than the Wildcats, including the Catamounts. “I thought our body of work showed that we were deserving,” head coach Tom Carlin said to Villanova Athletics. “We were kind of on the fence whether we were going to be at home or on the road. Nonetheless, we were excited to see our name up there on the screen. We were close to getting a home game, but I also knew in the back of my mind that we have been better on the road.” The Wildcats have been decisively more effective away from home this season, posting an away record of 6-3-1, logging Continued on p. 12
University Athletes Profit Off Sponsorships Elena Rouse
Co-Culture Editor Sponsorships and brand endorsements are no longer confined to the professional athletes, as a new rule passed this summer marked a transformation in the world of college athletics. In July 2021, the NCAA announced the Name, Image and Likeness policy, or NIL, that allows student athletes across all divisions to make money or profit off of
their athletic and celebrity status. College athletes can now promote sponsored content on social media, garner
endorsements and make money off of personal appearances. With its Division One athletics, Villanova houses a multitude of athletes who
Junior golfer Matt Minerva is sponsored by Titleist. Courtesy of Villanova University Golf
jumped at the new opportunity to gain sponsorships and make a profit. Junior golfer Matt Minerva is one of those athletes, having partnerships with companies since the age of fifteen. “I’ve been a Titleist athlete since I was fifteen,” Minerva said. “I emailed a representative saying I love using their stuff after I qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur.” Once Minerva made contact, he secured a relationContinued on p. 13
Kyle Rittenhouse Trial p. 3
U.S. Lifts Travel Restrictions p. 4
The Laundry Service at Villanova Needs to Change p. 5
Astroworld Tragedy p. 6
SAMOSA to Host Multicultural Show Junoon p. 8
Villanova Student Publishes Book “Voter Z” p. 9
Villa-Vogue: 2021 CFDA Fashion Show p. 10
Red (Taylor’s Version) Review p. 12
Three Players Officially Commit to ‘Cats p. 13
Wildcats to Face Delaware in Season Finale p. 15