The Villanovan | Volume 114, Issue 5: February 16, 2022

2 | The Villanovan

RIVALRY WEEK

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

RIVALRY WEEK

Satire: Lie Down Forever, Lie Down, Georgetown Jackie Thomas Co-Opinion Editor Bella Irwin Co-Opinion Editor Georgetown University.

Prestigious, world-renowned, a top tier school…that fails to meet the standards of an Ivy League institution. Of course, Georgetown is far too esteemed to utilize the same application process as any of the Ivy League schools or the majority of other American universities, requiring its own, separate application that sports a shockingly similar manner of questions as that of the widely used CommonApp. Though this may seem pretentious, we must remember that Georgetown is a school unlike any other.

To start, Georgetown students proudly chant their slogan “Hoya Saxa,” or “What Rocks.” I could not imagine a more enthused student body, nobly echoing “What Rocks” to support its athletic, academic and artistic peers. The connection between the meaning of this chant and school spirit is entirely unclear, but what does that matter in the face of the prestige and might of Georgetown University?

Moving from the historical to the contemporary, we suppose it’s a testament to Georgetown’s unseen excellence that its reputation seems to transcend notable campus shortcomings. Indeed, it’s not necessary to take a massive research deep dive to find examples of various hot messes on Georgetown’s campus. In fact, Georgetown’s own students run and contribute to Instagram account @ georgetown.hotmess (check it out it’s quality content), which exposes campus issues ranging from comical

to concerning.

Now, we here at The Villanovan will not pretend that our University’s housing system is perfect, but it barely feels like an exaggeration to say that most of Georgetown’s accommodations make the ‘Nova quad look like the Ritz Carlton. From rat infestations spanning decades to multiple major flooding incidents in a matter of weeks, there is no end to outrageous dorm issues. @Georgetown.hotmess serves as an archive of hallway ponds, mold-covered air conditioning units, bathroom roaches and half-destroyed appliances.

While both housing systems are far from perfect, though Georgetown’s appears to be almost certainly worse, there is little contention between the current status of both of our most popularized athletic teams: basketball. Though Georgetown basketball enjoyed moments of fame in the distant past, Villanova basketball is the here and now. The statistics speak for themselves. Villanova men’s basketball is ranked #10 while the women are approaching the Top 25, while Georgetown men’s basketball hasn’t won in two months and its women’s team is only marginally better, with a 2-12 record in Big East play.

To take a brief respite before continuing the exploration of various aspects of our two universities, it’s seeming more and more like Georgetown may not quite live up to its own hype. In fact, we, your humble writers, are finding it hard to deny that Villanova reigns supreme.

Campus culture serves as another example of Wildcat excellence.

Villanova proudly fosters a close-knit, super involved community. Special Olympics, NOVAdance, Blue Key, media societies, arts clubs and more encourage massive engagement, both

creating and reflecting the tight bonds so common within this student body.

The Hoyas, meanwhile, seem to tend more toward cut-throat competition and brutal selectivity in forming student clubs and organizations.

The Corp, Georgetown’s student-run organization encompassing eight companies and generating around $5 million annually, is one example of the application-based, pre-professional nature characterizing many of Georgetown’s clubs.

Rather than being sources of comradery or outlets for student interests, then, Georgetown clubs operate more like highly pressured, quasi-careers that determine students’ social lives and post-academic interests.

But, hey, an ultimate make-or-break situation is what everyone dreams for in their college extracurriculars, right?

It seems only fitting to end with a point of contention in the very thing that most foundationally links our two institutions: the Catholic affiliation. More specifically, at the risk of sounding mildly irreverent, let’s consider the Jesuit vs. Augustinian debate.

Perhaps it’s easiest to begin at the surface. Aesthetically speaking, Augustinians have the clear upper hand. Seeming to pay due respect to medieval fashions, our monks serve

the avant-garde in a decidedly timeless way, complete with a belt and hood that are utterly (for lack of a better term) sick. The same cannot be said for the Jesuits’ cassock. As a matter of fact, upon review with the “experts” in our Culture Section, the cassock is best described as “akin to the funeral gown worn by a scorned widow to her husband’s funeral (with a clerical collar).”

And what about the founders of our respective orders? While Jesuit founder St. Ignatius of Loyola did great work and started a long tradition of education and service, no one could compare to St. Augustine— father and doctor of the Church, pioneer of biblical exegesis and one of the most consequential thinkers in Christian history.

There is no end to the number of angles one can compare humble Villanova with mighty Georgetown (and, indeed, we have exhausted many of those angles), but the conclusion seems clear. ‘Nova triumphs over the G-Town in arguably every way.

Domestic pet Jack the bulldog should keep an eye out for the powerful Will D. Cat. There’s no question who would come out on top.

Georgetown, perhaps you should take a cue from your own fight song and “lie down forever, lie down.”

Georgetown may look pretty, but it’s no Villanova.

Courtesy of U.S. News and World Report

Satire: Villa-No-Fun Has More Issues Than Mulaney Hoya in Hiding Not The Hoya Prepare for the biggest L a Hoya has handed The Villanovan since John Mulaney’s Parents Weekend performance in 2019.

When first approached to write this article, I wasn’t aware that this was a debate. Sure, our basketball teams have a historic rivalry, and sure, our schools are similar, but is there any contest?

I thought it was pure fact that Georgetown is the better institution, but I’ll put in the effort to prove it anyways.

Let’s start with some numbers. Georgetown was founded in 1789. Villanova was founded in 1842. Georgetown had an acceptance rate of 17% in 2020. Villanova had an acceptance rate of 31%.

In the US News College Rankings, Georgetown is ranked #23. Villanova lags behind, only inside the Top 50 because six schools are tied at #49.

If you go around Villanova and ask students what schools they

applied to, students will tell you that they went to Villanova because they couldn’t get into Georgetown or Boston College. If you ask Georgetown students the same, they’ll tell you that Villanova was one of their safety schools.

Villanova students suffer the misfortune of going to school in Philadelphia, a city best known for its sports fans and their respective toxicity. The city was briefly America’s capital before our Founding Fathers found somewhere better, building our home of Washington D.C. Since then, Philadelphia has been relevant exactly twice: in the movie “Rocky,” which holds a mere 69% on Rotten Tomatoes, and in a fluke of a Super Bowl, when Tom Brady figured the city of Philadelphia had so little to live for that he might as well give them something to be happy about.

Georgetown is a Jesuit school, one of 27 in the nation.

Villanova is Augustinian, one of two in the United States. Jesuits are known for education, while Augustinians are known for Augustine, who himself is perhaps best known for being the least saintlike saint.

Villanova has many famous alums, including current First Lady Jill Biden, a couple of naval admirals and the CEO and President of Wawa, which, personally, I think is just a fancy 7/11. However, possibly the most famous name on the Wikipedia page is Bradley Cooper, the Oscar-nominated actor who attended Villanova for one year before moving on to bigger and better things, transferring to Georgetown.

Georgetown has too many famous alumni to count, including two U.S. presidents, several foreign heads of state, the political leaders of the world and the aforementioned Mulaney.

In terms of mascots, it’s not even close. Villanova’s Will D. Cat dances with the dance team and roams the audience looking to terrify small children, while Jack the Bulldog is a classy representative of the University and all that you could ask for, riding around in a small car and consistently available for petting. Plus, Jack’s a real bulldog. Will D. Cat is some student in a suit.

Villanova may have held the advantage on the hardwood for

years, but let’s not forget about the sport that really matters to Georgetown students: soccer. Georgetown is a soccer school, winning the national championship in 2019 and crushing the Wildcats both home and away for years. The soccer team is the pride and joy of the Georgetown student section, but the Hoyas hold superiority to Villanova in virtually every non-basketball sport. Plus, in basketball, the best NBA players to come through the Big East have come through Georgetown: Alonzo Mourning, Allen Iverson, Patrick Ewing and Dikembe Mutombo.

I’ll concede that Villanova has the better basketball team at the moment, but the all-time series is tied with 45 wins apiece, and we’re the current holders of the Big East Tournament title.

Sure, we’ve lost 13 straight Big East games, while Villanova sits in second place in the conference… but with so many other things going for us, can we even be upset? *Editor’s note: This writer, who wished to remain anonymous, is not affiliated with The Hoya.*

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2022 www.villanovan.com @thevillanovan

STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916

VOLUME 114 | ISSUE 5

Black at Villanova: Campus Perspective

University to Host Pennsylvania GOP Candidates for Senate Debate

Lauryn Hayes Staff Writer

During this consequential month of February, Black History Month celebrations throughout Villanova’s campus are not only necessary but also mean a lot to Black Villanovans.

“Black History Month at Villanova is important to the BSU (Black Student Union) because it offers an opportunity for all of us to celebrate, and sometimes painfully remember, our rich history which informs the issues of our current time,” said Mia Arrington, President of the Black Student Union. “It is even more important that the University demonstrates [its] commitment to transformative justice year-round.”

On Wednesday, Feb. 9, the BSU and the Black Pre-Law Student Association led a conversation together themed around “The Erasure and Effect of Black People in America.” There were many student attendees from diverse backgrounds that engaged in this respectful and informational conversation.

It made space for all to learn more about Black history outside of the classroom and gain a sense of the student perspective on why Black history is often suppressed and forgotten.

Upon the recent discovery of the Moulden family’s primary role in the “acquisition” of our campus’s land, this connects to the erasure of Black history from our institution.

Acknowledging the truths of our campus’s history is hopefully part of Villanova’s commitment to transformative justice, referring to Arrington’s previous statement.

“Villanova has a responsibility to continuously do the work to undo structures of racism within the institution and to uplift and Continued on p. 7

The University will host the first state-wide televised debate among Pennsylvania’s GOP candidates for U.S. Senate.

Courtesy of Villanova University

Sarah Sweeney Co-News Editor

On Monday Feb. 21, the University will host the first state-wide televised debate among Pennsylvania’s GOP candidates for U.S. Senate at the John and Joan Mullen Center for Performing Arts.

The 2022 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania will be held on Nov. 8, 2022, as a part of the national midterm elections, which will also include electing senators from other states and members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Senate election in Pennsylvania is much an-

ticipated, as many expect it to determine whether Democrats or Republicans will win control of the Senate for 2023.

Following incumbent Republican Senator Pat Toomey’s announcement he would not seek office for another term, several candidates have emerged to seek the Republican Party nomination.

These candidates include Kathy Barnette, a political commentator on Fox News, Jeff Bartos, a real estate developer, David McCormick, former U.S. Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs, Mehmet Oz, cardiothoracic surgeon and host of

“The Dr. Oz Show,” Carla Sands, former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark, and Everett Stern, a private intelligence agency owner.

The Republican party primary will be held on May 17, 2022 and will determine the Republican nominee.

Ahead of the primary, Republican candidates are seeking to distinguish themselves upon important policy issues amidst a highly competitive field, an opportunity the debate will facilitate.

These policy issues will be grouped into seven key topic groups: the filibuster, foreign policy, the economy, energy and infrastruc-

ture, constitutional processes, legislative priorities and governance and strategy.

