The Villanovan | Volume 114, Issue 11: April 13, 2022

WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2022 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan

STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916

VOLUME 114 | ISSUE 11

Priest “I Play For Ukraine”: With War at Inspires Home, Kornieva Competes For Country Mark Wahlberg Elena Rouse Co-Culture Editor

An actor. A boxer.

A Catholic Priest. What do all of these titles have in common? Each belonged to Father Stuart Long, an inspiring man and the main character of Mark Wahlberg’s latest film.

“Father Stu” stars Wahlberg as Father Stuart Long, a boxer turned actor who moves to Los Angeles to jump start his new career. When he falls in love with a Catholic woman, he gets baptized to impress her. But when he gets into a near fatal motorcycle accident, Stu’s trajectory completely shifts to divine devotion, even as his physical health starts to crumble. The story is as much a testament to the human spirit as it is intensely touching.

Last Wednesday, on the 59th floor of Philadelphia’s Four Seasons Hotel, the window’s expansive cityscape view worked as the backdrop for The Villanovan’s one on one interview with Wahlberg.

During it, the actor opened up about his journey getting to know Father Stu and the making of Father Stu’s story.

“It’s a big responsibility, telling somebody’s story and having to make sure we get right,” Wahlberg said. But when a Priest from Good Shepherd Parish in Los Angeles pitched the idea to him one night at an early dinner, he did not immediately jump on the idea.

“We’re sitting down to dinner – five o’clock,” he said, describing the moment Father Stu’s story first came to him. “He [the priest] just started pitching me this movie.”

Wahlberg reiterated the priest’s pitch about Continued on p. 8

Valieriia Kornieva, freshman on the Villanova tennis team from Dnipro, Ukraine, plays for more than just Villanova on the court.

Photo Courtesy of Villanova Athletics, Graphic by Digital Editor Rachel Reiniger

Colin Beazley Co-Editor-in-Chief

On February 24, what was supposed to be a quick check of the news before bed turned into a nightmare for freshman tennis player Valieriia Kornieva.

“It was Thursday, and I was going to bed,” Kornieva said. “I didn’t even expect anything.”

However, the reports began to flood her feed, announcing a catastrophe.

Russia had begun military action and invaded Kornieva’s home of Ukraine, suddenly engulfing Kornieva’s family and friends in war. At first, Kornieva didn’t believe it, but when she checked again

and saw the videos of attacks against the capital, Kiev, she knew it was true.

“When I saw video and sounds of shooting, I immediately called my parents,” Kornieva said. “My father said that they woke up from [guns shooting]. I was terrified. I began to cry. I didn’t sleep that first night because you don’t really know what will [happen].”

That day started as any other Thursday would have, as Kornieva prepared for the impending spring tennis season. Kornieva struggled with injury in the fall, preventing her from playing.

But on that Thursday, Kornieva was less than a week away from her collegiate debut, as a March 1 meet-

ing with Lipscomb loomed.

However, with the news of Russia’s invasion, tennis no longer seemed as important.

Kornieva is from Dnipro, the fourth largest city in Ukraine, with a population of more than a million people. Dnipro is a beautiful city in the Eastern part of the country, located along a river, and if she could choose, Kornieva would spend her whole life there.

In the initial stages of the invasion, Kornieva hoped that Dnipro would be spared and the Russians would focus their efforts on Kiev, Odessa and Kharkiv. But when her father was awakened by the sound of gunfire, they knew that the war had come to them. Adding to the danger

was the fact that the family lived near Dnipro’s airport, so Kornieva’s father, mother and younger sister packed their things and headed west to the safer confines of their grandmother’s city. Staying informed from afar, Kornieva feared for her family.

“My body was shaking,” Kornieva said. “Because when they travel between cities, it’s so dangerous.”

After leaving Dnipro, Kornieva’s mother and sister made plans to leave the country, heading further west before going to Poland, where Kornieva’s Villanova teammate and now-doubles partner, Sabina Grigorian, has a house. The two made it across the border and to

admission and coursework requirements as well as improve the overall student experience.

A key aspect of Villanova’s academic mission is for every student to receive a

well-rounded education and develop essential critical thinking and communication skills.

These skill sets are meant to be fostered through the many foundational courses that

CLAS students are required to take.

Ultimately, I am not arguing that this core curriculum should go away or be majorly altered. Rather, certain aspects of the core curriculum should be adjusted based on whether a student is pursuing humanities or the natural sciences.

At Villanova, CLAS awards both Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees. Astronomy, chemistry, biology and computer science, Continued on p. 5

Continued on p.11

Divide CLAS into Arts and Sciences Colleges Lindsay Gallagher

Staff Writer

The experience that a liberal arts or social science major has at Villanova is vastly different from that of a natural science major. I spoke to both arts and sciences students about whether their academic careers would have benefitted from being a part of a unique college. The consensus was that CLAS should be separated into a College of Arts and a College of Sciences to clarify

CLAS awards both Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts Degrees.

Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

University Celebrates Accepted Class of 2026 p. 2

Deane-Drummond Honored With Civitas Dei Medal p. 3

Philly Justice Project Hosts Event for India Spellman p. 4

Going Greek: Is It Worth It? p. 5

Pro/Con: Villanova Goes Test-Optional p. 6

VTV Hosts Second Annual Villys p. 9

Sustainability Council Hosts Wildcat Thrift Shop p. 10

Women’s Water Polo Prepares for Postseason p. 11

Men’s Club Hockey Completes Successful Season p. 13

Penn Swimmer Sparks Transgender Rights Debate p. 15

2 | The Villanovan

News Opinion Culture Sports

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VOL. 114 | ISS. 11 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan

COLIN BEAZLEY Editor-in-Chief VIVI MELKONIAN Editor-in-Chief TINA ARON Associate Editor-in-Chief CATE McCUSKER Senior Editor RACHEL REINIGER Digital Editor SARAH SWEENEY News Editor SARAH WISNIEWSKI News Editor BELLA IRWIN Opinion Editor JACKIE THOMAS Opinion Editor A.J. FEZZA Culture Editor ELENA ROUSE Culture Editor CHLOE MILLER Culture Editor MATTHEW RYAN Sports Editor MEGHANN MORHARDT Sports Editor MOLLY BAKER Copy Desk Chief OLIVIA PASQUALE Photography Editor MICHAEL BRADLEY Advisor DEENA SMITH Advisor CONTACT villanovan.eic@gmail.com

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

NEWS

PUBLIC SAFETY BLOTTER Public Drukenness April 2, PAVILION A female non-resident student, over the age of 21, was found intoxicated in public.

Liquor Underage/Public Drunkenness April 2, ST. MARY’S HALL A male resident student, under the age of 21, was found intoxicated in public.

Liquor Underage/Public Drunkenness April 2, TRINITY HALL A male resident student, under the age of 21, was found intoxicated in public.

Criminal Mischief April 4, GOOD COUNSEL HALL A staff member reported a broken window at Good Counsel Hall.

Disorderly Conduct/Carrying a False ID/Liquor Underage/Public Drunkenness April 6, MAIN CAMPUS GROUNDS The following individual was cited by Villanova Police for Disorderly Conduct , Liquor Underage, and Public Drunkenness.

Troy D. White/Age:18 Criminal Mischief April 6, CONNELLY CENTER A female resident student, under the age of 21, was intoxicated in a public place.

False Alarms to Agencies of Public Safety April 8, WELSH HALL A fire alarm pull station was activated within a campus residence hall when there was no fire in the building.

Liquor Underage April 10, SULLIVAN HALL A female resident student, under the age of 21, appeared in public and was evaluated for alcohol intoxication.

CORRECTIONS Factual errors are corrected as soon as they are brought to The Villanovan’s attention. Please send an e-mail to villanovan.eic@gmail.com to report errors.

COVID-19 TRACKER CONFIRMED CUMULATIVE CASES AS OF 6:00 P.M. TUESDAY, APRIL 5

1363

11

Cumulative Cases Estimated Active (From 1/5) Cases

17.69K

Total Number of Tests (From 1/5)

780

Residential Students

373

Non-Residential Students

210

Employees

ASK THE VILLANOVAN “I have a crush on someone in my class, but have yet to do anything about it. I’m feeling anxious now that the semester is rapidly coming to a close. Should I do anything about it? Or is it not worth it because we’ll be apart over the summer?”

Shoot your shot! Even if the semester is ending, I think it’s worth expressing your feelings. If things go wrong, then at least you

don’t have to face them again until next year. Otherwise, maybe you guys can communicate over the summer, and pick things up next year!

“Best Easter candy?”

Egg-shaped Reese’s.

“No shower curtain. Do I run?”

Yes (Jermaine excluded).

“How do I deal with my awful finals schedule?”

If you have more than two finals on one day, then you are legally allowed to move one of them with no penalty. Otherwise, Holy Grounds and the reading room will be your friend.

Should I go out tonight or stay home with my boyfriend?

Have your friends vote on it. On one hand, that would be a fun wholesome night with your man. On the other hand, the year is coming to an end and it’s one of your last chances to go out with the seniors.

University Celebrates Accepted Class of 2026 Sarah Sweeney Co-News Editor This Saturday morning began unlike any other all semester.

Instead of dead silence at 5:30am, as students enjoy their much-deserved sleep-ins after a hard week of work, there was a growing buzz on campus as Blue Key members began setting up for their most anticipated event of the year: Admitted Students Day (ASD).

Admitted Students, or Candidates Day, is an annual event that celebrates high-schoolers who have recently been accepted into Villanova. Villanova’s accepted Class of 2026 had the unique opportunity to celebrate their acceptance in person, unlike the accepted classes of the previous two years, who celebrated a Virtual Accepted Students Day. Regardless of format, Admitted Students Day is a great opportunity for candidates to gain greater understanding of Villanova and meet other potential students. However, the in-person element only enhances the opportunity for students to experience Villanova’s unique culture.

“Admitted Students’ Day 2022 was definitely one to remember – it was especially exciting for those in Blue Key who haven’t had one since February 2020,” Gracie Petrelli, a Junior on the Accepted Students’ Day Committee, explained. “The energy on campus was so positive and welcoming, and it’s so rewarding to see so many people deciding to go Nova and all of our hard work, like

waking up at 5am to make balloon arches, really pay off! It’s been a long time in the making, but our student leadership in Blue Key, Villanova Admissions, and our Admitted Students’ Day committee was so amazing and organized in making it happen.”

Petrelli’s excitement was only heightened by the fact that one of the admitted students she was celebrating was her younger sister Juliana, who had recently been accepted to the College of Engineering.

Juliana echoed her sister’s

enjoyment of the event, from the student side. “I had been set on going to Villanova for a while, but Admitted Students Day just solidified the decision for me. It was overall such a positive experience and will make it hard to go back to school on Monday. What I loved most about the day was the opportunity for one on one interaction with administration. I met a lot of different people that I know will be on the lookout for me come August. I was able to talk to the Dean of the College of Engineering, as well

Admitted Students Day 2022 was the first in person celebration in 2 years.

Courtesy of Villanova Blue Key

as the Associate Dean Stephen Jones personally.”

Elizabeth Weiss, a Sophomore Blue Key member, participated in this year’s Admitted Students’ Day. She reflected on her experience on the other side as a high school student.

“I remember in 2020 coming to Candidates Day in February, and it was freezing cold. I had never officially visited Villanova and I didn’t know what to expect. I remember walking through the Spirit Line to Father Peter’s presentation. I felt so awkward and shy – and now seeing it from the other side is so crazy,” she explained.

This year she was one of the people on the Spirit Line.

“The joy I felt watching kids put their Vs up, and excited parents who were proud of their kids.

It made the 6am wake up so worth it. We then had a presentation from some students and Father Peter, set up info tables and lunch, hung out with families and chatted with them, and then gave some tours. All three of the families on my tour had not yet committed, which was a lot of pressure, so hopefully I convinced them. I hung out at the New England table and met a bunch of families and found small connections with all of them. That felt like the epitome of Villanova – finding connections with strangers after talking for 5 minutes,” she explained.

“I remember seeing these students so excited about their school, in the freezing cold back in 2020. Two years later – that was me – happier than ever to be in the pouring rain.”

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

NEWS

The Villanovan | 3

Deane-Drummond Honored With Civitas Dei Medal Lydia McFarlane Staff Writer Sarah Wisniewski Co-News Editor On Monday, April 11, the University presented its Civitas Dei Medal to Celia Deane-Drummond, Ph.D., of Oxford University.

Deane-Drummond holds doctorates in plant physiology and theology. Deane-Drummond is the director of the Laudato Si’ Research Institute and a senior research fellow in theology at Oxford.

According to the University Office of Mission and Ministry, the Civitas Dei Medal “honors Catholics who have made exemplary contributions to the Catholic intellectual tradition and the pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness.”

The medal’s name comes from the Latin name of St. Augustine’s City of God. The image on the medal is an adaptation of a stained glass window that depicts Augustine in the St. Thomas of Villanova Church, which is located on campus.

University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D. presented the award.

Deane-Drummond’s research and contributions focus on the intersection of her two fields of expertise — science and theology.

“Against the background of COP 26 on climate change and COP 15 on biodiversity, Dr. Deane-Drummond intends to show how, in spite of

objections from some scholars, biblical ideas embedded in wisdom and other texts serve to generate a different collective ethos relevant for enabling environmental responsibility,” a University press release said regarding Deane-Drummond’s receiving the award and the medal. “This heightens the need for specific virtues to be fostered individually and within communities, such as justice, practical wisdom, courage, humility, temperance, faith, hope and charity, to name a few.”

Deane-Drummond was also instrumental in the formation of the European Forum for the Study of Religion and the Environment and served as the chair of the forum from 2011 to 2018. She is also on the executive committee and is a trustee of the International Society For Science and Religion. She is an inaugural co-editor of the international journal of Philosophy, Theology, and the Sciences, and she is a member of the editorial board of the University’s own Journal of Catholic Social Thought.

Deane-Drummond is also a well-known and accomplished writer, scholar and researcher. Some of her most recent book publications include “Shadow Sophia” (2021), “Theology and Evolutionary Anthropology” (2020), ”Theological Ethics Through a Multispecies Lens” (2019) and “Theology and Ecology Across the Disciplines” (2018).

By blending secular and theological thought, Deane-Drummond was the perfect person to receive the Civitas Dei Medal according to Au-

gustinian thought about the ideal citizen. Her ability to intersect two very different fields of study to imagine a better world makes her an outstanding choice for this year’s Civitas Dei Medal award.

Deane-Drummond shared initial reaction when hearing the news of receiving the award.

“It was a tremendous shock followed by gratitude,” she said.

Deane-Drummond also spoke about her favorite aspects of working in both theology and science. She broke it down into three categories including collaboration, writing and community.

Deane-Drummond expressed that collaboration allows for individuals’ ideas to be enlarged and enhanced, furthering the achievements of shared goals. She also spoke about the ability to be inspired by others and appreciating the different starting points of all members involved in her work.

Deane-Drummond also spoke about the ability of her writing to contribute to the fields in which she performs her research, allowing others to be inspired and appreciate the work she does. She stated that prayer is tied into her writing and feels as though it is the vocation she was meant to take on in life.

Finally, the theologian and scientist spoke about the importance of building community.

“I catch excitement in enabling others to go beyond what they thought they might be able to do,” Deane-Drummond said.

Despite her success in her

work, Deane-Drummond spoke about the challenges she faced during her career, addressing the pressure of working in a lesser known university in England early in her career and facing sexism in both theological and scientific fields.

“I did not think I would get a position in theology,” Deane-Drummond said. “My parents thought going from the sciences to theology was a very risky thing to do, but I felt called. You have to sustain with integrity where you are.

It was a huge risk and quite painful, but I could not imagine doing anything else.”

Deane-Drummond also mentioned that she takes one day per week to relax and spend time with others, particularly family. She also spoke about how she leans on your family to deal with the challenges of her career.

“It is difficult to keep family and work balanced, since I am a mother and a partner and I work,” Deane-Drummond said. “I am lucky to have a partner who supports me and my compulsion for work.”

Deane-Drummond spoke about her role as a spiritual director as well and how it grounds her.

“Being a spiritual director compensates the intensity of academia,” she said. “I get to go through the process of allowing others to feel the presence of God in their lives. I get to be committed to seeing other people grow spiritually, not just intellectually.”

Deane-Drummond thanks the University for the honor of receiving the medal.

University Recognizes Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Rost highlighted the importance of looking at our campus Caitlyn Foley culture while working towards sexual Staff Writer assault prevention. Although the administration should be and is working The month of April is Sexual towards doing more, responsibility must also be put back on the students.

Assault Awareness Month, and there How the students of Villanova work are several events hosted at the University that foster conversations about towards creating a respectful culture on campus can impact the way sexual prevention and response to sexual assault is prevented. violence.

“What are people doing in Ryan Rost is Villanova’s Title a setting where harm could happen, IX Coordinator. The goal of the Title where there is emotional abuse and IX Coordinator is to try “to help our disrespectful language being used students in what is one of the most about a particular gender, gender difficult time of their lives,” Rost said. identity, race or differently abled Rost noted that this transition group?”

Rost said. into the Title IX Coordinator position In those situations of disrewas natural for her career. The adspectful language, bystanders should ministration and faculty members felt keep people in check with the way strongly that this should be a standthey talk about others. Vulgar lanalone position instead of an additional guage can normalize violent behavior. aspect of the Assistant Vice President The student body must work towards of Human Resources. When discusscreating a healthy culture where this ing her Title IX position and the contype of verbal violence does not occur. versations she facilitates, Rost emphaThis helps with the prevention efforts sized that she always discusses sexual that Rost and the Office of Health misconduct prevention in addition to Promotion work towards. response.

While prevention always “Prevention always comes comes first, the question of how to first,” Rost said. “What can and respond after sexual violence has ocshould we as students, staff, faculty curred is another equally as important and administrators be doing to pretopic.

A crucial moment occurs when vent this type of harm from happena survivor of sexual assault comes ing.” forward to a friend or fellow student The Office of Health Promoand shares their experience.

Many tion trains students, faculty and other members of the University communi- listeners worry about how to support their friend in this time of healing and ty to help in these prevention efforts.

This training goes beyond the obvious struggle.

“We must focus on listening to message of ‘don’t rape’ and discusses the person and believing the person warning signs of potentially harmful and then respecting whatever their situations.

choices are with regard to moving forward with any next steps,” Rost said.

It is important to reassure a survivor that it is never too late to seek help. Resources like the Sexual Assault Resource Coordinator (SARC) team are available 24/7 to help.

These assaults and acts of violence can have lasting impacts. It is crucial that friends and listeners believe and support the victim in their healing process.

If a survivor decides they want to take legal action, friends should support them. Legal action can include a formal investigation and hearing, which can attract attention that many survivors want to avoid.

This causes a lot of victims to stay silent and tell no one.

Supporters and listeners must “never force anyone to report or go through disciplinary action,” Rost said. “Other supportive measures can be put in place.”

Non-legal action can include filing a no contact order against the other party. This is also non-disciplinary but allows the survivor to file a complaint against someone they might not want to hear from. Counseling is another potentially helpful tool in that path to healing. Although going to counseling forces the survivors to talk and think about their assault, consistently seeing a counselor that one feels comfortable talking to can be extremely beneficial for mental health and healing.

Resources of support can also be found in groups on campus. Survivors Supporting

Survivors, which was founded by Ariana Ramos and Olivia Pfeiffer, is a group that works to make survivors feel less isolated and have a community of people who understand exactly what they are going through.

“So much healing can be had in sharing,” Pfeiffer said.

Ramos and Pfeiffer emphasize that this group is not a substitute for therapy or professional help. The goal of Survivors Supporting Survivors is to provide confidentiality and support in the healing process that takes place after sexual violence occurs.

Ramos and Pfeiffer believe strongly in the importance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month and the conversations that can be had when this topic is brought to the forefront of discussions.

“It is everyone’s responsibility to join in on these conversations,” Ramos said.

Anyone can be a bystander.

If someone chooses not to participate in these conversations, then they allow this issue of sexual violence to be accepted and normalized. Ramos, Pfeiffer and Rost all discussed the importance of listening to and believing survivors.

Rost hopes that students decide to step out of their comfort zone and participate in one or more of the events that are being hosted this month.

“It’s an uncomfortable topic, but it is a relevant and real issue on our campus and other campuses,” Rost said.

4 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

NEWS

VU Pride Week on Campus African-Caribbean Carnival Tommy Lynch Staff Writer Although Pride Month is officially in June, many schools celebrate LGBTQIA+ pride while still in session. This April, University community have come together to celebrate queer students.

The University celebrated its LGBTQIA+ members and allies with Villanova Pride Week, run by VU Pride, Villanova’s LGBTQIA+ and ally group.

VU Pride is a club that has been on campus for about 20 years.

Open to allies and members of the LGBTQIA+ community alike, VU Pride typically hosts social and educational events throughout the year.

This week’s theme was healthy relationships and consent, and on April 5, VU Pride collaborated with One Love, a nonprofit focused on ending unhealthy relationships, for a discussion on healthy queer relationships. On Wednesday, there was a documentary viewing in collaboration with the Campus Activities Team (CAT). On Thursday, “Queer Quizzo” was held, in which participants tested their knowledge on all things LGBTQIA+. On Friday, there was a bake sale at the Oreo.

VU Pride also gave out free T-shirts throughout the week to anyone involved.

On Monday, April 11, there was a round table talk about queer experiences with Alice Dunbar-Nelson and other inspiring queer figures.

VU Pride week has been a yearly tradition, but it was not very popular last year during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the returnof in-person events, have seen an increase in attendance, which helps the club grow and gain additional support.

“The goal of pride week is to build community, educate and be seen,” VU Pride President Ava Wey said. “We make sure we are a part of the Villanova community.”

With inclusion being such a big part of the University’s mission, it is extremely important to take the time to not only acknowledge every identity on campus, but also to promote the well-being of all.

VU Pride is not the only club working to promote inclusivity on Villanova’s campus. A new club, NATS, is Villanova’s club for non-binary and transgender students. There is also Oasis, which is a subsect of VU Pride, which is a support group for queer students on campus. These clubs exist to promote unity and help LGBTQIA+ students feel connected and comfortable.

Max Cabal, a freshman member of VU Pride’s steering committee, has found great things through the organization.

“It’s a community that I felt safe and connected in,” they said.

“Everyone is really nice and very good at keeping people involved. The support is always wanted and appreciated.”

All are invited to attend as there is much to gain from attending.

Lydia McFarlane Staff Writer On Friday, April 8, the African Caribbean Villanovans (ACV) club, in partnership with Nova Nite, organized and hosted its first ever ACV Carnival.

The African Caribbean Villanovans is a club dedicated to “bridging the gap between Villanova and the diverse cultures of African and Caribbean countries,” according to the bio of its Instagram account, @african.caribbean. villanovans. While each African and Caribbean culture can be much different, this club allows a common space for students of common descent to gather and celebrate their shared heritage.

Through this club, the many differences, similarities and uniqueness of each African and Caribbean culture is learned about and celebrated through members of the club.

The flier for the event advertised an “African-Caribbean Wonderland” filled with good food, fun games and much more. On the Instagram account advertising the Carnival, the caption says, “An event meant to bring everyone together towards the end of the semester, we hope you’re excited for it… We’re not forcing you to come, but if you decide to sit home you’re missing out.”

The night of the event could be characterized by the smell

of good food and the crackle of good energy wafting through the air. Many students arrived at the Campus Green for what ACV had promised, good food and a good time, and they were not let down.

There were several food trucks, including taco truck Dos Gringos, an ice cream truck, a bacon truck, a pizza truck and more.

There were plenty of carnival inspired games around the Campus Green, which really helped students to get into the Carnival mood.

There were basketball games, baseball games, a bouncy house, a football throwing game and many more. Students were awarded mini stuffed animals for winning each of the games. There was also caricature drawing and face painting.

Attendants of the Carnival could be seen eating, playing games and laughing through the duration of the night. Although there was a brief downpour, students still stayed in line and continued to play games despite the cold rain.

For many, this was a perfect way to round out the semester as students approached Easter break, with assignments, projects, exams and finals week looming on the other end of break.

To keep up to date with any other events the club plans, be sure to follow and tune in to its Instagram account, @african.caribbean. villanovans, where it posts all of its updates and announcements.

Philly Justice Project Hosts Event for India Spellman Isabella Balian Staff Writer On Monday, April 11, the University’s chapter of the Philly Justice Project hosted an event advocating for justice for India Spellman, a person it believes to have been wrongfully convicted.

“At 17 years old, India was arrested for second-degree murder, tried as an adult, convicted and sentenced to 30 years to life in prison,” incoming PJP president Ajee Robinson said. “We have been working since the Summer of 2020 to prove she is legally and factually innocent of this crime.”

The Philly Justice Project fights to end the mass incarceration of women and girls, through direct assistance, research, public policy advocacy, education and training.

Students at the University founded an undergraduate chapter for the Philly Justice Project, in which they dedicate themselves to exploring casework, conducting legislative research and publicizing wrongfully convicted cases such as Spellman’s.

After Jill McCorkel, Ph.D., and the executive board’s statement, Spellman’s defense lawyer, Todd Mosser, described the legal information regarding the case. He admitted to the audience that this was one of the worst cases he had ever seen in his experience as a defense lawyer.

Mosser described the reasons for Spellman’s innocence and the way she was physically abused in issuing a confession statement.

Mosser said that Spellman’s alibi overlapped the time of the man’s death and that the suspect described at the scene differs from Spellman in body size and appearance. She was brought into a room with Detective Pitts, who physically abused her and coerced her into signing a binding confession statement. Additionally, Spellman was only 17 at the time of the accusation and was questioned without her parents present. Mosser stated that it was later revealed that Detective Pitts had a history of abusing suspects while questioning them and that Spellman was not his only victim.

There is compelling evidence of corruption in this case, and Mosser said that he will continue to fight for Spellman’s exoneration and justice.

After Mosser’s statement, McCorkel welcomed India’s mom, Morkea Spellman, to make a statement. Spellman delivered a powerful statement about her daughter’s innocence and described the difficult emotions that come with losing a child to an unfair justice system.

“If you have family members that are innocent, don’t give up on them,” Spellman said. “I’m not going to give up on my child.”