The debate is sponsored by Broad and Liberty, described by its CEO and President Terry Tracy as “a Philadelphia-based news and editorial outlet dedicated to freedom of thought and civil discourse,” the PA Chamber of Business and Industry, the Keystone Free Enterprise Fund and GOP SuperPAC LV Strong.

Roughly half of the debate tickets were distributed by Villanova to members of the University community. This was done so by specifically reaching out to several student Continued on p. 2

University Lifts Indoor Mask Requirement Sarah Wisniewski

Co-News Editor

On Feb. 11, University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D., informed students, staff and faculty via email that the indoor masking requirement will be lifted effective Monday, Feb. 14.

Father Peter made the decision following discussions with the University’s medical team and the Pandemic Policy Committee. The email stated that the high vaccination rate

at the University and booster percentage on campus impacted this decision.

The email included reminders for the University community, including that any

individual more comfortable wearing a mask indoors is still invited to do so.

Professors may choose to keep a mask requirement in their classroom if they wish

The indoor masking requirement was lifted effective Monday, Feb. 14.

Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

to. Students have already seen professors uphold the requirement. One junior student stated that her professor ended an email with, “Better to be safe than sorry,” when advising the class of the continued use of masks.

Mask usage in laboratories and offices will also be decided by professors and advisors, and students must comply with the professors’ wishes to wear a mask.

Community members are asked to continue following Continued on p. 5

Bartley Displays New Black History Month Mural p. 5

Sustainability Council Set to Host Annual Zero Waste Basketball Game p. 6

Villanova Should Improve Its MPE System p. 7

Why Americans Should Care About the Ukraine Crisis p. 8

End to Mask Mandate: Pros and Cons p. 9

Sophomore Competes on Jeopardy p. 10

Villanova Student Theatre Performs “Assassins” p. 12

Men’s Lacrosse Downs Penn State p. 14

2022 Baseball Season Preview p. 15

Women’s Track and Field Finishes Regular Season p. 17

4 | The Villanovan

News Opinion Culture Sports

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VOL. 114 | ISS. 5 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, February 16, 2022

NEWS

PUBLIC SAFETY BLOTTER Criminal Mischief February 11, GOOD COUNSEL HALL Unknown individual(s) intentionally damaged a toilet in a University building. The value of the damaged property is unknown.

Liquor Underage February 12, ST. MONICA HALL Multiple resident students, under the age of 21, and one non-affiliated minor were found in possession of alcohol.

Theft By Unlawful Taking February 12, ANDREW TALLEY ATHLETIC CENTER University Staff reported that an unknown individual took a wireless light and battery pack without permission from a university property. The items are valued between $600.00-$700.00.

Simple Trespasser February 12, HOVNANIAN HALL Two non-affiliated juveniles were found inside of a University Building without permission.

Criminal Mischief February 12, ST. MONICA HALL Unknown individual(s) intentionally

damaged an emergency exit sign in a University building. The estimated value of the damaged property is $25.00.

Liquor Underage February 13, STANFORD HALL A female resident student, under the age of 21, appeared in public and was evaluated for alcohol intoxication

male resident student was acting disorderly at the time.

Liquor Underage February 13, L-2 SURFACE PARKING LOT A non affiliated female was charged with public drunkenness and underage consumption of alcohol.

Disorderly Conduct/ Liquor Underage February 13, GOOD COUNSEL HALL Two male resident students, under the age of 21, appeared in public and were evaluated for alcohol intoxication. One

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, FEBRUARY 15

1263

15

Cumulative Cases Estimated Active (From 1/5) Cases

14.47K

Total Number of Tests (From 1/5)

728

Residential Students

345

Non-Residential Students

190

Employees

ASK THE VILLANOVAN WTF is a Hoya?

We wish we knew.

I forgot about Valentine’s Day and got my girlfriend a last minute gift. She could totally tell, and needless to say, she’s not happy.

Damage control: plan a very nice dinner, spoil her with flowers, and apologize. Then all you can do is pray.

Continued from p.3

groups, as well as advertising via Wildcat Newswire and Campus Currents. The remaining ticket balance is being made available to debate sponsors. While all tickets reserved for the University community have already been distributed, the University hopes to make more available if the sponsors don’t use all of theirs.

The University is working to seek questions from students about the general policy topics with the hopes that one or two will be selected to pose to the candidates during the debate. The University will also sponsor a meet and greet immediately after the debate to allow attending students the opportunity to meet and speak with the candidates.

Chris Kovolski, Assistant Vice President for Government Relations and External Affairs at the University, explained the importance of the debate.

“The more you know about something, the better able you are to take that knowledge and turn it into action,” Kovolski said. “While elections and political issues and ballot measures may be something that happen outside of the classroom, they are something that affect us all in our daily lives. Every election is important, even if you aren’t as aware of who’s running and what the issues are. Every person elected to office is making decisions and advancing priorities that have effects on our day-today lives, whether that’s what we do here as students or employees on campus, all the way up to laws made in Washington that affect us

I thought things were going somewhere with my sneaky link, but he didn’t contact me at all on Valentine’s Day. What should I do?

Ooo, this is a toughie. If he didnt talk to you on v-day, that’s a red flag, and he probably doesn’t want anything serious. But if you really like him, be honest about what you want, and if he’s not receptive, he’s not worth it! on a broader level.

“The people who will be here for the debate all represent one broad side of an issue, but each of them will have a slightly different approach to how to solve the issue. Being tuned into that and understanding how that person will represent Pennsylvania and cast a vote in the Senate over the next six years is really worth people’s time and attention.

Here, we have an opportunity to get to know first-hand the person who could be the next Senator for Pennsylvania. That kind of access and opportunity doesn’t happen that often. I’m hopeful our students will come out and take advantage of it.”

Other organizations on campus have also expressed their excitement for the event.

“I think this event is a great opportunity for our students to see an important part of our political process in person, and I know many students are excited about this event,” said Steven McGuire, Director of the University’s Matthew J. Ryan Center. “They’ll get a different perspective on the debate than they would on TV, a few of their questions might be posed to the participants, and they’ll have a chance to meet some of the candidates afterward.

“The Matthew J. Ryan Center is delighted to support an event that encourages our students to become politically knowledgeable and engaged citizens. It shows that preparing our students to participate in self-government is part of the holistic education we offer here at Villanova.”

My future roommate and I had a huge falling out the day before housing selection. Where should I live next year?

This is the worst. Before you give up hope, definitely exhaust all efforts to patch things up. Housing is really dramatic, but we promise you are not alone in the scramble. If you can’t make things better, reach out to student groups you’re involved in and see if anyone needs a roommate.

How can I reduce my stress during midterms?

Self ! Care! It can be tempting to grind 24/7, but remember that your brain is so much more useful when you’ve had enough time to recharge. Take lots of breaks, catch up on the latest episode of Euphoria, treat yourself to some DoorDash — whatever it takes.

New Pre-Law Advisor Kathy Fair Staff Writer Applying to law school is a long and daunting process. Thankfully, the University has recently introduced a new pre-law advisor to help students plan and prepare to apply to law school or explore careers in the legal field throughout their undergraduate years. Alex Karlesses came to Villanova in December from the Twardowski Career Development Center at West Chester University, where she was the Graduate Assistant.

Karlesses is currently completing her Master’s degree in Higher Education Policy and Student Affairs at West Chester University.

“I’m originally from the Delco/Cheso area, so it’s great to be home,” Karlesses said.

The law school application process as a whole can begin up to two years before attending, and prelaw clubs and advising on campus help students understand and prepare for the process as early as freshman year.

“In the pre-law sector, I typically advise students on the law school application process and timeline, how to go about selecting a school, finding law-adjacent internships and/or advice and resources for LSAT preparation,” Karlesses said. “In addition to

pre-law topics, I also offer traditional career counseling as well. So if you need help deciding on a major, finding an internship or practicing for an interview, please feel free to schedule an appointment.”

When asked why she chose to work with Villanova students, Karlesses responded, “I have always admired Villanova’s commitment to excellence, and the resources that are provided for our students. Plus, I happen to be a huge basketball fan.”

Karlesses gave her biggest piece of advice for undergraduates applying to law school.

“Your application should reflect who YOU are,” she said. “There is not a singular definition of the best law school applicant. Obviously test scores and transcripts are important, but so is your journey along the way.

There are many roads that lead to law school, so find an area of study that you are truly passionate about and will be able to speak on your intellectual development.”

Pre-law advising sessions range from 15 minutes to an hour and cover questions about law school or the legal field, career exploration and preparation and in-depth advising regarding the law school application process. Appointments are made via Handshake, and Karlesses offers both in-person and virtual appointments.

Wednesday, February 16, 2021

The Villanovan | 5

NEWS

Bartley Hall Displays New Black History Month Mural Lydia McFarlane Staff Writer On Thursday, Feb. 3, senior Alicia Mangan, junior Kendall Rogers and sophomores Trinity Rogers and Kamryn Rogers spent six hours working on a mural on the chalk wall in Bartley Hall for Black History Month.

The mural features a black fist with the words, “Rest in Power.” Adjacent to the fist, is a collage of black individuals.

Each person is unique and they all surround the words, “Black Lives, Dreams and Futures Matter.”

The mural will be up through the duration of Black History Month. The group started the mural around 8 p.m. on Thursday night and did not finish until around 1:40 a.m. on Friday morning. Although it took almost six hours to complete the mural, the group joked that time flew pretty fast.

The initial push to do the mural in Bartley was to “make sure Black students in the business school felt celebrated and appreciated,” Kamryn said. “Especially with the business school there’s this notion that students of color don’t really feel comfortable, and I just wanted to make sure that people knew there were others out there looking out for them.

We just wanted to make sure that

everyone feels loved.”

Several nonblack students also gave encouragement through the process of doing the mural.

“That made me feel the bit of community that I’ve been sometimes missing,” Kendall said.

Upon looking at the demographics of the University’s undergraduate student population for the year of 2021, only about 4% of each graduating class identifies as Black. Because of this disparity within the undergraduate population, it is understandable why students like Kendall feel a sense of isolation within the University community. These statistics are enough to identify the University as a Primarily White Institution (PWI). When less than 5% of a graduating class is Black, it is essential to celebrate and appreciate the Black students on campus.

The group of artists hopes that this mural can help white students to understand how isolating the experience of being a Black person on this campus can truly be, while commending and encouraging the students of color around them.

It wants Black students to feel celebrated and as if they belong, because it is easy for imposter syndrome to set in when one does not look like the majority of the students around them.

While there is a strong support system for students of color in organizations such as Black Student Union, students of color deserve

recognition within the classroom and other spaces on campus that are not necessarily created for them.

Outside of these organizations, the disparity is clear.

There are only a handful of Black students in each classroom setting. This disproportion and the ignorance of other students to Black students’ struggles on campus served as huge motivation for the group’s mural project, in addition to Black History Month.

The importance of this month is emphasized when it becomes clear just how few Black students occupy white spaces at the University.

The group also emphasized the importance of education regarding black history.

“A lot of the white Villanova students are comfortable where

they are, and even something just like a mural of Black people in the business school can offset that comfortability,” Trinity said.

Instead of staying comfortable, we need to take the time as a University to learn about Black history.

“Black history is American history,” Kendall and Kamryn said.

“A lot of Black students at this school make a lot of amazing contributions to what this school’s all about,” Kamryn said. “The motto of this school is ‘Ignite Change,’ and that’s what we [Black students] are trying to do.”

Be sure to visit Bartley to see the mural before Black History Month is over and be conscious of the hardships Black students of the University may face regularly.

The mural will be up until the end of the month.

Courtesy of Villanovan Photography

Students React to No More Masks Indoors Sarah Wisniewski Co-News Editor Continued from p.3

Community members are asked to continue following the Community First guidelines. Father Peter emphasized his thanks to community members for following such guidelines.

“As we have done since the start of the pandemic, we will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments as needed,” Father Donohue said at the end of his email. “I also want to express my overwhelming gratitude for your patience, cooperation and resilience over the past two years.”

Kathleen Byrnes, Ph.D., the Vice President of Student Life, said that consulting has been on-going, multiple times a week, since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. The meetings address all issues pertaining to COVID. Since the start of the 2022 Spring semester, the question of indoor masking has been brought up at meetings.

“I personally do feel this decision is the right choice at this time,” Byrnes said. “Our community is highly vaccinated, and highly boosted, to a much larger degree than the population in general. The benefit of this high rate of added protection/mitigation from the coronavirus is to relax masking unless someone is actively recovering from a positive diagnosis or is an identified close contact

of a positive case.”

As of Feb. 13, the University had 20 active cases. In addition to the removal of masks indoors, the contract tracing system has also changed.

Close contacts of individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 previously received a phone call from the VU Contact Tracing team. Now, anyone who is established as a close contact will be notified via email. The email will include instructions for how the close contact should proceed.

As guidelines shift, students are reacting to the news in a variety of ways.

Junior nursing student Jessica Cherubino had a mixed reaction to hearing the news.

“I see there being a huge surge after we get back from break without wearing masks,” Cherubino said. “I know it will be very disappointing to go back to wearing masks after if that is the case. Also, as a nursing student, it does scare me because I know what the hospitals look like right now. However, it does make me feel better knowing we have our own little community here, and the cases have been very well managed for the past few weeks.”

Junior Sean Volpi also had mixed emotions hearing the news.

“I think it’s neat that we’ll be able to experience the comfort of not having to wear a mask indoors again,” Volpi said. “At the same time, I think it is possible cases rise again. It seems like it is just a cycle.”

There seems to be a com-

mon feeling that the University, as a somewhat separate community, will be okay without masks outside.

However, junior Shannon Brown feels mask use off campus is important.

“I understand that Villanova has their own community/bubble on campus, but I wish they had continued to emphasize the importance of wearing a mask while off campus to protect others around us,” Brown said.

Cat McCullough echoed Brown’s statement that wearing masks off campus should have been emphasized by the University.

Brown, as well as other students, felt the timing of the change was not good.

“I wasn’t surprised that they lifted the mask mandate,” McCullough said. “However, I think

the timing was extremely poor, especially two days after a Wells Fargo game. Then, with break coming up, I think it would’ve been better if they waited until after spring break.”

On the other side, some students wish the requirement for masks indoors would have been dropped sooner.

Junior Alex Lannoye is one of those students.

“I’m very happy the mask mandate is gone, and honestly it should’ve been scrapped way sooner,” Lannoye said. “I am glad they finally decided to lift it.”

The University seems to be divided in the decision to lift the mandate for indoor masking. As a reminder though, individuals and professors who wish to wear masks indoors are invited to do so.

Students may still wear masks if they feel more comfortable doing so.

Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

6 | The Villanovan

NEWS

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Sustainability Council Set to Host Annual Zero Waste Basketball Game

been holding zero waste games since as far back as 2015.

Lydia McFarlane The Pavilion was closed Staff Writer for renovation, so after three years of zero waste games with a brief On Tuesday, Mar. 1, the pause for the renovation, zero University’s men’s basketball team waste games were started back up will be playing its final home game again in 2020, but again took anof the regular season. While this other pause due to the pandemic. is a milestone for obvious reaThis year’s zero waste game will sons, this game is special for other be the first since 2020. reasons as well: it is this season’s “A zero waste game is designated “2022 VU Zero Waste when 90% or more of the waste is Basketball Game.” diverted from the trash stream,” “Villanova’s approach to Schwarz said. “Our trash goes to sustainability exemplifies an emthe Covanta facility in Plymouth phasis on social justice and comMeeting. Instead, we will divert munity service,” the Sustainability as much of the game time waste Leadership Council said. to recycling or composting. This In line with its mission is done in partnership with Athstatement, the University’s sustain- letics and Spectra, who will alter ability office coordinated the no the game’s food service to include waste game and created a digital more compostable solutions.” signup sheet for students who The results of the zero wanted to volunteer to help. waste game days are quite imAlthough the signup sheet pressive. The results can be found has since been filled up, several through the Recyclemania “Game students who did sign up will be Day Basketball Competition.” getting the opportunity to help In 2020, the sustainability Villanova Sustainability in its team accomplished a 90.35% diefforts during the no waste game version rate of the waste from the on Mar. 1, and it also will be given game. That is an incredibly high standing room tickets to the final percentage of waste diversion, home game, which will be held at which will hopefully be even high7 p.m. in the Finneran Pavilion er for this year’s no waste game. against Providence.

The University’s sustainability The volunteer positions team encourages students to take consist of pregame setup, game away an invigorated environmentime trash sorting and post-game tal and waste consciousness after sorting. The volunteers will sort this year’s game. through the waste, which will then “As a general rule, it is be processed and weighed for doc- helpful to think about waste umentation. management not from the perLiesel Schwarz, the Univer- spective of ‘is this recyclable?’ sity’s campus sustainability manag- but rather, what can I do to elimer, shared that the University has inate the need to throw this item

out,” Schwarz advised. “I like to say ‘Reduce, Reuse, and THEN Recycle.’ It is easy to forget that the three R’s are in that order for a reason. Students and event officials need to explore ways to reduce and reuse the waste we typically generate at games and in our daily lives, because many times recycling or composting aren’t a good solution to much of the waste we generate. Focusing on reducing our overall waste is where the conversation needs to start.”

Zero waste games are common at institutions with high profile athletics, and this is even

higher motivation for students to do their part.

“Zero waste games are common occurrences among institutions with strong athletic programs,” Schwarz said. “We of course want Villanova to be number one in every way, and that includes in our efforts to reduce waste.”

As a spectator at the 2022 no waste basketball game and every other athletic game throughout the year, be sure to make good choices regarding waste and be more conscious of individual contributions to the amount of waste produced by the University itself.

Will D. Cat puts a thumbs down for those who do not recycle.

Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

Sexual Violence in Higher Education: Three Graduate Students Sue Harvard University Kylie Horan Staff Writer

Mandava reported him to faculty members, including the chair of the department. Yet, Harvard did not *Trigger warning: This article contains investigate Comaroff. discussions about sexual violence.* The women’s move to warn Three graduate students are other students put a target on their suing Harvard University for neglect- backs, with Czerwienski and Mandaing to protect its students in the face va stating that Comaroff intimidated of sexual violence. Amulya Mandava, Mandava by warning that they would Lilia Kilburn and Margaret Czerboth have “trouble getting jobs” if wienski, all students of anthropology, they continued to share information accused the institution of continually on his behavior. downplaying or ignoring complaints This exhibition of his powabout sexual misconduct by John er over female students was further Comaroff, Hugh K. Foster Professor confirmed by Kilburn, who endured of African and African American “forced kissing, groping, persistent inStudies and Anthropology. vitations to socialize alone off-campus This is not the first time that and coercive control” at the hands of Comaroff has been accused of preda- Comaroff, since before she was even tory behavior. Harvard hired him well rolled at Harvard. after he had developed a reputation Comaroff also graphically deat the University of Chicago as a scribed the various ways she and her “groomer.” partner would be raped if they travShortly after his arrival at eled to South Africa, which is quite Harvard, complaints against him far from her area of interest, central came rolling in. Some of the alleAfrica. The reports of non-consensual gations against Comaroff include kissing, groping, intimidation tactics making “ongoing sexual advances” and sexually-threatening comments towards an anonymous second-year such as these do not stop there. The graduate student advisee, including lawsuit states that several unnamed forced kissing, groping and repeated female students have come forward invasive texts inquiring who she had with their own stories. gone to bed with.

After years of dismissing This unnamed student reallegations, Harvard finally investiported Comaroff to the university’s gated Comaroff in 2020, only after Title IX office, and Czerwienski and published news reports about sexual

harassment allegations within his department forced its hand.

Comaroff is not the first professor to be accused in Harvard’s Anthropology Department. There have been several allegations of sexual harassment in recent years, one resulting in the removal of longtime professor Gary Urton, who is now banned from campus and stripped of his emeritus status. Comaroff, though, received no such treatment.

After a messy, “nightmarish” investigation, with Harvard allegedly obtaining Kilburn’s private therapy records and disclosing them to Comaroff, the plaintiffs say that “Harvard denied that Prof. Comaroff engaged in repeated sexual harassment or retaliation and allowed him to continue teaching after a slap on the wrist.”

A semester-long suspension, a ban from teaching required courses and the option for his advisees to switch to another faculty member was all that Harvard offered in the face of allegations of years of sexual misconduct.

In fact, Harvard is accused of muddying the information on the accusations, with the unequal distribution of the facts of the case leading to some 38 Harvard professors signing a public letter of concern about how the univer-

sity has treated Comaroff, singing his praises — signatures that some professors now wish to remove in light of the full story. His lawyers herald him as “a deeply caring person,” and possibly more important to the case, “a leading scholar in his field.”

Is prominent scholarship enough to excuse years of systemic abuse? Harvard’s consistent failure to follow up with Title IX allegations raises larger concerns about the power dynamic between esteemed academics and their pupils, and who deserves to be protected.

“I am horrified to hear about this case,” one anonymous, female Villanova student said. “It is definitely scary to be a woman in these kinds of situations, where you never know if you really are here on your own merit or if it’s just somebody’s ulterior motives. I hope those women get the justice they deserve.”

The plaintiffs are seeking trial by jury, and this case is far from over.

If one found this article triggering or are seeking support for sexual trauma, the University provides several resources such as a 24/7 SARC Coordinator on call at 484-343-6028, the University Counseling Center, the Title IX office and Public Safety.

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

The Villanovan | 7

OPINION

OPINION

Villanova Should Improve Its MPE System Kai Da Luz Staff Writer We are now on week six of the Spring semester. For many students who wish to switch up their daily dining hall run, a Meal Plan Express, or MPE, is what’s next on the menu.

Whether it be Cafe Nova (Cova), Belle Air Terrace or Holy Grounds, these locations give the opportunity for Villanovans to add at least some element of variety to their on-campus diet.