Additionally, she thanked the crowd and Villanova’s PJP chapter for the support and advocacy they have demonstrated throughout this process.

After India’s mother spoke, McCorkel welcomed any other guests who wanted to speak on Spellman’s behalf and about their relationship with her. Spellman’s grandfather spoke passionately about his granddaughter and the memories they shared, and

he spoke about proving her innocence. Additionally, a previous inmate who served time with Spellman spoke about her and her experience within the prison system. She advocated for Spellman’s innocence and proclaimed that she wanted to be a voice for the voiceless.

The event ended with a question and answer session. McCorkel and Spellman’s mother emphasized the importance of public support and expressed gratitude for the amazing turnout of students.

“Over 150 people attended the event from India’s family and friends, to Villanova students, to faculty members,” Robinson said. “The event turnout is the clearest display that India’s story does matter, and so many people see the various ways in which the system failed her. India’s story is one of many stories alike of women who are denied justice that our system so confidently assures that every individual gets. It is long overdue that we show up on behalf of women and girls who have been wrongfully convicted of a crime, and who are disproportionately underrepresented when it comes to being exonerated.”

Spellman’s next court hearing is on June 2. Mosser, McCorkel and Spellman’s mother expressed the importance of packing the court and the way in which people’s attendance would make a difference. There are many ways to advocate and fight for Spellman’s exoneration, including following the Philly Justice Project’s Instagram to follow updates on the case. Additionally, students are encouraged to sign the petition urging

District Attorney Larry Krasner to exonerate Spellman. This petition link can be found on the Philly Justice Project’s Instagram and on its website.

The purpose of this event was to advocate for Spellman’s exoneration, gain public support and raise awareness of the corruption and unfairness in the Philadelphia Justice Department, as well as the justice system in America. The Philadelphia Justice Department has never exonerated a woman before, and there is firm hope that Spellman will be the first.

McCorkel spent time with India’s mother before the event.

Courtesy of Philly Justice Project

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

OPINION

The Villanovan | 5

OPINION

Going Greek: Is it Worth it?

Abby Faeth Staff Writer Greek life plays a large role in the social scenes of universities across the country. Villanova is no exception to this phenomenon: around 30% of students at Villanova are members of a fraternity or sorority. Some would say Greek life doesn’t play a huge part in the student experience at Villanova, but personally, I think it influences large portions of the social life.

While I am not a part of Greek life myself, most of my friends are involved in a fraternity or sorority to some degree. Thus, I can see both sides of Greek life, and can give some insight into it for one deciding whether or not to begin the recruitment process.

At Villanova, the impacts of fraternity and sorority life are quite different for men and women. Women can go to almost any frat party, whereas men must strictly be in the fraternity in order to attend the respective parties.

Thus, there are fewer options for social gatherings or events for men who are not a part of Greek life than there are for women. In discussing this topic with students, many expressed their frustration with this social norm.

My own experience with the rushing process also wasn’t ideal—it was on Zoom since I was a freshman during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the online modality of recruitment, I found that it was difficult

Greek Week on campus made students consider the pros and cons of Greek life.

Courtesy of Graydon Paul/Villanovan Photography

to show my true self. It was almost as if this remote barrier made me nervous, making it difficult to actually connect with anyone.

While this was true for me, many of my friends had great experiences with online recruitment, so it differs for everyone. Thus, it is important to go into the process with an open mind and to remember that the outcome should not affect your sense of self.

On the one hand, Greek life offers the opportunity to go to fun social events like formals and

cocktail parties. Furthermore, sororities host specific service events to support each of their philanthropies, allowing people to support causes that are truly important to them. Therefore, sororities create great opportunities to meet new people and attend exciting events. It’s all about finding those genuine connections.

On the other hand, not everything in Greek life is exactly as it appears to be. Though it may seem like everyone is close friends and goes out a lot, this is not the

case for all sororities. Those who join Greek life will be exposed to many different types of people and activities. They may vibe more with some than others.

To get a comprehensive perspective on Greek life at Villanova, Kappa Kappa Gamma members Talia Calabrese and Jacqueline DiDomenico, shared their experiences.

“So far, I’ve loved my experience being a part of a sorority,” DiDomenico said. “I was worried I wouldn’t get along with girls in my sorority and second guess that I made a wrong choice. Happily, I was wrong, and I overall feel so much more connected to the people on campus and Villanova as a whole.”

Calabrese has also had a positive experience in Greek life. “[It has] been so rewarding because it has introduced me to so many new people that I wouldn’t have met otherwise,” she said. “I highly recommend it as an addition to your social life to help you meet new people and get more involved on campus.”

College is all about making connections. If someone can find people they like in a sorority, then it will undoubtedly be a valuable experience. But those who don’t want to participate in Greek life should not feel like they have to.

Students should figure out what interests them and go from there. No matter where it is, they will likely find genuine people who share their interests, energy and values.

Divide CLAS Into College of Arts and College of Sciences Lindsay Gallagher Staff Writer Continued from p. 1 for instance, are all Bachelor of Science degrees, while English, Political Science and Sociology are all Bachelor of Arts degrees.

The nursing school offers one degree (a Bachelor of Nursing) and the business school offers one degree (a Bachelor of Business Administration), so students pursuing a Bachelor of Science should similarly be housed in a different college environment than students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts.

Beyond this, natural science students apply and are accepted directly into their major, while initially, “the only option available to applicants interested in the liberal arts is Exploratory Arts,” according to the Office of Undergraduate Admission.

Students then spend at least one semester as an Exploratory Arts student, and must declare a major by the end of their sophomore year.

Seeing that the admissions process is completely different for natural sciences versus the rest of CLAS, it doesn’t make sense that they are considered a part of the same college.

According to the CLAS Handbook, students receiving a Bachelor of Science degree are exempted

The St. Augustine Center serves as the home for many CLAS students and faculty.

Courtesy of Pepper Ritchey/Villanovan Photography

from the Natural Science requirement in the core curriculum because they “meet the science requirement through the regular program of study in their major.”

However, this same courtesy is not extended to liberal arts majors.

English majors are still required to take the Core Literature & Writing Seminar (a class designed for non-English majors) and History majors are still required to take a designated Core History class.

Science majors also spend significantly more time in class per week due to the lab requirement.

“In order to not fall behind,

freshmen year Biology majors have to take general biology and general chemistry (both with three-hour labs) at the same time in addition to three other classes, and later organic chemistry and genetics at the same time,” senior Bella Wu said.

“I spent 19 hours a week in class to earn 17 credit hours, which is unhinged,” Wu siad.

Scaling back the number of liberal arts core courses for students in a College of Sciences – or at the very least, allowing them to use their hardearned AP credit to replace them – would make graduating on time much more manageable.

Because CLAS advising and professional development efforts must be shared between liberal arts, social science and natural science students, they are very broad with advisors from a variety of disciplines. Senior Sydney Stewart, who is pursuing a career in foreign service, encountered difficulties with advising because CLAS does not offer a major in international relations like many of our peer institutions do.

“Many arts careers have such unique professional paths that one advisor cannot possibly understand multiple majors, especially when trying to offer advice for the rigid science career field versus the very abstract arts field,” Stewart said.

CLAS also lacks peer advising or alumni mentoring programs like some of the other colleges at Villanova have.

“If Arts and Sciences were to be separated, Arts would have a greater capacity to incorporate more diverse majors and attend to their students further,” Stewart said.

The application processes, course loads and academic experiences of students studying natural science are vastly different than those of students studying liberal arts or social sciences. Villanova should divide CLAS into two separate colleges in order to streamline operations and better serve students’ specialized needs.

6 | The Villanovan

EDITORIAL BOARD

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

The Villanovan encourages all members of the Villanova community to voice their opinions. LetEditor-in-Chief ters to the editors may be submitted via e-mail to villanovan.eic@gmail.com. Letters must not Associate Editor-in-Chief exceed 500 words and must be signed. No anonymous letters will be published. All submissions beOpinion Editor come property of The Villanovan and are subject Opinion Editor to editing for clarity and space.

COLIN BEAZLEY Editor-in-Chief VIVI MELKONIAN TINA ARON BELLA IRWIN JACKIE THOMAS

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

OPINION

POLICY

The unsigned editorial that appears is the opinion of The Villanovan as determined by the majority of the Editorial Board. Other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of The Villanovan.

Pro: Test-Optional Admissions Level the Playing Field Kai Da Luz Staff Writer Anyone on campus this Saturday saw the flocks of prospective students flood Villanova’s Rowen Campus Green and Mendel Field. This year’s admission cycle was very competitive, with the Office of Undergraduate Admission revealing a 23% admit rate for the class of 2026. Of those admitted, 43% applied to Villanova test-optional, meaning they did not submit an SAT or ACT score along with their application.

This has been the second year in a row that Villanova made its application test-optional, and it plans to continue this practice for next year’s admission cycle as well.

Many colleges across the country have continued to do the same, with the University of California system deciding to “phase out consideration of the SAT or ACT for any student’s admission, in or out of state, in 2025,” according to the New York Times.

The move to test-optional admission brings up mixed feelings for student applicants and observers, as it did in last year’s admission cycle as well. Some criticize

the practice as making college admission too easy for students or that it takes away an important differentiating factor between applicants.

While it is fair to say that minimizing tests like the SAT and ACT does inevitably mean losing another avenue for students to set themselves apart from one another, this avenue is a flawed one to begin with.

For starters, when studying for the SAT, one doesn’t simply study math and English, but rather focuses on “SAT math or English.”

This sentiment was highlighted in a commercial created by the Princeton Review, a college admissions service that helps students prepare for standardized tests. The particular commercial began with Editor-in-Chief Rob Franek speaking in a comical tone.

“Here at the Princeton Review, we’ve long said that the SAT only tests your ability on mastering the SAT,” Franek said.

While the SAT and ACT curriculum is supposedly designed to include skills that should have been introduced in high school, it instead produces its own sort of

“subject” that requires students to spend months honing their skills.

Since the tests are structured in this way, some are able to study directly for them and perform really well. Some take classes, and others have private SAT or ACT tutors, resources that require time and money. The practice monetizes one’s ability to excel on the test and get into college.

Additionally, SAT and ACT prep books usually range from around $30 to $70, and more elite programs that promise a certain score to students require hundreds to thousands of dollars. In requiring students to take the SAT or ACT, universities give another edge to economically better-off students, with all of the other socioeconomic factors hurting those applicants who can’t afford premium standardized testing prep.

Furthermore, the standardized nature of these tests limit their ability to represent students.

It has long been argued that students show more of themselves in the supplemental essays portion of applications.

Aside from this, without an SAT or ACT, universities are required to take a closer look at

student profiles. It forces them to look at different organizations a student is involved in, sports they have played, jobs they’ve held and things they love. Phasing out these tests would make many admissions officers look more at the student holistically.

This appreciation for the deeper evaluation of each student is demonstrated in Villanova’s choice this year, as Villanova takes “pride in [its] multifaceted and holistic application review process,” according to the Office of Undergraduate Admission.

It takes the time to evaluate an applicant’s “high school performance, strength of academic curriculum, standardized test scores (if submitted), application essays, extracurricular activities, counselor recommendation and teacher recommendation.”

With the next class of Villanovans excitedly making its college decisions, it is valuable that Villanova chose to admit test-optional applicants for the class of 2026. It likely prompted admissions officers to take a deeper look at applicants, giving every prospective student a more fair chance at attending this university.

Con: Test-Optional Lacks Necessary Standardization Audrey Ryan Staff Writer Despite the consistent attempts that have been made in recent years to level the playing field, higher education is not a meritocracy. Amidst DEI initiatives and a widespread push for greater inclusion, access to elite universities remains largely reserved for those within the upper echelon of society.

Take Villanova, a school that, as of 2017, remained staggeringly economically segregated, even when compared to other private institutions. The New York Times cited Villanova as drawing more than 75% of its students from the top 20% of family incomes, making it among the highest in the country.

The obstacles that hinder marginalized populations from acceptance to elite institutions are pervasive and frequently overlooked. Many students have an advantage in admissions due to legacy status, better access to extracurricular activities, enrollment in feeder schools and more, all privileges that are often taken for granted.

Enter standardized testing.

Where college admissions is “holistic,” meaning that all aspects of a student’s background and application are taken into consideration while determining acceptance, standardized testing is perhaps the sole objective indicator of academic aptitude within one’s application.

Additionally, standardized testing stands as one of the sole metrics of performance that is not easily bolstered by privilege. While private tutors exist and undoubtedly provide an advantage, this is slightly mitigated by the provision of free preparational services, such as Khan Academy.

Furthermore, where even high school curriculums and means of determining GPA vary broadly by state, standardized tests such as the ACT and SAT provide a universal standard for achievement by which to measure students.

In the wake of coronavirus—when testing was shut down for the vast majority of 2020—the emergence of the test-optional policy, and in some cases, testblind, as a widespread practice has allowed for students to decide whether submitting their test scores best benefits their application.

The adoption of this policy compounded with an unprecedented influx of applications to top-tier universities has resulted in diminished acceptance rates and confusion amid students, with source IvyWise revealing that some universities have dropped to as low as 3% of applicants receiving acceptance letters.