While MPEs and on-campus retail dining locations are positive for students and necessary to avoid monotonous meals, the MPE system is altogether poorly advertised, limited and sloppily inconsistent. MPEs ought to stay, but they are in dire need of some upgrades.

At this point, you may be asking yourself, “what exactly is an MPE?” Well, you wouldn’t be the only one. Following a survey taken from students at the Connelly Center last Friday, only 20 percent of those surveyed knew that the acronym MPE stands for “Meal Plan Express.”

MPEs essentially assign a dollar value to one’s meal swipe and allow it to be used at select on-campus retail locations.

According to Villanova Dining’s “Meal Plans 101,” an MPE is “a convenient way for you to use your meal plan” at places like “select Holy Grounds coffee bars, and select convenience stores for prepared foods and select beverages.”

While many of the students interviewed did, in fact, have a

correct understanding of what an MPE is used for, the basic confusion about the name is already cause for concern.

These same students were asked if they eat more frequently at the all-you-care-to-eat resident dining halls (Specifically, The Court at Donahue, Dougherty Dining Hall and St. Mary’s Dining Hall) or at a retail location during the weekdays.

Forty percent of the students surveyed answered that they eat more at retail locations using MPEs, while another 40 percent claimed that they usually eat at dining halls more.

Fifteen percent of the students surveyed answered that they eat equally at both dining halls and retail locations, while the rest stated that they are not currently enrolled in a meal plan.

The results of the survey demonstrated that many students take advantage of the MPE system at Villanova occasionally, while others opt to eat at these retail locations regularly.

This is partially because students crave the greater variety and choice that comes with dining at one of the on-campus retail locations. It’s true, as these dining hot spots are often full of delicious eats and tasty treats.

“I like going to the Bartley Holy Grounds the best because they have really good chocolate chip cookies,” Jane Huston said.

While MPEs are a great way to enjoy the different food the University has to offer, there are a lot of setbacks with the way MPEs are.

For starters, as can be seen with the initial results of

the survey, students are widely unsure about what an MPE actually is. They treat it as if it is the same as a meal swipe, when in fact it is actually worth much less.

Of the students surveyed, only 15 percent were aware that the price of an MPE can change with each location and with the time of day.

An MPE is worth $7.25 at all Holy Grounds locations where MPEs are accepted, but $8.25 at all other locations for the lunch, dinner and late-night meal periods. Breakfast, regardless of location, allows the student to utilize an MPE for $7.25.

Fifty percent of the students answered that the MPE was worth somewhere around seven or eight dollars, while the remainder answered much higher, with amounts like $12 and $18 being attributed to the cost of a MPE swipe.

While these answers seem high, they are closer to what students actually pay when they swipe for a cup of coffee at Holy Grounds. Since a meal plan is already paid for, each swipe costs about $11 if a student is subscribed to the 21 Meal Plan, with each meal plan after having a higher price per meal (excluding the Any Time 7 Day Meal Plan).

When a student eats at a location like Belle Air Terrace or Cova, the $11 that they spent to purchase the meal is now only worth $7.25. Therefore, every time students want to eat at retail locations on campus, they are actually losing money in using an MPE versus a meal swipe.

An additional problem is

the blackout periods that some locations have on using MPEs. For example, The Law School Cafe does not accept MPEs from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. On top of that, some Holy Grounds locations accept MPEs while others, like the one in Falvey or the Commons, arbitrarily do not.

If that wasn’t already enough, MPEs maintain very limited buying power at the convenience stores on campus. Students are not able to use their MPEs to purchase things like frozen meals, and they are instead encouraged to spend leftover meals for the week on smoothies, cookies and cinnamon rolls.

MPEs are not made clear by the University, which hurts the student body. It would be better if a location like Holy Grounds had set “Meal Swipe Combos” that grouped together certain items, allowing students to get more for what they already paid for rather than losing money each time they swipe.

It would also make sense for the dollar value assigned to an MPE to be consistent throughout locations and meal periods.

The dollar value assigned to MPEs should be increased so it is at least closer to what students are already paying, and it should be accepted at all locations with fewer limitations, especially at campus convenience stores.

It is clear that many students like being able to use their meals to eat at retail locations.

The MPE system must be reformed, as students shouldn’t be penalized for trying to have some type of meal variety.

BHM Through the Eyes of Black Villanovans Lauryn Hayes Staff Writer continued from p. 1 support the network of Black Villanovans, as well as neighboring Black communities, which many employees of the school are residents of,” Arrington said.

“This should grow as a priority among the University administration as Villanova admits more Black students each year.”

It’s important to Black Villanovans that we are acknowledged, and our concerns are taken into consideration with each decision made in regard to Villanova’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

As a part of Villanova’s initiative to encourage racial consciousness within our campus community, all first-year students will be required to take a course on anti-racism.

I hope students and professors will understand the seriousness of this course and the value it will bring to their character and the University’s image as a whole.

I commend the University for taking steps to create a campus

New Black History mural on campus demonsrates University efforts to honor the month.

Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

where students of color feel safe, recognized and supported.

As a Black woman from Brooklyn, New York, stepping away from my diverse experience in the Big Apple to Villanova was a challenging adjustment. I took this risk and could not help but notice the disconnect between

students of color on campus and the White majority.

With time, I believe the University will continue to make efforts to mend this gap and improve racial relations on campus.

“Currently, a lot of the needs of Black students are being supplemented by an array of

student-led affinity groups,” Arrington said when asked what one hope she has for the Black student experience at Villanova.

“Black students need more structural support from the University. One thing numerous Black student leaders have come together to advocate for in the past two years is a designated space where we can at least gather. My hope for the future is that this is implemented very soon.”

There are still improvements needed to be made for the Black student experience. It’s important that the University stays true to its Aequitas initiative and remembers to celebrate and support Black lives all year round, especially on our campus.

With under two weeks left of Black History Month, look to the Villanova School of Business, College of Engineering, College of Nursing, Villanova Athletics Department and more for events to attend.

Most of them will involve conversations of history, its relevance to the present racial landscape of Villanova and the nation at large, as well as entertainment and snacks.

8 | The Villanovan

OPINION

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, February 16, 2022

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.

Why Americans Should Care About Russia and Ukraine

government to the country, which has been seeking closer ties to the West, including possibly joining NATO and/or the EU, much to Ukrainian Intelligence Russia’s dismay. believes that 127,000 Russian and A formally western-aligned Belarusian troops are currently Ukraine would broaden Russia’s amassed on its border, awaiting orland border with the West, making ders from Russian President VladiBelarus the only buffer. Russia, then, mir Putin to march forward. would have to strengthen its military The Ukrainian military is presence at this border, creating gearing up in response with arms greater financial strain for governsupplied by the U.S., which along mental pockets. with Britain, has ordered most of its Harris elaborated that Putin embassy staff to return home. So, is issued three absurd demands to war inevitable? Why should Ameri- NATO at a 2021 Geneva summit: cans care? stop expanding NATO, remove According to former Vox NATO troops from Eastern Europe journalist Johnny Harris, Putin, and that America’s Eastern Euroformerly a Soviet KGB agent, pean allies be protected under their believes that the USSR’s demise is nuclear umbrella. If these criteria “the greatest geopolitical catastrowere not met, it was implied that phe of the century,” where “tens of Russia would invade Ukraine. millions of our fellow citizens and It is clear that Ukraine’s countrymen found themselves beflirtation with the West is an affront yond the fringes of Russian territoto Russia, and Europe has much to ry.” gain or lose from a potential conWith the ideologically mod- flict. But why should Americans ern Russian state being founded in care?

Kiev, the capital of modern-day Americans should care beUkraine, the two nations have close cause this crisis threatens to return cultural heritage, and Putin believes Russo-Western tensions to Cold the ties between the two should War levels. The closest possible remain that way. contemporary example to an invaHowever, many former sion of Ukraine would be the 2003 Soviet republics and satellites have American invasion of Iraq, but the gone on to form close relationships Russo-Ukrainian conflict would not with the West, even becoming mem- be as one-sided. bers of NATO and the EU, such Although Ukraine’s standing as Poland, Hungary and the Baltic army is half the size of Russia’s, it is States. Ukraine has recently begun well equipped and would put up a to follow in their footsteps. good fight.

A 2014 popular revolution Occupation of Ukraine in Ukraine brought a democratic would come at a great cost. Based Carter Smith Staff Writer

on survey results, the Kiev National Institute for Sociology estimated that a third of Ukrainian citizens would take up arms as insurgents.

This means that the size of the force needed to keep hold of the country would be substantially taxing from a logistics and resource standpoint.

An invasion would likely incur a strong response from NATO. If NATO did nothing, it would provide Russia the go-ahead to continue its aggressive expansion.

The alliance has been largely aimless since the fall of its adversary: the USSR and the Warsaw Pact.

The invasion of a new, western democracy on its doorstep would revive its sense of purpose, which would be a checkmate for Russia. The seeds of a response have seemingly been planted, as the US has ordered 8,500 troops to stand-by status, according to Al Jazeera.

What should be concerning to Americans is how fast this conflict could escalate. It is likely that a NATO response would first entail sanctioning Russia out of the world economy. If that doesn’t work, next would be training Ukrainian rebels and army remains (like in Afghanistan). Further, it would involve direct military intervention if it is needed (like during the breakup of Yugoslavia).

At that point, the two nuclear-armed superpowers of Russia and the U.S. would be in direct conflict, which could lead to the near-extinction of humanity at worst and a global conflict at best.

In such a case, the likely

Russian-allied China would reduce or completely cut off exports to the West, leading to the potential collapse of our consumer economies.

While Putin is aggressive, he is not stupid. He likely sees the utter destruction an invasion will cause and is instead playing the gambit to strengthen the Russian image and terrify Ukraine and other bordering, former Communist countries from confiding in the West.

Although a complete takeover of Ukraine is unlikely, we should be concerned about the growing intensity of Putin’s threats.

We know he is not against direct military action based on the 2014 invasion of Crimea, a southern province of Ukraine, to protect Russian separatists there and take its warm water port of Sevastopol.

Western inaction in response to Putin’s behavior has made him act bolder, to the point where he believes in a feasible chance that he could fully invade Ukraine with little NATO response.

I would not be surprised if he absorbed the separatist regions in eastern Ukraine with no military response from NATO, which wishes to avoid a large-scale war at all costs. This appeasement of Russia is a dangerous path. Putin will not stop until Russia dominates NATO and Eastern Europe.

It may not seem like a problem now, but it begets later ones.

Remember when British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain thought that if he let Hitler have Czechoslovakia, he’d stop there?

Well, how did that turn out?

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

The Villanovan | 9

OPINION

End to Campus Mask Mandate: Pro Zoë Kim Staff Writer Beginning Monday Feb. 14, the University is no longer asking students to wear their masks in classrooms, dining halls and other public areas. This came as a surprise that is worth celebrating as a community.

The news brought smiles around campus, ones we can finally see now there are no masks to hide them. It is our first step towards the pre-COVID era, which is a triumph.

Still, many are doubtful of whether this was the right call from the University.