Much of the recent debate centered on standardized testing focuses on it being a reductive and dehumanizing method of evaluating students, as testing does not account for students who may not excel at quickly analyzing a passage and answering multiple choice questions regarding the topic, but may be outstanding at playing the guitar or volunteering at animal shelters.

Nonetheless, a low performance on the SAT does not invalidate a student’s skill in another area. Multiple metrics of measuring success coexist in order to capture the whole picture of a student’s aptitude and performance.

Further criticism centers on standardized testing’s inability to account for a student’s capacity for hard work, as well as a student’s emotional intelligence, which further lends to success in college and

beyond. These criticisms are valid and serve as the basis for college applications not solely consisting of grades and test scores. Other factors are equally important, but standardized factors remain a presence that must be taken into consideration.

While one can argue that standardized tests are unfair to students who do not excel at test-taking, many job sectors and graduate schools similarly require a standardized test for entry. The Law School Admissions Test, Graduate Admissions Management Test and the Medical College Admissions Test, among others, are all required for graduate school admission.

No, standardized exams are not always fair to students who struggle with such tests, but they are inevitable in the broader picture of upper-education and hiring practices.

While all aspects of college admissions are highly flawed and fallible, and upper academia remains a largely exclusive realm, standardized testing provides an objective means by which students who are disadvantaged can showcase their potential and gain acceptance to otherwise unattainable institutions.

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

The Villanovan | 7

OPINION

Students Face Pressure From Internship Anxiety Lauryn Hayes Staff Writer As the end of the school year approaches, anxieties around summer internships arise. Pursuing our academic interests outside of the classroom is what follows our undergraduate experience at Villanova.

It can be quite difficult to repress the urge to find an internship as we hear everyone on campus talking about their summer plans at big-name companies. Such conversations are a motivating yet exhausting form of peer pressure.

Applying for multiple internships and receiving rejection after rejection can be quite discouraging, especially after seeing new peers announce their summer plans each time we open LinkedIn. I remember during the spring semester of my freshman year, I began to apply for internships for any company, small or large, using LinkedIn, Handshake, company websites and more. In the end, I did not get an internship that was specifically tailored to my career interest, but I was grateful nonetheless.

From my summer 2021 work experience, I learned to value the professional opportunities we do have, regardless of where they come from.

Many students, though, continue to feel the pressure of finding an internship all over cam-

Students struggle to find internship oppotunities as summer fast approaches.

Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

pus. Some tend to think it is easier for students to get one depending on their major.

“Pressure is campus-wide, but VSB students have more ease in finding them,” Zenaida De La Cruz, a sophomore double major in criminology and sociology, said.

Scrolling through my LinkedIn, it can definitely appear this way. Since February, the majority of my LinkedIn has been filled with announcements by VSB students who have secured summer internships. I understand why CLAS, engineering or nursing students may feel business students are at an advantage, then, in finding summer opportunities.

One way to remedy this common misconception is through the use of Villanova’s Career Center. Located in Garey Hall, the Career Center has many online resources for undergraduates, graduates and alumni.

Throughout the year, it hosts both in–– person and virtual events with companies from many different fields that students and alumni can attend to learn more about and become familiar with members of their hiring teams.

The staff at the Career Center are experts who review and improve resumes, conduct mock interviews, provide professional clothing for interviews and more. If

you have not already familiarized yourself with our Career Center, do so as soon as possible.

Another issue that arises during the internship search regards the nature of unpaid compared to paid opportunities.

Unfortunately, students often have to make the difficult decision to choose between experience and compensation.

We all would like to receive compensation for dedicating our summer to these companies, but many offer little or no pay. Often, we frequently refrain from applying for unpaid internships.

To alleviate some of the burden of this difficult decision, the Career Center has an application for students to apply for funding if working at low-paying or unpaid internships. While the deadline for this application has already passed, it is an important resource to keep in mind for the future.

However, there are further funding opportunities the Career Center offers for internships still accepting applications, so definitely familiarize yourself with them if you have not already.

The pressure and never-ending search for internships are difficult to navigate on top of all our other responsibilities. While internship anxiety is hard to forget, remember, we have time. Work, travel or do other things you love if an internship isn’t suitable or available for you––there is always next year.

We Need Bolder Gun Control Legislation The shooting in Sacramento took place only hours after another one in Dallas.

But what’s more daunting is that there were 94 other A mass shooting occurred shootings in America that very in Sacramento this past weekend, day. Other countries do not live leaving six dead and 12 in the with these fears. And there is one hospital. The violent event took place on K Street, a popular street solution to this: bolder and stricter gun laws for this country. in Sacramento with lots of foot “The scourge of gun traffic. violence continues to be a crisis It lies on a strip that has in our country, and must resolve been a place of fights for years, to bring an end to this carnage,” but never gunshots. With more California Governor Gavin Newthan 100 bullets fired, it is one of the deadliest shootings in the city’s som said in the aftermath of the shooting. history, leaving Sacramento ridSunday’s shooting occurred dled with grief.

The Sacramento Police De- just weeks after four people were shot and killed in a church in Sacpartment said that gang violence ramento. was the root of the shooting, and In fact, this is California’s it believes that at least five gunmen 12th shooting this year, despite were a part of the shooting. having some of the strongest gun The police have arrested laws. suspects and are taking the necesCalifornia has at least 107 sary steps to hold those to blame gun laws on the books, more than for the deaths responsible. any other state, all of which were On Sunday, President debated and passed in its Capital.

Joe Biden called for a ban on The state has already banned milighost guns, assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, demand- tary-style weapons, machine weaping background checks for all gun ons and large-capacity magazines.

There have also been backsales and holding gun-makers ground checks and databases for responsible and liable. those who own guns enforced by “We must do more than the state. And it has worked. mourn, we must act,” Biden said California does have a in a statement Sunday night. It is relatively low rate of deaths from now up to Congress to heed his gun violence, the seventh-lowest in call.

Shootings have broken out the country. But more needs to be done. in all of America, a country with Though California has weak gun laws. There is no state the strictest gun laws in the US, that has been untouched by these when we compare them to the rest brutal attacks of violence.

Zoë Kim Staff Writer

There needs to be greater efforts at gun control following Sacramento’s mass shooting.

Courtesy of The Guardian

of the world, they are too weak.

While these laws have protected people for the good, they need to be stricter for every state.

California cannot be the only state with strict laws, as it is only as protected as its neighboring states. It can be difficult for California to protect its people when its neighbors and country are three steps behind them.

Furthermore, there needs to be gun laws for crossing state borders. California is especially vulnerable to gun violence because its bordering states have weaker laws.

Hundreds of guns used for violence in California were bought in Arizona, a state with some of

the weakest gun laws in the nation.

Newsom has proposed a law that would hold gun manufacturers and sellers accountable. If it passes, people could sue anyone who sells and makes weapons of violence.

However, Newsom is not the only governor pleading with Congress for bolder legislation.

He is one of the many Democrats who will introduce 100 more pieces of legislation if that’s what it takes to curb violence.

Ultimately, this bolder legislation needed to be in place this past weekend, not only in California, but across the nation. It could have protected hundreds of Americans and cities if it was.

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

CULTURE

8 | The Villanovan

CULTURE

Unconventional Priest Inspires Mark Wahlberg Elena Rouse Co-Culture Editor Cont. from pg. 1 -a trash talking, basketball-playing boxer turned priest.

“I wasn’t really paying attention, and then he told me again, and it registered with me, and I thought, ‘Oh wow, this is actually something I should be doing,’” Wahlberg said.

“This is something that will really motivate me. To do something of substance.’”

That moment of recognition came and compelled Wahlberg to tell the story of a man unconventional in all the ways that make it impossible not to perk up one’s ears when he’s mentioned.

To prepare for the role, Wahlberg relied heavily on the stories from Father Stu’s family and friends, as well as some personal preparation to learn how to believably portray a priest. In fact, Wahlberg took to serving Masses himself, learning the process even before he knew a screenplay could be made. The commitment did not end there. During the duration of the film’s mere 30 shoot, Wahlberg gained 30 pounds in order to accurately portray Father Stu’s life transition from a boxer to a priest struggling with disease.

Wahlberg explained what it was about Father Stu that ultimately touched him, and why he touched so many people during the expanse of his

life and after his passing.

“He was a bit of a walking contradiction,” he said. “He was brutally honest. He had so much real life experience – people related to him and identified with him in a very personal way. He impacted so many people in a short amount of time.”

A part of that impact stems from a major theme both in Father Stu’s life and the film: suffering.

Wahlberg spoke about how it was that suffering that made his story so captivating.

“If you’re lucky enough to live to a certain age, it’s inevitable that you’ll deal with suffering and with loss,” Wahlberg said. “To see how he did it with such dignity and grace, really is inspiring. He was always so happy that it happened to him and that he was able to get closer to Christ, and that was able to then touch other people because they knew what he was going through and how he embraced it.”

As a devout Catholic, the film was deeply personal for Wahlberg.

“Faith is obviously a big component in my life,” Wahlberg said. “I credit all my success both personally and professionally to my faith.”

But what about Villanova students, and the people who have not yet reached that age of reflection? Why is “Father Stu” a movie they should see?

Using his four children as a tether to come back to, Wahlber answered, saying what he hopes they, as well as all young people, will gain from

the film.

“I think a lot of young people are a little hesitant to get involved with the church and all the rules, and I think if they understood much more about the guy who died to build it – about Jesus, then the Church and the rules and all the things that go along – then maybe they’ll gravitate towards that a little more,” Wahlberg said. “[The film] It’s wildly entertaining, it’s funny, it’s emotional, it’s all those things, but it’ll challenge them to do more…I mean, there is so much divide right now and the only people we can look to are young people for great leadership that are going to connect people again, and remind people to really find and recognize and focus on the good in people. We can’t write people off. We can’t turn our backs on people. People need to know that people love them and support them, so they’ll have hope.”

As for the greater audience, Wahlberg insisted that religion or faith is not integral to seeing the movie.

“You wouldn’t be human if you weren’t touched by it in some way, because we’re all dealing with difficulties,” he said “We’ve all dealt with loss.

We’ve all dealt with the ‘whys’ of the world, and we’ve all been struggling together. This will hopefully light a fire in people to be better and do more whatever their part is. To identify their role in the big picture, God’s big picture.”

A passion project for Wahlberg, he has taken across the country for countless press interviews and

screenings. On April 6, Wahlberg’s efforts even came to Villanova. Hosted by the Office of Graduate Studies at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute, Wahlberg and special guest country music singer Brett Young, who contributed to the soundtrack, presented the film to 150 University graduate students.

Emory Woodward, Dean of Graduate Studies, spoke about the event.

“Mark Wahlberg was fantastic,” Woodward said about Wahlberg’s speech to the Villanova community. “The film really spoke for itself.

Though there were some light moments of humor in the story, it was a poignant message about suffering and sacrifice. It is quite timely given our upcoming celebration of Easter.”

Looking back on the entirety of the film’s journey, Wahlberg could not help but feel deep gratitude for the people who put the films together, and the positive responses it has received thus far.

“The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, which is great,” Wahlberg said. “More importantly, the big relief was showing Stu’s family, friends, parishioners, everybody in Helena, Montana, the film on Monday.

They absolutely loved the film, so my job is complete.”

As for the rest of us, the work to “do better and be better,” to “recognize and focus on the good in people” has hopefully just begun.

“Father Stu” comes to theaters today, April 13.

Club Tennis Goes to Nationals Brendan Coughlin Staff Writer Last week, Villanova’s Club Tennis team competed in The Tennis on Campus National Championship in Orlando, FL. The team played against seven schools at the tournament, defeating only Southern Methodist University (SMU) on the final day.

Nationals was held on the National Campus of the United States Tennis Association (USTA).

The campus offers nearly 100 tennis courts within its 64-acre property.

“The facility was state of the art,” sophomore singles player Michael Hahn said. “It was just an awesome and sunny environment.”

The event marks the first

tournament since the start of the pandemic. The first match kicked off on Thursday, April 7, and the tournament concluded on Saturday, April 9.

The Nationals Tournament has a reputation for intensity. More than a year ago, the Instagram account for Villanova Recreation described the yearly tournament as “insanely competitive.” The United States Tennis Association boasts that Nationals is “the biggest tournament in collegiate club tennis.”

The co-ed team, which has 86 members, competed with a roster of 10 players against university club teams from across the country.

The first part of the tournament involved the teams being divided into 16 pools, consisting of four teams per pool. These teams then compete in a “straight round

robin” tournament. This involves each team in the pool playing the other teams an equal number of times. How a team places in the pool determines the bracket it will play in at the next stage of the tournament.

The team in first place competes in the gold bracket, the team in second plays in the silver, the team in third plays in the bronze bracket and the team in last competes in the copper bracket.

After three hard fought matches, the Villanova team failed to attain any victories over the other teams in their pool: Colorado, Florida and Ohio State. Villanova was subsequently placed in the copper bracket.

“The teams played exceptional tennis,” Hahn said. “The competition was fierce.”

The copper bracket was a multilevel tournament which, as opposed to single elimination tournaments, allows teams that have lost to continue playing in conciliation rounds.

Villanova was defeated by Appalachian State in the first round of the copper bracket. In the first consolation round, the team suffered another loss at the hands of American University. During its last game in the tournament, Villanova triumphed over Southern Methodist University, 26-11.

“It was a valiant effort,” Hahn said. “I was truly impressed by what we were able to do.”

The end of the tournament marks the conclusion of the club’s season. The team will return in the fall semester to recruit potential players from the class of 2026.

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

The Villanovan | 9

CULTURE

Villanova’s Annual Greek Week Chloe Miller Co-Culture Editor Greek Week may bring to mind images of trojans and togas, but Villanova’s Greek Week looks quite different.

A greek life tradition, Greek Week occurs every year at Villanova with fraternity and sorority sponsored events for students to take part in. This year, Greek Week was held from April 4th to April 8th. Many of the events are organized by Villanova’s Panhellenic association, Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) and Interfraternity Council (IFC) with help and planning from each chapter on campus.

“We [Panehllenic Executive board] have been having weekly meetings to discuss each day’s events,” VP of Panhellenic recruitment Olivia Mulchaey said.

“We plan how to execute each event and also make spreadsheets for volunteers, order supplies, and coordinate with other outside organizations.”

The week-long celebration is meant for members of various greek organizations to interact with one another. All fraternities and sororities were split into teams of three or four to compete to be the winner of Greek Week.

The events kicked off on Monday, April 4th with greek letter day, where fraternity and sorority members could earn a point for

together to choose who would be crowned the Greek Week skit champion, according to Mulchaey.

Ultimately, on skit night, Alpha Chi Omega and Pi Kappa Phi came in first place. Second place was awarded to Delta Gamma and Delta Chi, and third place to Alpha Phi. Yardfest was meant to act as the concluding ceremony to Greek Week on Friday. Unfortunately, many MGC chapters had conflicts on Friday and were unable to attend. The other organizations did not want to put on yardfest without the MGC chapters, so the event on Friday was canceled.

Subsequently, the winners were announced via the Panhellenic Instagram. The winning group consisted of Delta Gamma, Delta Chi, and Sigma Phi Epsilon.

The current total raised was Many fraternity and sorority members competed in Coin Wars on Tuesday this past week. $1,442.66. This total is solely from Courtesy of Villanova Panhellenic Instagram coin wars, which occurred on Tuestheir team if they checked in at the held on April 7th in the Alumni day. Mulchaey assumes that the Oreo with letters on. final total will likely be just under Hall gym due to inclement weathEvents that followed includ- er. Despite, the last-minute location $2,000. ed coin wars, flag football, lip sync “The money raised is going change, nine groups presented their battles, and skit night. Skit night is to be split between the Panhellenskit. Some of the groups chose a fan favorite for many sorority and to go with a theme, for example, ic Conference, IFC, and MGC,” fraternity members.

Mulchaey said. “Each council gets Alpha Gamma Delta dressed and “It’s hilarious to see all your danced to songs based on the mov- to pick a charitable cause to donate friends and people you know get to from their portion of the funds.” ie “Grease.” Delta Gamma and on stage and perform a dance,” Despite the abrupt ending, Delta Chi stuck with the theme of Georgia Mowers said. “They never the week and opted for togas and Greek Week was a fun event for know what they’re doing and the members of Greek organizations. music from Disney’s “Hercules.” whole event is a good time. People Greek Week was no Battle of Troy, The judging for the winner get really competitive.” but it brought enthusiasm to camwas done at the end of the event.

This year, skit night was pus.

Panhellenic representatives came

VTV Presents Second Annual Villys Eric White Staff Writer Friday, April 8 marked the second annual student film competition at Villanova, aptly called The Villys. The Villys offer an opportunity for talented young filmmakers, directors and actors to demonstrate their abilities in a multi-hour film viewing of all the submissions, followed by an award ceremony where films in each category would win awards, followed by an Audience Choice award determined by the watchers.

At the end of the night, the awards were given out. “Night Shift” won Best Editing, with “Unhinged” winning Best Story. Best Cinematography went to “And We’re Live,” followed up by “Slice of Life” winning Best Direction.

“The Other Side of the Door” walked away with the Best Horror award. “Taking Notes” took home two awards, being recognized as both Best Comedy as well as receiving the Standout Villy Filmmaker award. Best Documentary went to “Recognizing Roots.” Finally, “Have You Heard the News” took both the Best Drama as well as the Audience Choice Award.

Host Joe Adams introduced the awards in a charming and charismatic way. The night was filled with laughter as a result of his silly antics, like saying Father Peter himself will unenroll students who don’t subscribe to his YouTube channel. Adams intro-

duced the categories of all of the films and the names of each.

The two horror films were “The Crow,” a surreal horror that was filmed in St. Mary’s, and “The Other Side of the Door,” which featured a man perpetually trapped in a loop of his own bedroom. Next up were the comedies, offering a much-needed respite after the spooky submissions. First up in comedy was “Unhinged,” a dark comedy featuring a titular main character leading frat boys to their deaths. Next was “The Carhartt Addict,” a parody of “My Strange Addiction,” featuring a young man battling his dependency on Carhartt clothing.

“Taking Note” was the next comedy, featuring Shakespeare as a young female college student navigating her ambition and the world around her. Segueing into a festive theme, “Merry Finals” was about Heat Miser and Snow Miser sending Santa to Villanova, where his goal is to spread Christmas cheer to miserable students in the midst of finals.

“Writer’s Room” followed the plight of a group of sketch-comedy writers, trying to come up with material in the midst of a bizarre national tragedy. Next, “The 2007 Store” featured a fake advertisement for a store promising ample nostalgia and a short return to a better time: 2007.

Next, “And We’re Live” detailed the struggle of Villanova student Frankie to get back the funding needed to stay at the Uni-

versity after her scholarship was revoked. Wrapping up the comedy category was “Tom and Freddie,” an absurdist film about time-traveling gone wrong and doppelgangers.

The next category was documentary, which had two entries.

“Rosie’s Coffee” highlighted Villanova’s closest small business and featured an interview of the owner and her journey running the cafe.

“Recognizing Roots,” the other entry in this category, explored the cultural and ethnic roots of people in the town of Loiza, Puerto Rico and their journey to self-acceptance.

Lastly, the drama category began with “Night Shift,” featuring a janitor who winds up in the clutches of a maniacal boss. Then, “Things Could Be Worse” took us through the life of a college student as he doubts the meaning of his existence and the purpose of his life. “Have You Heard the News?” follows a group of criminals aiming to cover their tracks after they find out their getaway wasn’t as clean as it should be.

Finally, “Slice of Life” followed the intertwining stories of three groups of people who all attend the same pizzeria and how they change each other’s lives.

When asked about their involvement in The Villys, the creators and stars of these films all had their own unique origins.

Ryan Henry, the creator of “Taking Note,” shared that she’s a Communication major getting her

Master’s in Theatre.

“I’m just really interested in adaptations, and I love taking a new spin on characters I love,” she said. “I wanted to work with ideas like, how would Puck and Roselynn act in the modern day?”

The director of “Have You Heard The News,” Audrey Agnew, is the president of Villanova TV. “I love the Villys because it challenges the people in the club to make longer, more serious projects,” she shared.

The tense concept of her film came from her crew wanting to challenge themselves.

“We wanted to make a film with no dialogue, because that kind of thing feels super tense, and we thought it might be cool to have the only words be from the newscast,” Agnew said.

A.J. Fezza and Matthew Gaetano, the creators of “Slice of Life,” discussed the concept of their film as well.

“It’s a series of vignettes about a pizza shop and customers that go there,” Gaetano said as a description of the film. “It’s about the spontaneity of people’s lives intersecting.”

Wisely, Fezza offered the mantra, “Pizza brings people together.”

The Villys was a riveting competition, and every submission was well-crafted and showed the serious talent and determination of the filmmakers. This is one Villanova tradition that should persist through the years.

10 | The Villanovan

CULTURE

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Sustainability Committee Holds Wildcat Thrift Shop Emma Cahill Staff Writer On Friday April 8, Villanova’s Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) hosted the Wildcat Thrift Shop at the Driscoll Tents. At this pop-up shop, students sorted through many tables to find the perfect addition to their wardrobes.

In order to get this event running, the Student Sustainability Committee worked hard to ensure the success of the pop-up thrift shop.

The brains behind this event were SSC members Emily Jaenicke, Gillen Curren, Shea Murphy, Maggie Cavanaugh and Aja Eiden. All of them worked together to plan the outdoor thrift shop and contributed to its success.

The inspiration behind this event was to promote sustainability in shopping habits. The thrift shop was hosted with the circular economy in mind, which involves recycling and refurbishing used materials to prevent waste. Additionally, the thrift shop not only promotes sustainability but also contributes to fundraising and profits for the SSC. “I saw the opportunity to take the circular economy model that so many institutions and companies are attempting to implement and simplify it,” Jaenicke said. “We have a tight knit campus full of students willing to be involved. I also saw a place for profit and fundraising. I emailed Liesel, our sustainability manager, in May of 2021 and asked what she thought about an on-campus thrift

Students parse through clothing from the Wildcat Thrift Shop in the Driscoll Tents.

Courtesy of Pepper Ritchey/Villanovan Photography

shop run by students. I built the framework up from the ground with the help of her, Maggie and Gillen so that it would draw people in to see the opportunity in creating new systems that value circularity.”

In order to build upon this inspiration, the SSC members behind this event put in lots of preparation for the pop-up shop. The members found that communication was key to a successful event.

“There are so many stakeholders involved in successfully pulling off this event, so open communication is a must,” Cavanaugh said. “Emily, Shea, Aja and I communicate in a

group chat, and I meet with Liesel weekly to keep her updated. We also have running email chains with Catholic Relief Services, the Wildcat Wardrobe and our vendors so that everyone knows what is expected of them.”

The vendors for this event were made up of Villanova’s student body. The opportunity to be a vendor was open to all interested, and many individuals and groups hosted tables at the thrift shop.

“In addition to individual students of all class years holding their own tables for the event, we also have various student organizations acting

as vendors for the event,” Eiden said.

“We have everything from Greek Life frats and sororities, to athletic groups, to fashion-based student organizations hosting tables.”

Not only did the Wildcat Thrift Shop work towards creating a sustainable environment, but it also had a philanthropic aspect to it. Many of the student groups used the profits from their sale to benefit charitable organizations.

“The student groups are donating their profits to charities of their choice, like Swim Across America, Women’s Heart Health and Prevent Child Abuse America,” Curren said.

“It’s really cool to see this project merge together sustainability and philanthropy, so students buying clothes are doing good for the environment and for charity.”

The Wildcat Thrift Shop held by the Student Sustainability Committee was very successful. The purchasing of second-hand clothing helped to promote a circular pattern of purchases among the Villanova community. As students participated in the thrift shop, they contributed to a more sustainable environment while finding repurposed pieces of clothing.

The members of the SSC succeeded in showing the importance of sustainability to the Villanova community.

“I want to show Villanova students that it can be easy and fun to make more sustainable decisions that are truly impactful,” Murphy said.

“Bringing people together reinforced that collaboration and creativity are incredibly valuable when it comes to sustainability.”

Club Swim to Hold Flip Cup Relay to Fight Cancer Julia O’Keefe Staff Writer On Sunday, Apr. 24, Villanova Club Swimming will be hosting a flip cup relay competition to fundraise for Swim Across America. Since 1987, SAA has hosted charity swims across the country to raise money and awareness for cancer research, prevention and treatment. Villanova Club Swimming partners with the organization annually, individually fundraising and concluding fundraising efforts with a charity lap-a-thon.

This year, the team is looking to get the entire campus involved by hosting a flip cup relay event. All funds raised will go to SAA and its efforts to fight cancer.

Club Swimming’s philanthropy chair Leah Prischak is in charge of organizing the event. She spoke about what SAA means to her and the greater swimming community.

“SAA is the perfect representation of what swimming means to everyone,” Prischak said. “To be a swimmer is to be part of a unique community that is truly built upon lifting each other up and strengthening one another. It’s an unspoken commitment to being part of something larger than just yourself, in this case the fight against cancer. SAA is committed to using this community as a vessel to fundraising to support cancer research, this year specifically pancreatic.”

The team has already seen success in fundraising efforts, bumping its initial goal of $3,000 to $6,000 after raising $3,000 in just over three weeks. It is more than $1,000 short

Villanova Club Swim will hold its Flip Cup Relay on Sunday, Apr. 24.

Courtesy of Villanova Club Swim

of its increased goal and hopes the Villanova community’s involvement will push it beyond the $6,000 mark.

“So far in our fundraising, we are really close to hitting our goal based on team efforts, but we are so excited to get the Villanova community involved and really get things going,” Prischak said. “Every little bit helps, and I think it’s a great opportunity to touch even more lives with other students’ help. We are hoping that this fundraiser will give SAA the attention it deserves and shine a light on what an amazing organization it is.”

Students can enter flip cup relay teams to compete in the pool alongside club swim team members and support their efforts. The race will begin when one swimmer from each team swims a single lap, only fin-

ishing when they successfully flip a red solo cup at the opposite end. The second swimmer can only dive in once the cup is flipped, and they will then do the same. Once the final swimmer successfully flips the last cup, the race is over and the winner is declared.

Most Club Swim meets include this event in the lineup, and the Villanova team always enters swimmers to join in on the fun.