However, it should be noted in the face of these concerns that

many of Villanova’s COVID-19 policies are largely performative in practice. Around much of campus, it has been a rare sight to see students who wear their masks in the past weeks and months.

Students do not abide by these policies; they simply work around them. Many students sit in libraries with drinks out as an excuse to not wear their masks. They will wear them under their noses or on their chins as an accessory.

These bad mask-wearing habits defeat the purpose of it all. Some students turn to wearing neck gaiters, which do not reduce their chances of COVID-19. At that point, what is the purpose of it? If students are not listening to these protocols, then why

Despite some concerns, a more maskless campus is supported by much of the community.

Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

have them in place?

Social-distancing has also been thrown out the window. There are lectures with 40 to 50 students in small classrooms and extracurricular activities where students aren’t practicing social-distance or mask-wearing.

Just go to the Davis Center, where unmasked students share exercise equipment and machinery without any thought of the virus.

There are no longer reservations for the equipment, so campus gyms are often crowded with eager gym-goers.

This is just one of many locations where there is already no protection against the pandemic.

Despite this, those opposed to the new policy are afraid of an outbreak. We should not be too surprised if there is an outbreak here, as it is happening to campuses around the country.

If this occurs, students will quarantine in a designated and isolated location near campus or at home. But it will not lead to a large population of students in hospitals, because the community is for the most part young, healthy and vaccinated.

As of this week, there has been no hospitalization from the pandemic at the University, so there is no-better situated community than Villanova.

Though the pandemic is no longer a huge threat to our community, it is still not over. We will continue to live in this pandemic-era for a long while, as new strains of the virus arise.

I cannot be the only one who believes the prospect of enduring the pandemic for years and years to come is

frustrating. So for now, we should celebrate this normalcy of living without masks.

In many ways, masks are puzzling because of how they have been perceived by the greater public and the news. In the very beginning of the pandemic, everyone in America was ordering masks online, in fear of the virus. Some tried sewing their own masks with colorful fabrics because they could not find them anywhere.

There was a shortage of masks around the country.

From then to now, it has become a debate for schools whether students should wear them or not.

Today, there are more Democratic governors saying students can now leave their masks behind.

When worn properly, masks slow the transmission of the virus and protect thousands of people, but they also impede communication. Talking with a mask can be difficult, especially without seeing facial expressions.

There are thousands of people who proclaim it is an easy task to wear a mask. It is no doubt an easy task for them. But it is not so easy for young children and those who are hard of hearing or have learning disabilities.

The University is not ordering its students to leave their masks behind. It is giving students freedom to weigh the pros and cons and choose for themselves. It is saying “we trust you” to all of the Villanova community. It is asking students to step up to the plate, as a community. Let’s show the University we can do this.

End to Campus Mask Mandate: Con Eric White Staff Writer For the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for communities worldwide.

According to the CDC, in the United States alone, 901,422 people have died from COVID-19 as of Feb. 5.

With daily death totals still surpassing 4,000 a day, it’s more than possible that the ultimate death toll will reach far more than one million by the end of this year.

To the dismay of all, the pandemic is not yet over. Yet, schools, businesses and states across the country are rapidly loosening their mask and vaccination requirement protocols, including Villanova. University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D. announced that the mandatory mask mandate has been lifted and would go into effect Feb. 14., after which no one is required to wear masks in campus buildings.

Villanova boasts an impressive rate of vaccinated staff and students due to exemptions to the mandate being few and far between. Though the number of cases detected weekly on campus has significantly dropped as a result, it isn’t time to celebrate yet.

The Director of Public Health in Los Angeles County, Barbara Ferrer, has given a press statement on the possibility of lifting mask mandates in the near future.

“We should not be lifting the masking mandate when we are reporting thousands and thousands of new cases every day,” Ferrer stated, staunchly against the idea.

I am inclined to agree. Things are looking up from the dire statistics that have been reported in the past, which is undoubtedly excellent.

However, we are by no means in the clear. Thousands of people are still dying every day, with thousands more testing positive.

The effects of Long Covid, or the lingering impacts of COVID-19 infection that have left many Americans disabled long after their contraction of the disease, are being examined on a greater scale. Though much progress has been made, this is not over.

Even if lifting the mask mandate does not result in a massive surge of cases on campus (due to many students already acting as if the mandate was lifted months ago), I believe it sets an unfortunate precedent and gives the illusion that we are in the clear.

If not even an educational institution like the University is requiring masks, what pandemic cautions are really necessary, anyway?

Lifting the mask mandate represents a rejection of safety. It’s a signal that the pandemic is at the end, if not over already.

What does that mean for the more than 900,000 deaths that have occurred over the past two years and the thousands who die every day?

Why is it that their suffering, and their unfortunate fates, are being ignored, in favor of returning to normal life more quickly? Just because we ignore reality and the immeasurable weight of the pandemic, that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.

Lifting the mask mandate just a month after Villanova reported

Many still have doubts about lifing the indoor mask mandate, citing health concerns.

Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography

704 new positive cases between Jan. 5 and Jan. 17 (per the Community First COVID-19 update) feels like a slap in the face. Who is to say that the cases won’t spike again now that the mask mandate has been so casually tossed aside a mere month after, out of the approximately 11,000 total students at the University, more than 700 (or a full 6.3%) of the student body, tested positive for COVID-19?

This represents a greater trend present across the nation, with businesses and institutions rushing to lift mandates far before the pandemic has ceased its reign. It’s out of desperation to return to the way things were before the pandemic, a sentiment that is more than understandable. The

idea of a raging, infectious disease as “the new normal” is bleak to say the least, and dystopian to say the most.

But just because things have gotten better does not mean they’re over. Just because we are all sick and tired of hearing about masks, vaccinations, mandates, quarantines and rapidly changing protocols, doesn’t mean we are in the home stretch yet.

As such, the University’s lifting of the mask mandate is a poorly thought out and rushed decision.

Regardless of how it impacts the COVID-19 infections on campus, it represents the rejection of science and a push towards national numbness over thousands of daily deaths and infections.

10|The Villanovan

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

CULTURE

CULTURE

Sophomore Mitch Macek Competes on Jeopardy!

Emma Cahill Staff Writer Villanova Students, for $200.

Answer: This Villanova Student was a Jeopardy! contestant on Wednesday, Feb. 9.

Question: Who is, Mitch Macek?

Mitchell Macek, a sophomore double majoring in Math and Education, was on the big screen last week for the Jeopardy! National College Championship. The show had 36 college undergraduate students from around the country as particpants.

Before competing as one of the official contestants on Jeopardy!, Macek had to undergo a comprehensive set of steps to determine his eligibility. Since beginning the application process in 2020, Macek has had to take two tests and do a Zoom audition.

“First came a timed 50 question test on randomly selected questions from throughout the show’s history,” Macek said. “After completing this first test, I waited until January 2021 for a response, as well as the opportunity to take the second stage test. After this second -- and arguably more difficult -test, I heard back the next day to return for an audition over Zoom. The audition was a lot of fun, but after the fact I did not get a response from a producer until far later.”

The show’s producers called Macek in October 2021 and confirmed that he was selected to be in the tournament. Macek had overcome the first few hurdles of the process and was officially set to be a contestant on the show.

“By that point everything came together,” Maceks said. “I was to fly out to Los Angeles before Thanksgiving.”

Before he was ready to participate in the tournament, Macek spent a considerable amount of time studying for the show. Macek had many different methods in order to make sure he was adequately prepared for the show.

“In the month between receiving the call to be on the show and flying out to Los Angeles, I doubled down on preparing,” Macek said. “I watched the show multiple times a day, read multiple trivia type books, studied the J! Archive (a collection of every clue from the show laid out on a website) and spent plenty of time just researching things for fun. To try and replicate the feeling of the game and the buzzer, I tried using a pen to ‘buzz-in’ as I watched.”

As Macek studied more and more, he became more and more equipped to compete in the tournament. After a whole month of trivia books, episode viewings and research, Macek was ready to make his debut on Jeopardy! National College Championship. So, he flew out to Los Angeles and began filming back in November 2021.

“The process of being on the show and filming was exhilarating and exhausting, I would say,” Macek said.

“The set for the show was immaculately kept, though way smaller than I would’ve expected. Filming definitely took a while but examining all the effort that goes into making a single 25-minute episode was amazing. The producers and J! staff were efficient and extremely fastidious as well as wonderfully kind and hospitable.”

In the heat of the game, Macek expressed that he initially had some nerves before filming on set. However, he was able to overcome these nerves through his passion for the game. By putting all his energy into the game, Macek was able to get in the zone for

Sophomore Mitchell Macek took to the Jeopardy! stage for the college competition.

Courtesy of Jeopardy Productions, Inc.

the show.

“Participating in the game was another thing. I was extremely nervous up until actually making it on the stage,” Macek said. “Once I made it up there, though, I found it impossible not to get engrossed in the entire thing. It was a lot more difficult than I thought to get a handle on the buzzer and deal with the tension of the other competitors, but it was essentially pure adrenaline at that point.”

The episode of Jeopardy! National College Championship debuted on Feb. 9. It was hosted by Mayim Bialik, and Macek competed against two other college undergraduate students: Joey Kornman, a junior at Brandeis University, and Yejun Kim, a senior at Northwestern University.

In the episode, Macek answered the questions for Round 1, featuring categories such as “The Elements” and “Approximate Weights &

Measures.” Following Round 1, Macek was in second place, a mere $1,000 away from Kornman, in first. In the second round, Macek played featured categories, such as “River City” and “Art Appreciation,” and was in second place. In the end, it all came down to the final Jeopardy! in which Kornman ultimately took first place.

Following the journey to the competition, Macek would like to acknowledge all those who helped him get to this point.

“I’d like to thank my family, my friends, my professors, Ryan Duff, Tyler Brown, VUTC, Villanova Gaming Society and the Villanova Billiards Club for their support up until now,” Macek said.

Macek played a great game.

He displayed the knowledge he gained through his performance. Though his efforts did not win the ultimate prize, Macek made Villanova proud.

Villanova Singers Annual Singing Valentine’s Day Grams Elena Rouse Co-Culture Editor The Villanova Singers took their melodious ways to the virtual world this Valentine’s Day. The group’s long standing tradition of singing Valentine’s Day grams persisted, despite COVID-19 protocols.

The Villanova Singers is an all male choir on campus. Their tradition of delivering Valentine’s Day grams dates back to 1979, and since has involved members of the group suiting up in tuxedos and serenading individuals on Valentine’s Day. In conventional years, the Singers have options for a wake up serenade, which involves a dorm room wake-up, or classroom performances, where singers come into receivers’ classes to stop proceedings and welcome the subject of the song to sit in a chair in the center of the room for their song.

Last year, only virtual grams were available because of the pandemic, and this year’s grams were similar.

Cristian Rodriguez, Secretary of the Villanova Singers, shed light on the preparation that goes into the day’s romantic festivities.