“It’s a blast to participate in and really changes the atmosphere of a traditional swim meet,” Prischak said. “It also is something that many [college students] have experience with.”

In an attempt to appeal to the larger student body, Club Swim decided the flip cup relay would be the perfect way to attract participants and encourage a larger group to support

such an important cause. It is expected to be an exciting and competitive event that brings students together, uniting them around a common goal: fighting cancer.

Prischak and the entire Club Swim team are hoping this event renders a combination of team spirit, competition and philanthropy. Their goal is to get many organizations and independent student teams involved and in the pool. All proceeds raised from team entries will be donated to SAA. “We are hoping that this event is just a celebration of teamwork and an electric environment where people can come compete, have fun and help a great organization at the same time,” Prischak said.

Those looking to get involved should click the link in the @nova_ club_swim Instagram bio. Fill out your team name, participants’ names, and list the student organization you are affiliated with if applicable. Venmo @novaclubswim $8 and be ready to show up at the pool in a suit on Sunday, April 24 at 10:30 a.m. Spectators are welcome and are encouraged to leave a donation to SAA at the door. Prizes will be awarded to the top finishers, and no prior swimming experience is required to participate in the event.

Villanova Club Swimming is well on its way to reaching its final fundraising goal, but it needs the community’s help to really blow its goal out of the water. With campus enthusiasm, support, and competitive attitude, students can come together to participate in the event and help Villanova Club Swimming “make waves” to fight cancer.

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

The Villanovan | 11

SPORTS

SPORTS

Ukrainian Tennis Player Plays For Country At War Colin Beazley Co-Editor-In-Chief Continued from p.1 Kornieva’s father was unable to leave. He currently volunteers in Western Ukraine, one of the safer parts of the country, but still faces consistent vulnerability. Kornieva’s grandparents and many of her friends are still in dangerous situations further east.

“I was talking one time with my friend on FaceTime, and I heard emergency alarms on the street,” Kornieva said. “I can’t imagine how they’re able to handle hearing these alarms. It’s so painful, everything that they now experience. It’s hard.”

Kornieva’s family made it out just in time. In Kiev and across the country, Kornieva has seen many places that she visited and where she competed in tennis tournaments reduced to rubble.

On April 10, Dnipro’s airport was completely destroyed.

“I feel like it’s really affecting everyone,” Kornieva said.

“Especially me, when I see all this news, and I can really believe that now [this] can happen and it’s really my country. I saw a lot of places where [I spent] my childhood, [where] I played a lot of tennis tournaments and where I spent all of my life. Now, there’s really nothing.”

Growing up, tennis was always seen as an opportunity for Kornieva, the pathway to academic opportunities in the United States.

Kornieva began playing the sport at age seven, dropping other activities like dance in order to focus solely on tennis. As she won matches and developed into one of the best players of her age in the country, Kornieva hired a recruiting service to send her academic and athletic information to schools. Although Villanova does not offer scholarships for tennis, when Kornieva’s tape found its way to head coach Steve Reiniger, he knew that this was a player he wanted.

“I liked what I saw,” Reiniger said. “And she hasn’t disappointed.”

There were numerous hurdles to manage, including academic requirements for admission, Villanova’s lack of financial aid for international students and barriers with recruitment and visiting schools during COVID-19. But when Kornieva saw Villanova’s academic reputation and the tennis team’s rankings, she knew it was the best option.

Throughout her first months on campus, Kornieva was focused on making the most of the opportunities Villanova had to offer, as well as recovering from her injury.

Preparing for a full season, Kornieva still saw tennis as both a tool for opportunity and a responsibility, but after Feb. 24, tennis became an escape.

In her collegiate debut, Kornieva lost, falling in both sets, 6-4. She lost her second match as well, dropping both sets against Belmont, 6-2. However, after a two week scheduling break, Kornieva

has caught fire, winning five of her last seven singles matches.

“To be honest, I don’t know how I handle everything that’s going on and can perform well on [my] tennis matches,” Kornieva said. “I’m just trying to forget what’s happening in Ukraine and overall in the world, and just concentrate all my attention to tennis and just try to enjoy the moments of the game. Tennis is what I’m passionate about. It’s helped me a lot, mentally.”

Around the team, Kornieva always remains positive, keeping morale high regardless of how she’s doing. She sees it as her duty to not let her situation affect the team, especially in the midst of the season.

“She is amazing,” Reiniger said. “I don’t think she ever has a bad day. I look at her and she’s just constantly smiling. I guess she just compartmentalizes well and just blocks it out when we’re in a match.

Once in a blue moon you can tell it’s on her mind, but that’s very seldom.”

“My parents always taught me to be strong and [to] not give up,” Kornieva said. “For everyone, now is difficult, for my parents, for Ukraine. We are [a] strong nation, we can handle a lot.”

What weighs on Kornieva’s mind most is her family, both with their safety and when she will be able to see them again. There are plans in the works to bring her mom and sister to the U.S. in the summer, but for now, her family follows Kornieva’s successes from afar.

“They are so happy,” Kornieva said. “For them, it’s really good news. [I’m] really happy that they can [celebrate] for me. When I finish a match, I immediately text my parents that I won because I am sending them something that can [make them] smile, be happy and be proud of me.”

Five thousand miles and a world away from Ukraine, Kornieva may be safe, but she badly misses her family and her country. As the war drags on, returning to Dnipro or seeing her dad will be difficult, and with so much uncertainty, she takes nothing for granted.

“I miss my family,” Kornieva said. “I hope maybe my mom and sister will come to [the U.S.] during summer, but I can’t say exactly. Now, to make a plan, it’s so hard. I hope it will work and I will be so happy to meet my mom and sister.”

Kornieva still struggles to comprehend what is happening in her home.

“Before [this] war, these topics were far away from my life,” Kornieva said. “It will not touch me, I would just read [about it] in history books. But now, it’s really happening.”

Her tennis team next plays in the Big East Championships, representing Villanova against the best of the conference. However, Kornieva will represent her family and something much bigger.

“I play for Ukraine,” Kornieva said. “I am representing my country. I do all of this for my country.”

Women’s Water Polo Prepares for Postseason Owen Hewitt Staff Writer The Villanova women’s water polo team went 1-2 over the weekend, picking up a win against Iona and dropping games against No. 15 Wagner and at La Salle. The loss to La Salle on Sunday put the ‘Cats one game behind the Explorers for the final playoff spot in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). In the MAAC, the top four teams in the conference make the playoffs, with the winner of the conference playoff receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Women’s Water Polo Championship.

The ‘Cats have two games remaining in their push for the playoffs, both at home. They take on La Salle again on Friday and face last-place Virginia Military Institute on Saturday. The Wildcats will need to win both games over the weekend to have a chance at the playoffs, with the La Salle game holding more immediate importance.

“A lot of us have a lot of motivation to get to conference, especially our seniors, they’ve worked hard to build this program in the last couple of years,” start-

emotional drive behind this game based on how the last game finished against Iona, [with it] going into overtime.”

If the ‘Cats were to make the conference playoffs, they would likely face No. 15 Wagner.

Wagner currently stands undefeated in the conference, having only lost three games all year, all to other nationally ranked programs.

The ‘Cats have faced Wagner twice this year, dropping the first game on March 19, 22-7, and the second one this past weekend, 157.

Whether the ‘Cats can make an upset run is yet to be seen, but they will first have to deal with La Salle and Virginia The women’s water polo team has some tough matchups ahead as it prepares for postseason play.. Military Institute to even have a Courtesy of Villanova Athletics chance at the conference top dog, ing goalie Sarah Shaw said. “So I the final period, going down, 12-9. Wagner.

Shaw spoke on what makthink beating La Salle is the goal.

La Salle only outshot the ‘Cats by ing the playoffs would mean to the I think we’re just gonna work hard one but out-assisted 8-2. team after a long season. in practice to get there. We’re That performance was in “I think for us, it would going to focus on cleaning up the contrast to the prior game, where defense and getting everything the Wildcats only gave up six goals just be seeing all of our hard work pay off and be like, ‘Hey, we can squared away that needs to be total in an 8-6 home victory over compete with these teams, these squared away. If we come out and Iona. ranked teams that are in our conplay our best game, I think that we “We had nine field blocks can absolutely destroy La Salle.” in that game, which is a really high ference.’” Shaw said. “We’re out The ‘Cats went into the statistic.” Shaw said. “That makes there, and we’re putting up a good fight, and we’re making it known fourth period tied up with La Salle my job easier as a goalie because that Villanova water polo is here at seven in this past weekend’s fewer shots are making it to me and we’re here to stay.” matchup but gave up five goals in in the cage. We also had a lot of

SPORTS

12| The Villanovan

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Women’s T&F Competes in Hurricane Invite Catherine Browne Staff Writer

Wildcat has jumped at least 1.79 meters during the outdoor season.

This performance puts both of Over the weekend, the their names in second place on the Villanova women’s track and field Big East performance list for the team escaped the rain in Pennsyloutdoor season. vania to compete in the Hurricane Senior Trinity Hart repAlumni Invitational meet in Coral resented the Wildcats in the long Gables, Florida. jump event and placed seventh out “This weekend was more of 27 competitors, with a mark of the sprinters and jumpers getting 5.67 meters. This is her best jump the chance to get out there,” head of the season, which moves her up coach Gina Procaccio said. four spots on the Big East perforThis was the high jumpers mance list. Her performance over and hurdlers debut in their respec- the weekend is also her second-lontive events. Although the Wildcats gest jump of her collegiate career. only had a few athletes competing, “She’s a great kid, and she “they had some good technical is just really making the jump this performances,” Procaccio said. year,” Procaccio said.

Senior Jada Thomas and juAdditionally, her coach nior Jane Livingston both compet- shared that, like many other athed in the 100 meter hurdles event. letes, she has not experienced Thomas finished in 10th out of 26 a normal training season since competitors, with a time of 14.52, her freshman year due to the and Livingston clocked in a time of COVID-19 pandemic.

22.06. Thomas also competed in “This was kind of the first the 200 meter event and finished in year where they had a solid fall 39th out of 53 competitors, with a training with a full meet schedule mark of 26.02. for the indoor season,” Procaccio Junior Sanaä Barnes and said. “So it’s just showing in her sophomore Roschell Clayton both performances, she is really taking competed in the high jump. Barnes off, and we are expecting her to and Clayton placed first and continue on the trajectory and second, respectively, each recordlooking for big things from her ing a mark of 1.79 meters. This is come conference time.”

Clayton’s first time competing for While the five athletes the outdoor season. Both Barnes competed in Florida, the rest of and Clayton marked the 11th and the team was able to stay home 12th times in school history that a and have a weekend off from

competing. Procaccio said that they “need those breaks.” Some distance runners have competed three weekends in a row, which makes this weekend a long awaited rest from competing.

“When they are competing, [they] don’t train as hard, [as we] have to make sure they are rested to get out there and race,” Procaccio said.

This allows for the team to heavily prepare for their upcoming competitions in the Virginia Challenge meet the weekend of April 22 and the Penn Relays the following weekend.

As the team approaches its final regular season meets, Procaccio said that she is “looking to see kids get better and more comfortable in their events, shoot for regional standards and [get] the experience of competing against high level competition.”

“This week, we were ranked 21st in the country, and then we added in a couple of the high jumpers, [and] they are in the top-20 in the country,” she said.

“They are 12th in the region, so that should help increase our team rankings this week so we are excited to see where that puts us.”

Last week, Procaccio mentioned that “everything was going according to plan,” and this week she added that “we are still right on track.”

Men’s Tennis Falls to Marquette, 4-3 Noah Swan Staff Writer The Villanova men’s tennis team came up one point short against Marquette, losing in a 4-3 decision before seeing its second scheduled match against Duquesne rained out. For a team in need of wins, the result stings, yet provides points of encouragement as the team nears the postseason.

The Wildcats (3-12) entered the weekend coming off one of the biggest wins of the season the previous weekend against Loyola Maryland. Picking up the doubles point to begin, the Wildcats went on to drop only one match in a stabilizing and crucial performance last Saturday.

The match this weekend started on a sour note with the initial doubles point going to Marquette (614). Head coach Brad Adams opted for the same doubles partnerships during this match as he did against Loyola, a sign of consistency amid a fluid lineup plagued by injury and youth. The newfound partnership of senior Matthew Jones and junior Justin Suarez struggled to win a game at the #1 position. Within the context of Villanova’s doubles competency, the two have exceeded expectations as a team formed midway through the season.

The younger duo of sophomore Anthony Prokurat and freshman Trey Fourticq slotted in at the #2 spot but failed to win their match against Marquette. The two have now logged 15 matches as a partnership, and despite the loss, they deserve notice as a strong doubles contender

Matthew Jones (above) picked up a singles win on Friday.

Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

looking ahead. Sophomores Josh Robinson and Noah Winton found their match at the #3 spot cut short although they held a strong 5-3 score before moving to singles.

“It took a long time, probably a little too much time to find the right matchups as far as the personalities,” Adams said of the doubles lineup. “I think all the doubles teams currently mesh really well together and balance each other out.”