“Every year we actually sing

the same song,” Rodriguez said. “It is a spin-off of ‘You Are My Sunshine’ that Singers of the past have modified to fit Valentine’s Day. Our members learn their parts when they first become a part of the group and then they teach new members as they continue to enter the group. It is a long standing tradition and we always have a lot of great feedback from the community.”

Although this beloved tradition looked different this year, Rodriguez elaborated on just how much love they were able to spread to members of campus on Valentine’s Day. “If I remember correctly we had around 150 calls and emails combined this year,” he said.

With all that musical love permeating through the air, these Villanova Singers always find their day of serenades to be a wonderful experience. Wonderful enough to continue the tradition for decades.

“Unfortunately because of the pandemic, I have not gotten the chance to take part in the classroom deliveries,” Rodriguez admitted. “But in doing the calls this year, my favorite part of the experience is hearing the excitement in the voices of peoples’ family members when they realize they are

In usual years, The Villanova Singers dress up to deliver singing grams.

Courtesy of @villanovasingers

being sent a Singing Valentine.”

Student Emma Blenke was one of those who received a Valentine gram phone call, sent to her from her roommate’s mother.

“I enjoyed the call because it was really funny and a bright spot of my day to know that someone was thinking of me,” Blenke said. “Nothing can replace in person singing but it was a fun alternative.”

Although sending Valentine grams is a well-known feat for these men, the day of love is not the only time one can hear the group perform together. The Singers have

events throughout the year, often performing with campus acapella groups. Some of their performances for the fall semester included a 9/11 Memorial at the Bryn Mawr Fire Company, the national anthem at a Villanova football game as well as for the Philadelphia Phillies.

This year might have looked different than years past for the members of Villanova Singers and the recipients of their yearly Valentine grams, but one thing that is for sure is that, with this telnet group and their hearts full of song, a visit from them will leave one’s own heart a little more full as well.

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

CULTURE

The Villanovan|11

Overcoming Romantic Chaos on Campus: Humanities Department Hosts 2022 Faith and Reason Lecture A.J. Fezza Co-Culture Editor Valentine’s Day just passed by once again, and as usual, the campus (and social media feeds) seemed to be filled with people that are settled with their special someone. Yet, the reality is that most students struggle to get a date, let alone find serious relationships. On Tuesday, Feb. 8, the Humanities Department’s 2022 Faith and Reason Lecture sought to tackle this issue.

The event was held at Driscoll Auditorium with nearly 200 attendees and was hosted by Dr. Anna Bonta Moreland and Dr. Thomas W. Smith. Moreland is the Anne Quinn Welsh Endowed Director of the University’s Honors Program, and Smith is the former Honors Program Director, the founding chair of the University’s Humanities Department and the current Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at The Catholic University of America.

The topic of this year’s lecture was “Overcoming Romantic Chaos on Campus.” The lecture material was drawn from the final chapters of Moreland and Smith’s forthcoming book, “Majoring in Life: The Complete Guide to Adulting,”​​which tackles three facets of life central to the young adult: work, leisure and romance.

“The romance chapters are at the end of the book because everyone wants to get there,” Moreland said. “There’s a layering effect in the book. You are asked to move deeper into yourself in each of the sections, so there’s a kind of growth throughout the reading process.”

The book has been in progress for the past four years and is expected to be released sometime next year.

Moreland and Smith have already lectured together at The Catholic University of America and separately at institutions like Princeton University, but Feb. 8 marked their first joint lecture about romance at Villanova.

The lecture was introduced by senior Humanities major Olivia Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer took Moreland’s “Introduction to Theology” class in Spring 2019 and her “Shaping an Adult Life” class this past fall.

“Dr. Moreland and Dr. Smith have both been such positive influences in my life during my time at Villanova, so it was such an honor and a privilege to introduce them,” Pfeiffer said.

In “Shaping an Adult Life,” Pfeiffer and her classmates offered feedback and personal testimonials for Moreland and Smith’s book, and in “Introduction to Theology,” Pfeiffer was one of the many students impacted by Moreland’s well-known “dating assignment.”

Over the past few years, Moreland has offered her classes an extra credit “dating assignment,” inspired by that of Boston College’s Kerry Cronin. The rules are simple: ask someone out (in-person) to a brief lunch or coffee date. Once at the date, avoid close contact with the person beyond an A-frame hug and avoid telling more than two people about the experience.

Dr. Thomas W. Smith and Dr. Anna Bonta Moreland gave their lecture at Driscoll Auditorium on Feb. 8.

Courtesy of @novahumanities

For some, the assignment has been a resounding success. Pfeiffer is still with the man who asked her out for the assignment three years later.

Following Pfeiffer’s introduction, Moreland and Smith took the stage and began the lecture by offering a series of interactive polls to the audience about the college sex and dating scene.

It turns out that popular assumptions do not correspond to reality: young people are having less sex and less romance than ever.

Only 25% of 18-29 year olds had more than one sexual partners over the course of a year.

Still, hook-up culture is leaving a mark. The assumption that hook-up culture is dominant ends up intimidating or disillusioning many young people, who then “opt out” of dating entirely.

“Most people think that the hook-up culture is much more prevalent than it is,” Smith said.

“This shapes your imagination about romantic love and relationships. You think everybody is hooking up, but actually very few people are.”

“There are two kinds of options on the table when you show up at college: hooking up and opting out,” Smith continued. “You think that everybody is hooking up. But actually, everybody is opting out.”

The lecturers identified three key factors playing into the modern phenomenon of “opting out.”

“The epidemic of loneliness, fear of rejection and choice paralysis are three markers of your generation,” Moreland said.

These markers, heightened by technology and a hyperactive participation culture, cause young people to shut themselves off to other people.

Moreland and Smith illustrated these issues through the metaphor of a house. Those that are hooking up prematurely invite strangers into the bedroom, but have a hard time getting them back down to the kitchen. However, more

commonly, those that are opting out don’t invite passerbys into the house at all.

“If your house is a fortress, you will always be invulnerable,” Smith said. “You will always have your heart guarded. But, you won’t be in love.”

Yet, Moreland and Smith did not stop short at merely diagnosing the problem. They offered a series of advice to get students to start allowing others onto their metaphorical porch - in other words, to risk rejection and take a chance at love.

The five steps for a successful relationship are as follows: try it, name it, let it breathe, support it and plan for it.

Most students are stuck at the try it phase. For these students, Moreland and Smith recommend forcing oneself to face their fears and to ask someone out in person.

“We encourage at the ‘try it’ phase for you to ask in person,” Moreland said. “Which is hard, but it’s what big people do. Why? Because it’s human. But it’s also harder to get rejected in person. If you just text someone, it’s really easy to get that ‘no.’”

The “try it” stage is difficult, but the only way out of it is through it.

Once a first date happens, which should be as casual as a 45-minute lunch or coffee session, one should plan for a second date soon after in order to really get to know their date and give them a chance.

As weeks go by, one should “name it.” Define the relationship and set expectations.

Then, one should “let it breathe.” Don’t let a relationship take over your entire life. Make sure that you still have time for everyone else in your life.

“A good dating relationship is embedded in a wider web of friendships,” Moreland said.

Next: “support it.” After one

gains dating experience, they can become a “dating ambassador” for others. Once you start to get a handle on dating, be an inspiration for your roommate to do the same.

Finally: “plan for it.” Know where the relationship is headed and know your personal boundaries.

Moreland and Smith also gave advice to help students move into a relationship from the friendzone, from a hookup and from previous heartbreak.

Finally, Moreland and Smith ended the lecture by challenging single students to a modified version of the dating assignment: ask out not just one person, but two people before Valentine’s Day. “What I advise is not just one date, but two dates that first week,” Moreland said. “If you just ask one person, you’re gonna have a panic attack. If you haven’t been exercising that muscle, it’s really hard to decide on that one person, but not if you know you’ve got to decide on two.”

Overall, the lecture was incredibly well-received. The audience repeatedly broke out into wild laughter and applause.

“It was an interesting lecture,” junior Matthew Gaetano said.

“It easily could have been awkward to discuss romance on campus, but Dr. Moreland and Dr. Smith’s comedy and demeanor made it enjoyable.”

For those who did not attend the 2022 Faith and Reason lecture but are interested in watching, it will soon be posted on the Humanities Department website. If one is struggling with romance, whether a Humanities or Honors student or not, Moreland encourages people to reach out to her.

“Email me,” Dr. Moreland said. “Come to Garey 113. I’m happy to talk.”

As you embark on the journey of dating, remember the words of Smith: “the risk is a bit of awkwardness, the reward is deep, human connection.”

12|The Villanovan

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

CULTURE

Asian Student Association Hosts 2022 Asian Expo

Kai da Luz Staff Writer Emily Dang Staff Writer After an exciting victory for the Wildcats at the Wells Fargo Center, there was no better place to be than the 2022 Asian Student Association (ASA) Expo.

The event was held in the Villanova Room in the Connelly Center on Saturday, Feb. 12. The Expo is organized every year by the ASA, and this year’s theme was Pokémon.

Doors opened at 5:30 p.m., and students were welcomed with Pokémon decorations. At 6 p.m., everyone was encouraged to take a seat as the performances were about to begin.

MCs Alex Whang and Isaac De Leon kicked things off with some humorous remarks and set the stage for the first performance by VU Minor Problem, one of the three coed a cappella groups on campus. Minor Problem set the tone of the night, performing the national anthem and “I Want You Back” by The Jackson 5.

The next performance by the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) was a story-telling dance split into three parts. The dance offered insight into three periods created by COVID-19: the past, the present and the future. While the pandemic interrupted the 2020 Lunar New Year, the performance was a story of resilience, friendship and adapting to the new norm of washing hands frequently and wearing masks.

Next up was a performance of the song “Guren-no Yumiya” from the anime series “Attack on Titan” in Japanese by students enrolled in Japanese language courses. The song

was accompanied by a brief battle on stage. Many students who chose to participate in this performance found the experience beneficial for a multitude of reasons.

“Attending the Asian Expo made me feel better about my studies in Japanese class, which allowed me to learn about Japanese culture while diving into other cultures as well,” Aaliyah Abdelhadi said. “I was able to share and learn more about one of my closest friend’s culture and better prepare myself to study abroad.”

The next group, The Superlative, lit up the stage with its electrifying choreography, as it took the floor in black and yellow. It is a multicultural dance group at the University. Its moves and music demanded applause and excitement from all those in the audience.

In contrast to The Superlative’s high energy, the Chinese Language courses then serenaded the crowd with “The Brightest Star in the Night Sky.” The melody was sung in Chinese and was accompanied by a student picking the guitar.

After almost being lulled to sleep, what better way to wake up than being hit by a piece of wood by Villanova Club Taekwondo. Not only did members show off their techniques and board breaking skills, but they also demonstrated their ability to dance, adapting their performance to accompany K-pop fan favorites like “Butter,” “Ddu-Du-Ddu-Du” and “Dynamite.”

Following the magical performance by Villanova Club Taekwondo, Jeff Wang had several tricks up his sleeve. With a magic show, Wang demonstrated his skills with sleight of hand and a Pokémon-themed trick that kept the audience on the edge of their seats.

After all of these amazing performances, the audience was sure to

MCs Alex Whang and Isaac De Leon hosted the 2022 Asian Expo on Feb. 12.

Courtesy of Graydon Paul/Villanovan Photography

work up an appetite. Thankfully, an intermission followed in which attendees were able to experience a variety of different cultural foods.

Once students returned to their seats from the intermission, the Pokémon battlefield came alive as people competed against one another in a cultural Kahoot.

The performances quickly picked up with a dance from Sigma Psi Zeta, a multicultural Asian-interest Greek Organization. It performed a dance to the K-pop song “WANNABE” by Itzy.

Without skipping a beat, FASA, or Villanova’s Filipino American Student Association, performed a traditional Filipino dance called Tinikling. It brought some modern aspects to the dance alongside the traditional use of bamboo sticks.

To finish off the performances, the ASA dance group came to play, wearing jean jackets and jeans to set the crowd ablaze with “Permission to Dance” by BTS. After giving the audience “permission” to dance, the ASA Expo transitioned to a fashion show,

in which traditional cultural garbs strutted down the runway, worn by some of the performers or members of ASA. At the end, Whang and De Leon opened the floor for students to express their comments and questions regarding the expo.

Many expo performers expressed their love of this annual event.

“Great friends, good food and a hell of a lot of fun,” Catherine Kim, President of the Taekwondo Villanova Club, said were her favorite things about the ASA Expo.

ASA President Peter Tran took time at the end of the event to thank all of the wonderful performers and the E-Board for putting together the event.

The 2022 ASA Expo gave Villanova students an opportunity to experience Asian culture that they are not necessarily exposed to. It allowed many fantastic Asian clubs and organizations on campus to showcase their talents and appreciation for their culture. There is no doubt that the ASA Expo next year and for years to come will be a must-attend event.

Villanova Student Musical Theatre Performs “Assassins” Skylar Musick Staff Writer Last semester, Villanova Student Musical Theatre (VSMT) blew the Villanova community away with its performance of “Legally Blonde.” This past weekend, the cast and crew did nothing short of the same in their performance of “Assassins.”

The show had its opening weekend in the Smith Performance Lab, Feb. 10-13, and shows and ticket sales will run through Feb. 20.

“Assassins” is a musical based on a book by John Weidman.

The show’s music and lyrics were written by Stephen Sondheim.

Many may have heard of Sondheim as he also wrote the music for “West Side Story” and is one of the most celebrated composers of all time.

Satirical in nature, “Assassins” is about the real historical U.S. figures who attempted, both successfully and unsuccessfully, to assassinate sitting United States Presidents.

The cast is made up of VSMT students, who have been dedicating their time to the show in many hours of rehearsals.

Senior Jack Serio, who plays Leon Czolgosz, talked about the rehearsal process.

“We run through all the

scenes, but the main purpose of rehearsals is to build connections and relationships with the other actors,” Serio said. “You can’t put on a good show if you don’t build that level of trust with the people you’re performing with.”

The student actors dedicate most of their time to learning their characters. Aidan Fecko is a junior who plays The Balladeer (a singing narrator) and Lee Harvey Oswald in the musical. He is also the current Production Manager for VSMT. He shared his experience about diving deeper into the heart of his characters.

“My favorite memory from rehearsals for ‘Assassins’ would probably be the first rehearsal,” Fecko shared. “We sat for three hours and researched our characters. This show has been such an exciting challenge because instead of creating a character out of thin air, we had to really think about how to portray a character who actually lived and created a notorious name for themselves.”

Sophomore Frankie Frabizzio, who plays John Wilkes Booth, shared his favorite scene to perform in the show.

“There is a long dialogue-only scene at the end of the show between my character and Aidan Fecko’s character, Lee

“Assassins” opened at the Smith Performance Lab on Feb. 10.

Courtesy of Ellie Smart

Harvey Oswald, as Booth attempts to convince Oswald to kill John F. Kennedy,” Frabizzio said. “It’s an incredibly intense but also very intimate scene, and getting to perform it alongside Aidan every night is consistently my favorite thing about being in this show. I love seeing how the energy changes every time we do it together.”

The cast and crew have become deeply connected to “Assassins” and the subjects it highlights.

“I’ve absolutely fallen in love

with this show,” Frabizzio said. “It’s a brilliant, profound work of theatre with such an important message.”

The co-directors of the show, junior Olivia Pistella and senior Samantha Aitken, did an outstanding job directing the cast and working to make opening night a success.

“Opening night was absolutely perfect,” Pistella said. “Sam and I work with the absolute best group of actors, designers and friends.”

“We got such great feedback from our audience, and Olivia and I are so proud of our cast and crew for starting our run with a bang,” Aitken added.

After their second show on Friday night, audience members raved about the show and its actors. “‘Assassins’ was nothing short of spectacular,” audience member Grayson Pruett shared.

“The cast and crew brought the audience into a skewed world with an intoxicating performance.”

Tickets are still available to watch these amazing performers on Thursday, Feb. 17 through Saturday, Feb. 19 at 8:30 p.m. and on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 2:30 p.m. All shows are ACS approved and will be held in the Smith Performance Lab of the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts.

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

CULTURE

Artists of Villanova: Mary Swikle Bailey Quinn Staff Writer Mary Swikle opens up her Zoom meeting with her dog in the center of the screen. Hidden behind a very excited puppy is Swikle, a Villanova senior well known for her art, sitting down on her parents’ couch in upstate Michigan.

A passionate double major in Humanities and Theology with a minor in Psychology, Swikle’s path throughout her Villanova experience has not been easy, but while here, she has certainly come to cherish her time and value the power of her creativity.

Originally, Swikle had set out to be a double major in English and Psychology, but upon enrolling in a Humanities course entitled “Epiphanies of Beauty,” she realized there was a route she had not considered that would ultimately change the way she looked at literature and understood human connections.

Swikle loves living in the intersection of these disciplines, especially when it comes to the relationship between queerness and Catholicism. Swikle said she enjoys studying “where all the pain comes from, and how to find a way to fix it to maintain the balance.”

This understanding of beauty follows Swikle every day, especially in her art.

“Beauty has always been the guiding force for me,” she said.

Much of her art is fueled by her experiences in her academic disciplines over the last four years.

She described her relationship with art in terms of organization as well as spirituality. For Swikle, making and selling her art has allowed her to make connections she would not have otherwise been able to make, if not for individuals buying her art over the last several years.

Swikle recalled that she spent much of her freshman year in her dorm room, choosing to stay in and paint, either alone or with her roommate. By selling her art to both local businesses and students, Swikle found that her creativity was a “consistent force of connection,” and it led to her carving out a niche of her own here at Villanova.

Nowadays, Swikle’s ideal workspace is not the desk of a small dorm, but rather the floor – specifically the floor of an apartment she shares with some of her friends. Often joked of as her “playpen,” Swikle’s routine is to roll out a tarp across the floor of the communal living room, dim the lights, turn on a movie, sit on the floor, and get to work.

Apart from some minor backaches, Swikle is completely content with the set-up. While Swikle did lament the lack of open studio space on campus, a common issue for many

campus artists, she looks back on the evolution of her workspaces fondly.

In terms of future endeavors, Swikle is taking the leap and becoming a full-time artist. This upcoming summer she plans to sell her art in local farmers markets and hopes to start her own business. She has already started to print off business cards, remarking how in awe she feels upon seeing her name on the card.

As for her artwork itself, Swikle said she wants to focus on “painting things that matter.” She explained how passionate she is about addressing social justice in her work and how she wants to be more vocal about these causes through her work.

One cause that is particularly close to Swikle’s heart is the LGBTQ+ community. As a way to do her part, 10 percent of Swikle’s commission is donated to The Trevor project.

Per her Instagram @swikpaints, The Trevor Project is “an organization focused on supporting LGBTQ youth by providing funding for and access to mental health resources.”

In 2020, after selling a beautiful array of work and convincing local community members to match her donations, Swikle’s effort resulted in approximately $1,000 being raised for The Trevor Project.

Upon being asked for the reason why this particular organiza-

The Villanovan|13

tion was chosen, Swikle explained that privilege and mental health are intertwined, and she is very thankful to have access to healthcare, insurance and therapy. Swikle wants to be able to provide that same opportunity to others.

“I have been in therapy since I was a freshman,” Swikle said.

“Therapy changed my life.”

If Swikle wants people to take anything from her experiences, it is that therapy is powerful and has had a positive impact on her life and the lives of others.

“I love promoting therapy,” Swikle said. “It is my personal mission to normalize [going to] therapy.”

When she described her guiding philosophy for mental health, sheepishly laughing, Swikle said that, “I hold onto the things that make me talk really fast.”

She explained her desire to seek out and hold onto the things that excite her and get her excited “to get out of bed and do something every day.”

To be a creative person advocating for the destigmatizing of mental health among other things is to be vulnerable in a way that causes others to stop, take it in and reflect on how to emulate the qualities that appear to come naturally to Swikle. The reality of Swikle’s case is that these attributes are hard-won, and it is clear to see her values in her work.

Club Spotlight: Wazobia African Dance Company Emmy Schmelter Staff Writer Among the many dance teams Villanova has to offer, there is definitely something special about the Wazobia African Dance Company.

Although its activity and performances have been toned down due to COVID-19, it is ready to move right back into business this semester.

The Wazobia African Dance Company is a team that performs genres of step, modern, hip hop and traditional, covering a multitude of styles.

The name Wazobia comes from the combination of three Nigerian dialects. Ever since it was founded in 2012, the company has done nothing but grow in diversity and inclusivity.

The company rehearses three days a week, always preparing for its upcoming showcases and events around campus, such as the annual ACV fashion show. Starting

with dynamic stretches and warm up exercises, members then perform in groups and use constructive feedback to make sure their dances are the best they can be.

When asked what being a part of the dance company meant to them, the members did not hold back their admiration.

“Being a part of this dance team gives me a sense of community and support,” this year’s leader said.

“I am able to express my creativity through moving my body to the beat of music. Dancing is a release; it is a temporary escape from academic responsibilities.”

One member even discussed how the variety of backgrounds makes the company so unique.

“I also just think it’s amazing to see how everyone has lives outside of dance, yet we all come together through the art of dance, and are able to be one,” the member said.

“Everyone inspires each other in different ways as we all possess unique qualities that define us, which we incorporate into our dancing.”

The Wazobia Dance Com-

Wazobia African Dance Company performs at their annual showcase.

Courtesy of Wazobia.Villanova Instagram

pany welcomes all ethnicities and experiences. It makes it known that an individual does not have to identify as African or be a professional dancer to join. In fact, it is the differences in these characteristics that brings success to the company.

Wazobia can be seen all around campus. One must always keep a lookout, as this company is eager to share its energy and talents wherever it can, while fostering excitement from potential new members as well. It recently held a workshop on campus where any

student was welcome to stop by and get a taste of Wazobia.

After more than a year of having to adjust its schedule due to the pandemic, the group could not be more excited to hold its upcoming showcase on Mar. 27 in the The John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts.