Down a point entering the singles, Villanova clawed back three points before ultimately falling short against the Big East rival. The two most prolific singles players Jones and sophomore Ryan Nguyen picked up wins at the #4 and #6 places, respectively. Nguyen picked up his third win in his last four singles matches, becoming one of the most consistent players in the singles lineup. For the sophomore, it has been all about his newfound court presence.

“Ryan is just playing at an

extremely high level right now,” Adams said of his #6 player. “He has a lot of confidence in himself, has the ability to beat very good opponents right now. He has really developed his sense of confidence on the court over the past couple of months.”

Prokurat bounced back from the doubles loss to earn a three-set victory at the #5 position. His doubles partner Fourticq was not as fortunate, falling just short in as many sets, as the Wildcats failed to pick up the necessary four points to win the match. The top three singles players failed to win their matches, but the match experience may be just as valuable.

“We play a really tough schedule,” Adams said when asked about his top three singles players.

“My goal for these guys is to compete.

I thought Josh had the opportunity to win the first set. Trey played a very, very tough match, he battled, had his opportunities. What I’m looking for

WEEKLY SCOREBOARD April 6 - April 12

Wednesday, April 6 Softball @ Penn 8-2 W Thursday, April 7 None Friday, April 8 Men’s Tennis vs. Marquette 3-4 L Softball vs. Georgetown 7-1 W Baseball vs. Butler 13-3 W Saturday, April 9 Women’s Rowing Knecht Cup No Team Scoring Water Polo vs. Wagner 7-15 L Women’s Tennis vs. Temple 2-4 L Softball vs. Georgetown 8-2 W Baseball vs. Butler 6-4 W Men’s Lacrosse vs. Denver 10-12 L Water Polo vs. Iona 8-6 W Women’s Lacrosse @ Marquette 14-19 L Men’s Tennis vs. Duquesne Did Not Finish (Rain) M/W T&F @ Hurricane Invite No Team Scoring Sunday, April 10 Women’s Rowing Knecht Cup No Team Scoring Men’s Golf @ ABARTA Invite No Team Scoring Women’s Tennis vs. UConn 4-3 W Baseball vs. Butler 3-11 L Softball vs. Georgtown 8-2 W Water Polo @ La Salle 9-12 L Monday, April 11 Men’s Golf @ ABARTA Invite No Team Scoring Tuesday, April 12 Men’s Tennis vs. Drexel Post Production Baseball vs. Bucknell 10-4 W is for them to grind out points, make balls and constantly compete. Against Marquette, the results weren’t there, but I thought they definitely brought it as far as the willingness to compete.”

Looking ahead for the Wildcats, the regular-season schedule nears its close as Villanova stares down the Big East tournament beginning on April 21. The team faced off against Drexel on Tuesday and will play Saint Joseph’s on Wednesday, before traveling to Washington DC for a Big East blockbuster against Georgetown.

With only four matches left in the regular season, the men’s tennis team will need to convert the steady momentum into on-court results. A tough schedule can provide a battle-tested team, but the results remain to be seen with ever-dwindling time left for the Wildcats during their 2022 campaign.

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

The Villanovan | 13

SPORTS

Men’s Club Hockey Completes Successful Season Owen Hewitt Staff Writer A rink that’s 35 minutes away from campus, 10 p.m. ice times, eight-hour bus rides to tournaments on weekends and a season that stretches from August to March. It sounds like a lot, but for the members of the Villanova Men’s club hockey team, it’s a small price to pay to be able to continue playing the game they love.

“Over the course of my four years here, you learn that you prioritize the things that you care about,” senior left wing Tim Arena said. “If it’s something that you really love and enjoy doing, you’ll be able to make the time for it.”

Arena, a native of Farmington, CT, grew up around the game, and he’s been playing hockey since he was four years old.

“I love playing, so even though we practice at 10 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, we’re able to get the other things done throughout the day,” Arena said. “So that we can show up to practice and be in the moment and enjoy being there.”

Arena and Ajay Fernandez, the team’s goaltender, are both seniors and have played their final games as IceCats. Fernandez reflected on what it has meant to him to be a part of the team and the

camaraderie that he’s developed with his teammates over the years.

“This year, for our senior night game, we had kids who graduated last year, kids who graduated two years ago and then even kids who were seniors when we were freshmen on the team [come back],” Fernandez said. I think that just shows how special the bond is amongst the people on the team that some people you haven’t seen in maybe a few years are going to come back and support you on your senior night.”

The team itself is young in comparison to other club hockey teams around the country and plays a defensive brand of hockey.

In 2021-22, the squad ranked 13th in goals allowed across the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s Division I. “We put defense first, and then offense builds off of it,” junior right wing Max Williams said.

The ‘Cats accrued a record of 16-7-2 across their 26-game season. With there being no hockey in 2020-21 because of COVID-19, the team played with some extra edge, trying to make up for what it missed.

“We felt like we had something to prove, especially for the seniors,” Fernandez said. “I’d say we maybe underperformed or didn’t do as well as we would have liked to our freshmen and sopho-

more years. We were the sixth seed in our league freshman and sophomore year, and I feel like we knew we could play a lot better than that.”

The ‘Cats ended up finishing third in their league this season and fell to William Paterson University in the semifinals of the league playoff.

“We beat teams we haven’t beaten since [I’ve] been here,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez set the program record for highest save percentage over a career, with a mark of .922.

He also finished in the top three of save percentage for ‘21-’22 within the ACHA, saving 93% of shots faced.

Even though there’s no on-campus rink for either the men’s or women’s club hockey teams, students still find ways to support their classmates on the ice.

“For some of our games, we had like 300-400 people there, and that’s with our rink being 35 minutes away from campus,” Fernandez said. “And that’s with everybody [having] to pay $5 to the rink to come watch our games.”

With the growing popularity and attention surrounding club sports such as hockey, it is possible that the school may be missing an opportunity to promote club sports by not having a rink closer to campus.

“I think there’s definitely a huge opportunity there to grow club sports and [change] the opinions surrounding it,” Arena said.

“It would be great if the school could recognize that a little more.”

Arena did recognize that since the team is not officially part of the NCAA, the athletic department and University may choose to focus on other programs “But I also think they do what they can,” Arena said.

“Obviously, you have our basketball program and the top NCAA [programs are] what they’re going to focus on, but I do think it’s an opportunity there that the school could potentially capitalize on and grow the club sports.”

For the seniors on the team, they’ll move on to get jobs post-graduation outside of the hockey world, but they’ll always have a special bond with their teammates.

“That’s gonna be the biggest thing I take away from my four years,” Arena said. “The people you play with, that’s what makes it so fun. You show up to the rink 40 minutes away on a Wednesday night, but you’re with your best friends playing the game you love. So for me, those moments you shared in the locker room, the bus rides, the post-game wins.

That’s what made this year so great.”

Baseball Goes 2-1 Against Butler Loghan Hirkey Staff Writer This past weekend, Villanova improved its record to 11-16-1 with two wins against Butler in a three-game series. The Wildcats won the first two, 13-3 and 6-4, before dropping the final, 11-3.

Not only was this momentum for the season but also for Big East play, but this was also the first win at home for the ‘Cats against Butler since 2016.

The first game of the series involved a lot of runs and excellent pitching by senior Cole Patten and junior Danny Wilkinson. They pitched a combined eight innings and only gave up one run which came in the first off Patten, who finished with six strikeouts. Graduate Jonathan Cole finished off the pitching in the last inning, giving up two runs.

In terms of offense, the Wildcats were led by junior Jack O’Reilly and graduates Chris Rotondo and Joey Castellanos.

Rotondo hit a homer in the bottom of the third with two people on base due to walks. Castellanos shot a rocket over the left-field wall scoring two in the bottom of the seventh, and O’Reilly had a grand slam in the eighth.

The seventh inning was not just successful for Castellanos but also for graduate Pat O’Neill, with a two-run single after the bases were loaded by walks. A wild pitch towards O’Reilly in that same inning scored Rotondo and put the ‘Cats up, 7-1. The homer by Castellanos ended the inning, 9-1.

O’Reilly’s grand slam in the eighth shut the Bulldogs down for good, giving Villanova a 13-1 lead.

The two runs scored by Butler in the ninth were not enough and ended the game, 13-3.

In the next game, by the bottom of the fourth inning, the Bulldogs led 3-1. The only Villanova run until that point was by senior Will Reiner on an RBI single.

The ‘Cats heated up in the bottom of the fifth with back-toback singles from Rotondo and O’Neill. O’Reilly was able to score Rotondo with another single to make the score 3-2. Castellanos also had a single to bring in O’Neill to tie the game. Reiner switched up the scoring pattern with an RBI double, giving the ‘Cats a 5-3 lead.

One more single by junior AJ Hansen brought the score to 6-3.

After four scoreless innings led to the Bulldogs tried to rally in the ninth, scoring one run. However, it wasn’t enough, securing the 6-4 win for the ‘Cats.

Graduate pitcher Tyler Arella had his longest outing of the season with only three hits allowed in six innings. Graduate Cameron Mathes relieved Arella in the eighth for his second save of the year.

Although the last game of the series resulted in a loss, the ‘Cats still tacked on three runs. All three runs were in the bottom of the first from Castellanos and junior John Whooley. Castellanos was able to score a run with one of his three hits for the day, extending his hitting streak to 13 games. Whooley had a season-high two RBI. There was a lot of rotation

Will Reiner (above) had three RBIs in Villanova’s 6-4 win over Butler.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

within pitching for the final game against the Bulldogs. Junior Brandon Siegenthaler opened the game but ran into trouble in the fifth when the Bulldogs started to make a comeback. Two runs were scored on him, bringing Wilkinson in from the bullpen. He too had difficulties in the seventh when four runs scored, causing sophomore Devin Rivera to enter. Graduate Jonathan Cole relieved Rivera in the eighth and allowed a run to score, making the score 7-3 Bulldogs.

The top of the ninth brought junior Cole Vanderslice in to try and finish the game. It soon became a 9-3 ballgame, and the final pitcher was brought out, freshman Marcus Labuda. The ‘Cats were held scoreless the remainder of the game, resulting in an 11-3 loss.

Head coach Kevin Mulvey discussed the future for the team in terms of Big East play.

“The team overall needs to stay focused,” Mulvey said. “This weekend, we did a great job on the two games and stayed focused. I’m very happy with going 2-for-3 for the conference. Moving forward, an improvement would be mental focus as well as mental toughness, which means sticking with the plan of success even though there will be failures. Focusing on the present whether on the mound or at the plate is essential, rather than thinking of a past at-bat or past at mound.”

The ‘Cats hope to implement the focus this weekend in another Big East matchup against Xavier after playing one game versus Bucknell.

SPORTS

14 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Women’s Tennis Earns Two Crucial Wins Charlotte Ralston Staff Writer The Villanova women’s tennis team went 2-1 this week, falling to Temple, 4-2, in between narrow 4-3 victories over Saint Joseph’s and UConn. The ‘Cats moved to a 4-8 season record, going 2-1 in the Big East as the conference tournament on April 21-24 draws closer.

Throughout the week’s three matches, the Wildcats failed to win a doubles point. On April 5, junior Caitlin Fisher and senior Olivia Kapp defeated Saint Joseph’s third doubles pair, 6-3. On April 9, senior Annalise Klopfer and freshman Emma Brogan stormed to a dominant 6-2 win in the first slot against Temple for the team’s only victories out of eight completed doubles sets. However, head coach Steve Reiniger insisted that the sparse win column is not an accurate reflection of the team’s improvement in doubles play this season.

“Sometimes, it doesn’t always equate to a win, but they’re definitely playing better, smarter doubles,” he explained. “They’re doing what we’re working on in practice, so that’s great to see.They’re getting both players closer to the net more often, their shot selection is better, there’s just a lot of things that they’re doing collectively better that we weren’t doing early on.”

To bounce back from these early 1-0 deficits, Villanova scrambled to make up the difference in singles.

Against Saint Joseph’s, the team buck-

led down for four of six singles wins to capture the come-from-behind victory on Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s very easy to make an excuse, like to blame the wind, blame the cold,” Reiniger said. “No one did that. It definitely proved to be the difference.”

The team won two of the first three singles matches, with sophomore Isabella Steffen beating her opponent decisively, 6-4, 6-1, in the fifth slot. Freshman Valieriia Kornieva followed with a 7-5, 6-2 win in fourth to tie the match at two. Klopfer continued her singles winning streak in the first position in a back-and-forth match, dropping the second set, 3-6, after a tense 7-6 victory in the first, but she rolled to a 6-0 victory in the third to take the lead for Villanova. In a match-deciding showdown, Brogan came out on top, going 7-5, 6-7, 7-6 in the second slot to give the ‘Cats the victory.

In the week’s second local matchup, Villanova squared off against Temple on Saturday. The talented Temple squad is 11-4 this season and was undefeated when the two teams last met at the Villanova Invitational in September. Despite the odds, Klopfer and Brogan secured points for the team in the first and second singles slots in addition to winning their fourth of six doubles matches as partners this season. Klopfer dropped only one game in her 6-0, 6-1 victory up top, and Brogan played a competitive 6-4 opening set before coasting to a 6-2 win in the second.

However, without any other wins in

the lineup, the effort was not enough to best the Owls.

On Sunday, April 10, the ‘Cats had another major Big East faceoff against UConn, where victory yet again came down to the final match. Klopfer moved to 10-1 in singles play this season with her seventh straight win, making quick work of her opponent, 6-0, 6-1. In the third position, Fisher battled until the end in a 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 win, while Kornieva’s straight set 6-4, 6-2 victory in fourth tied Villanova with the Huskies at three. Ultimately, the decision came down to one player junior Amanda Rivera-Gonzalez in the sixth slot.

“It couldn’t have been more stressful because I know she understood that she was the last one on the court, and we were playing clinchclinch,” Reiniger said. “So, if you’re playing singles and you’re the last person out, you know that your match is the difference.”

After taking the first set, 6-4, but losing the second, 3-6, Rive-

ra-Gonzalez refused to buckle under pressure. Keeping a level head and a positive attitude, she ground out a 6-4 nail-biter to grant the ‘Cats the afternoon’s win.

Villanova now has one regular-season match left, which is Big East matchup at Georgetown this Saturday, April 16. With the seeding ramifications, this match could be the difference between getting a bye in the first round of the Big East tournament or playing an extra match.

“Everybody’s got to play their best singles and doubles, and we can win there, but if everybody doesn’t play their best tennis, we’re not going to win that match,” Reiniger stressed.

“That team is too tough. Everybody’s got to bring their A-plus game.”

The ‘Cats are set to play the 7-12 Hoyas at 9:30 Saturday morning in Washington, DC. A win this weekend would boost not only Villanova’s seeding but also its momentum as it looks toward the Big East conference tournament in less than two weeks.

Annalise Klopfer (above) continues winning streak, goes 3-0 in her singles matchups.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Women’s Club Hockey Qualifies for Nationals Jacob Artz Staff Writer Rick Harrison in Pawn Stars said “you never know what is gonna come through the door,” and the women’s club hockey team knows this well. The team’s ability to bring in women from all areas and skill levels and gel as a team is a powerful factor in its success this past season and led to many accomplishments like qualifying for Nationals.

One of these players is Sara Barshap, a junior forward on the team, who did not have much experience with stickhandling, executing the tape-to-tape passes or generating the flow of the offense.

In fact, it was a challenge for her just to get onto the ice with a stick and a puck, despite her father and family members playing hockey.

“I wanted to play hockey when I was younger, and then, my dad was a hockey player, and my mom was a doctor,” Barshap said.

Barshap’s mom was not too fond of her desire to play hockey because as a doctor, she was hyper aware of the risks and viewed it as a dangerous sport. However, they found a compromise involving the ice and that was figure skating, which Barshap did competitively until 8th grade.

Once figure skating was complete, Barshap started hanging around Union Sports Arena in Union, New Jersey at the beginning of her freshman year of high school. She would observe prac-

Women’s Club Ice Hockey advanced to Nationals in St. Louis in March.

Courtesy of Ally Szabo

tice, watch games and keep score for the games there, but she wasn’t involved heavily in the competitive play of ice hockey during high school.

Barshap got some help when she came to orientation before her first year at Villanova. Her orientation counselor was good friends with one of the captains of Villanova’s club ice hockey team, which opened up a spot for Barshap to go to the first practice and find her way onto the team.

A huge reason for the success of this ever-changing puzzle of new women on the team is the steadiness of the seniors. The seniors have the most experience, and this helps the other players who may not have as much experience.

“It (experience) comes through most definitely when we’re running the drills,” Barshap said.

“I feel like constructive criticism and any kind of advice is always so appreciated by everyone.”

An example of a player who took a role of a coach in senior leadership was Sami Pulley, who was in the Villanova Law School and played women’s ice hockey at Boston University, a Division I program. Pulley would run drills, give advice based on what she learned in her time at BU and was a role model for the younger players.

The senior leadership and talent of the team shined through during the season. Villanova finished with a record of 8-5-1 for a total of 17 points and a spot in the DVCHC Championship, which is the playoffs to qualify for Nationals. The team finished top five in its division to qualify for the DVCHC Championship and

did well enough to earn a trip to Nationals.

This earned the team a trip to St. Louis, but as a club team, there isn’t a charter plane or a send-off like other teams get. This team was forced to fundraise, and some players were still unable to make it, but the rest of the group leaned on passion to perform the best it could.

“We knew we had to go,” Barshap said. “We knew we had to represent ‘Nova, and it was really a story of a lot of sacrifices for a lot of people.”

At Nationals, Villanova faced some tough competition, losing all three matchups against Boston College, Rowan University and Lake Superior State University.

Villlanova lost both its regular season matchups to Rowan University, and Lake Superior State University was the top ranked team in the ACHA with a 27-3 record.

The strength of the team was its defense this past season.

The defense formed the model of how the team sacrificed for each other, but due to a lack of funding and scheduling conflicts, the team was only able to bring two defensemen to Nationals.

“Defensively, we have such an amazing group of girls, and they really go all out,” Barshap said.

For success to continue next season, the team must carry on the legacy of the departing seniors and use its experience from Nationals to beat the tougher teams on its schedule.

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

The Villanovan | 15

SPORTS

Penn Swimmer Sparks Transgender Rights Debate Maggie Kleinsmith Special to The Villanovan Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas remains controversial as she finishes her collegiate career at the University of Pennsylvania.

Thomas competed for the Penn men’s team until 2020 before taking the 2020-21 season to transition from male to female.

Many of Thomas’s competitors questioned the legitimacy of her eligibility, and 16 of Thomas’ teammates wrote a letter to the Ivy League and NCAA expressing their disapproval of her competitive status.

Protestors outside of the Penn team also lined up outside the NCAA Swimming Championship to express their disapproval of her competitive status.

Thomas became the national champion in the 500-yard freestyle and finished fifth and eighth in her other events as her competitors continued to express their disapproval throughout the meet.

Thomas adhered to the NCAA guidelines regarding her transition to remain eligible. NCAA policy granted eligibility for trans women that had completed one year of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Amid the Thomas controversy, the NCAA announced in 2022 that a trans woman’s eligibility is determined by the national governing body of each sport, meaning Thomas had to adhere to USA Swimming guidelines.

The policy will only admit a swimmer’s eligibility if their concen-

tration of testosterone level remains less than five nom/L for a continuous 36 months. Due to the mid-season policy change, Thomas was eligible to compete at NCAA Championships in March.

One of Thomas’ biggest competitors, Olympian Brooke Forde, stated she had, “no problem” racing the transgender athlete. Forde finished fourth in the event while Thomas finished in first.

Many of the concerns stem from the idea that swimming is an incredibly individual sport. On a soccer team, it takes an entire team effort to score a goal, but at a swim meet, it is the product of a singular swimmer that often wins gold.

Thomas’ teammates expressed concern over the impact transgender athletes have on the sport, stating that she should not be eligible to compete because they believe Thomas is taking “competitive opportunities” from other women on the team.

The male body has tremendous advantages in swimming, and Thomas’ teammates referred to the experience of male puberty. They pointed to her body having permanent advantages, such as height, larger lungs and more strength.

Thomas was an average-ranked swimmer as a male.

Since transitioning, she became a top competitor in her given events. According to former Olympian Nancy Hogshead-Makar, women’s times are typically 7%-13% slower than male competitors, butThomas’ times have lost only 3% in comparison to her times as a male.

Thomas abided by the

Lia Thomas of Penn sparked controversy after transitioning and competing as a woman.

Courtesy of CNN

NCAA policy which permitted her eligibility this season. The organization has been aware of her intention to transition since 2019 but left Thomas to face the fallout of its ruling.

Many athletes are faced with the juxtaposition of being an ally to the LGBTQ+ community and Thomas’ impact on their athletic experience. Many want Thomas to express her most authentic self without shame, but competitors find it difficult to overlook her biological advantage.

There is an influx of athletes identifying as trans across the nation.

Leashia Lewis was recently named Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Unitas, a program of Diversity at Villanova, and Lewis has been leading efforts towards making Villanova a safe space for minoritized athletes. The discussion surrounding trans athletes is an ongoing evolution, and Lewis has been working closely in preparation for creating a safe space for potential trans athletes. At Villanova, there is no specific transgender inclusion policy, but according to the

University Diversity Statement, “Villanova University will be a diverse community. We commit ourselves to cultivating an academic environment marked by genuine curiosity about different perspectives, ardent receptivity to knowledge generated through intercultural connections, and a genuine sensitivity to the variety of the human experiences marked by domestic and global differences.”

Athletics is currently evaluating its policies with support from Athlete Ally, but universities are having difficulty adapting to the everlasting policy change. Trans inclusion policies were paused due to Thomas’ impact on NCAA policy, but Villanova is taking steps in preparation for having a transgender athlete on campus in the future.

Understanding Trans rights in athletics is an ongoing evolution for both athletes and the community, and within the past year, Thomas has sparked conversations that will impact the NCAA policy and competition for years to come.

Softball Beats Penn, Sweeps Georgetown them strong momentum for the Aphrodite Dimopoulos remainder of the game.

Staff Writer In the bottom of the third inning, Penn made it on the board with an unearned run, but GiOn Wednesday, Villanova ampolo responded in the way she softball faced the University of does best, with her bat, leading off Pennsylvania on the road, where the fourth inning with a hard-hit the team started the week strong with an 8-2 victory over the Quak- home run over the left field fence.

In the top of the fifth inning, ers. Traveling out of the city and Rauch tripled with one out, beback to their home stadium, the Wildcats faced their Big East com- coming Villanova’s second player ever to have two home runs and a petitors, the Georgetown Hoyas, resulting in a clean 3-0 sweep over triple in the same game and Villanova’s fourth player to accumuthe weekend. This was the team’s late a total of 11 bases in a single first all-winning week since the game. In the top of the seventh start of conference play, and its inning, freshman Ava Franz also efforts have now produced a fivehit a home run, going back to back game winning streak. with Rauch to give Villanova its As the season has profinal two runs. Having such stelgressed, graduates Paige Rauch lar performances offensively from and Angela Giampolo have been showing up more and more behind graduate students and freshmen is the plate, and Wednesday’s match- a perfect testament to what makes this team so dangerous — its up against Penn was no different. depth.

Rauch and Giampolo became Taking this energy from an the second pair of teammates in electric road win, the women were Villanova softball history to each more than ready to reenter Big hit multiple home runs in the same East play.

Starting off on Friday, game. Their stellar offensive perVillanova outscored Georgetown, formances combined for four out 7-1, amassing 11 total hits comof Villanova’s five home runs, and pared to the Hoyas’ three.

Senior both of the graduates hit their first Ryan Henry got the game started home runs in the opening inning. behind the plate with a go-ahead Rauch’s hit was a solo homer far home run in the bottom of the secpast center field to put the Wildond inning. Throughout the match cats on the board. Giampolo folup, Henry drove in three runs, two lowed with a homer to left-center on her home run and the third on field with two teammates on base, a sacrifice fly. resulting in three RBIs and a 4-0 Junior third baseman Chloe lead after the first inning, giving

Smith stood out as she went threefor-four with a run scored. Freshman right fielder Kelsey White contributed two key hits and an RBI. This age diversity further proves the point started on Wednesday: the Wildcats have range. Beyond the stellar offensive performance, Rauch more than held down the fort behind the mound by pitching a three-hitter with eleven total strikeouts, marking the veteran’s fifth win in her last six starts.

Day two of the conference series carried special meaning for the Wildcats as it marked the team’s Senior Day. With the spotlight shining on the graduating class of 2022, Villanova had even more to play for, and it did not disappoint. All five of the seniors, outfielder Erin Gray, center fielder Sydney Hayes, catcher Henry, pitcher Sara Kennedy and shortstop Megan Kern, were honored in a pre-game ceremony and played in the matchup. Giampolo and Rauch were also recognized in the day’s festivities as this is the final season of their collegiate eligibility.

The game itself was exciting as the Wildcats reached another game totalling hits in the double digits. Kern and Henry led the squad offensively with a combined four extra-base hits and five runs batted in. Ending in an 8-2 decision, the Wildcats went into

Sunday hungry to put a sweep in the books.

In seven hard fought innings, the team did just that.

Matching Georgetown with five runs each, the Wildcats were neck and neck with the Hoyas for the majority of Sunday’s match up.

Villanova found an early lead by scoring its first three runs in the bottom of the first inning. However, Georgetown fought back and earned runs in the fourth and sixth innings to bring the game to a close score. Rauch and Henry sealed the deal in the bottom of the sixth inning with game defining home run hits. First, Henry extended the Wildcat lead to 6-2 with a hard hit ball to right-center field. Responding almost immediately, Rauch followed suit with a homer of her own. This hit was more than a regular home run, as it tied Rauch for Villanova’s alltime record for career runs scored, but Rauch’s offensive performance wasn’t her most impressive of the day, as the graduate pitched a five-hitter, sealing the deal on the day’s win.

Looking ahead into next week, the team is set to hit the road to play another Big East competitor Creighton. Over the past two weeks, Villanova softball has clicked into place, putting the team in position to be a true threat to all competitors, specifically in conference play, and defend its title of Big East champions.

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DINING SERVICES

Villanova Dining Services

Wishing you a Happy Easter Holiday!

Please visit our website for a complete list of dining hours of operation during the Easter Break.

http://www.villanova.edu/villanova/services/dining/hours/easter.html