The performances by Wazobia will leave one unable to stay seated. The energy and confidence that this company projects to the audience is an experience one needs to see for themselves.

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

SPORTS

14|The Villanovan

SPORTS

Men’s Lacrosse Downs Penn State, 13-12 uate attacker J.P. Basile with no response from the Nittany Lion offense. The ‘Cats went up by five, their largest lead of the game, beThe Villanova men’s lafore Penn State was able to score crosse team started the 2022 seatwice in the final minute of the son with a 13-12 win at Penn State half. on Saturday afternoon, dropping Keating scored his first goal the Nittany Lions’ record to 1-1. as the second half began, but the “It’s important to get a win Nittany Lions quickly turned the against a team like Penn State,” game around scoring five in a row head coach Mike Corrado said. to take a 10-9 lead. The fourth “I think it hopefully gives us some quarter became a back and forth confidence and something we can match with sophomore midfieldbuild on.” er Tucker Goodelle and Keating The narrow victory was earning back to back goals to built behind senior attacker Patretake the lead before Penn State rick Daly’s six goals on 11 shots, tied it back up. Daly quickly his final score coming on a ground scored his fifth goal of the day a ball in front of the net to take minute later. the lead within the final minute After Penn State once of play. Graduate attacker Luke again tied things up, Daly took Keating followed with two goals of the ball with a minute left to play his own and two assists. Five other and scored the game winning goal.

Wildcats each contributed goals of The Nittany Lions won the face their own. Senior goalkeeper Will off to have one last chance, but Vitton recorded 13 saves to hold Vitton saved a powerful shot with off a strong Penn State offense. just nine seconds left to seal the ‘Nova got off to an early win.

3-0 start behind goals from grad“We did some really good uate attacker Brett Baskin, senior things in that game,” Corrado midfielder Matt Campbell and se- said. “And obviously, we have nior midfielder Austin Fraser. The some things we need to continue Nittany Lions found the net in re- to work on, so I think it’s a good sponse, which led Daly to quickly stepping stone for the rest of the score his first goal of the contest. year.”

The first quarter ended with the The win against the Nit‘Cats leading 4-3 after Penn State tany Lions bumped the Wildcats scored two more before the buzzer. into the Inside Lacrosse Top 20, The start of the second taking the 20th spot. While taking quarter saw three consecutive down Penn State for the first time goals from Daly and one by gradsince 2018 was a feat of its own, Tyler Moore Staff Writer

the team has much to look forward to in the coming season. As of the latest poll, ‘Nova is set to face five Top 20 teams, including Big East conference foes Denver and Georgetown. The schedule also features two teams that received votes in the poll.

However, the schedule is something to look forward to and the team is fully up to the challenge, according to Corrado. He also preached a focus on consistency from his team, noting that it will be necessary in order to hang with the best in the country.

“Consistency is always the greatest challenge and playing well consistently will be a challenge,” Corrado said. “ And if we don’t [play consistently] against good teams, you could end up losing some games. Our non-league schedule is designed to be competitive to prepare us for the Big East Conference, which is, to me, one of the best conferences in the country.”

Consistency will be important from the key returnees, including Daly and Campbell.

Daly was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll due to his explosive performance against Penn State, and Campbell was named to numerous preseason all-American teams, including the All-Big East Preseason team. “(Campbell’s) a four-year player for us, so I expect him to be a leader on and off the field,” Corrado said of the senior. “I expect

him to have a really good season.

He’s incredibly talented. He’s one of the best players at his position in the country, so I fully expect him to continue having a successful career.”

The biggest challenge for the Wildcats will come on the defensive end which features a fresh set of faces. Graduate defender Chris Hervada is newest to the team, as he transferred from Monmouth, where he was named MAAC Defensive Player of the Year and led the Hawks to a conference title.

“We have a lot of youth at the defensive end of the field, a lot of new faces down there, and I think our defense continues to improve and get better through practice and through games.

Experience will be really, really important,” Corrado said.

The next step for the Wildcats is a trip to Connecticut to take on the seventh ranked Yale Bulldogs on Saturday at noon. The contest will be Yale’s first official game since the 2020 season due to the Ivy League’s cancellation of sporting events last year. The two teams played back in 2020, and the Wildcats came out on top, 1812.

“I think a key to the game [will be] limiting turnovers against them and limiting them in transition,” Corrado said. “They’re a very good transition team, so I think those two areas are going to be really, really important for us.”

Softball Goes 2-3 In Opening Weekend

Aphrodite Dimopoulos Staff Writer

Villanova Softball started the season this past week in a packed program, traveling down to Atlanta, Georgia for the Buzz Classic, hosted

by Georgia Tech. The team faced three schools in five games, coming out victorious in two. It beat Marshall, 9-1, and lost to Georgia Tech on Friday, 9-2 and lost to Marshall, 8-0, and to Georgia Tech on Saturday, 11-0.

The team closed with a 7-5 win over Saint Joseph’s on Sunday morning.

The Wildcats are coming off of a record-breaking season, having won Villanova’s first-ever conference title in 2021, with a record of 37-15 (.712) to record the fourth-highest winning percentage and fifth-most wins in a single season in Villanova history. In regular season Big East play alone, the team went 15-2 (.882) to set another program record for the highest winning percentage in conference games, as well as tying the school record for most Big East wins in a single season.

Walking onto the field this weekend, Villanova had the title of “Defending Big East champions” as it started off its busy weekend against Marshall, playing a strong offensive game to lead the Wildcats to their first win in the first ever matchup between the two programs.

Senior Megan Kern and sophomore Tess Cites each homered, helping the team reach a cumula-

Victoria Sebastian hit her first career triple in a win over St. Joseph’s.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

tive nine runs, with Cites recording a career-high three runs scored and junior Chloe Smith driving in two more runs. Offensively, 16 of Villanova’s 29 plate appearances resulted in a hit, walk or hit by pitch. A notable offensive moment in the game came from freshman Alexa Raphael, as she entered the game as a pinch runner and stole a base, continuing on to score her first collegiate run in the second inning.

Graduate pitcher Paige Rauch more than held her own on the mound as she pitched a three-hitter with six strikeouts in a five-inning matchup, and junior Dani Dabrowski saved a potentially dangerous hit from Marshall late in the game with a head

first diving catch to close it out in the fifth-inning.

The second game of Friday resulted in a 9-2 loss to tournament host Georgia Tech. Despite the final score, Villanova had many successes, most notably junior Ally Jones hitting her first home run of the season in the seventh inning. Senior Ryan Henry also had a day, going three-forfive in both games on Friday. Senior Sara Kennedy pitched a solid game, scattering three hits and four walks in three innings pitched.

Saturday was a tough day for the Wildcats, as they fell to both Marshall and Georgia Tech and were held scoreless in both outings. During the Marshall game, Villanova found

just three hits throughout the game while Marshall took control early in the game, scoring four first inning runs, and building a lead that Villanova was not able to overcome. Later that afternoon, Villanova managed only one hit against Georgia Tech, in the fourth inning from Kern. Rauch started on the mound and pitched 2.2 innings, taking the loss to bring her to a 1-1 record this season.

However, Villanova finished the weekend on a high note with a win against Saint Joseph’s on Sunday.

The Wildcats’ top five players in the batting order accumulated a combined nine hits and seven RBIs. After Saint Joseph’s came out hot with three runs in the first inning, Smith hit a two-run single to tie the game in the bottom of the inning. Junior Victoria Sebastian was a standout in the middle of the lineup, driving in the goahead run in the bottom of the fifth inning with a deep triple to right field, the first triple of her career. Kern went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Jones had two hits and drove in three runs in the first two innings alone. Freshman pitcher Kelsey White relieved Rauch and pitched three innings to earn her first collegiate win.

After ending the weekend with a 2-3 record, Villanova prepares to travel to Gainesville, Florida on Feb. 18 for the T-Mobile Tournament, where it will play five more games against four tough opponents: Louisville (4-1), Duke (4-1), Florida A&M (1-3) and Florida (4-1).

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

SPORTS

The Villanovan | 15

Men’s T&F Prepares for Big East Championship

Jacob Artz Staff Writer

PRs, personal records, from week to week.”

Senior distance runner CharThe track and field Big East lie O’Donovan, who ranks third in Championships are scheduled for the Big East standings for the indoor Feb. 25 and 26 in Chicago. So, for its mile, ran a time of 3:58.17 in the final weekend of the regular season, same mile race as Dolan. This posted the Villanova men’s team spent it to time is the second fastest of his career, continue its steady improvement and with the fastest coming at Penn State prepare for a strong performance. two weeks ago.

The Wildcats were spread out After recording a personal over three different meets this past best of 15.79 meters last week, senior weekend, with groups competing at triple jumper Malik Cunningham the Rutgers Open, the Indoor Music raised his personal best to 16.12 City Challenge at Vanderbilt Unimeters on Saturday at the Tiger Paw versity and the Tiger Paw Invite at Invite. He is now second all-time on Clemson University.

Villanova’s performance list in the Junior middle distance runner triple jump.

Sean Dolan continued his pursuit “He’s been jumping really of the all-time record for Villanova well,” O’Sullivan said. “He’s just been in the mile. Dolan commented last fouling, which means he’s not hitting week that he was eyeing up the school the board right. So, he was at Clemrecord in the mile, and he consistently son this weekend with Coach Anthoapproaches it with better times each ny, and that was a big jump, really big week. jump.”

Dolan competed in the InGraduate thrower Riley LaRdoor Music City Challenge on Friday iviere recorded a personal best throw and set a new personal best by more of 16.75 meters on his final attempt than eight tenths of a second, with in the college section of the weight a time of 3:56.39. This is Dolan’s throw. second straight race breaking the “Leaving Lehigh and coming four minute barrier, and he currently down to us (was) just a natural tranranks second in the Big East standings sition, a natural progression for him, for the indoor mile, behind Georgeand I just think he was very confident town’s Mattew Payamps’s time of first throw out,” O’Sullivan said.

3:55.53.

In other running events, ju“I think he’s on the cusp of it nior Haftu Strintzos ran in the fastest (Payamps’s 3:55.53),” Villanova head section of the 5000 meters and postcoach Marcus O’Sullivan said. “He’s ed a time of 13:50.42, placing him in been training really hard. I definitely fifth in the Big East indoor standings. think that school record (3:48.83) is Junior Mac Costonis posted a peron the brink of him getting it. What sonal best time of 50.27 in the 400 I’m saying is he’s still running a little meters. heavy legged, and he’s still pulling out At the Rutgers Open on

Josh Phillips (left) and Haftu Strintzos (right) both had impressive showings over the weekend Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Saturday, senior Richie Bush ran a 22.35 in the 200 meter dash, and sophomore Nicholas Mollica followed close behind with a personal best time of 22.70.

In another middle distance event in the 800 meters, sophomore Chris Weeks lowered his personal best by more than seven tenths of a second, posting a time of 1:55.66. His previous personal best was a 1:56.37 in high school.

“Chris’s coming off of an injury all fall,” O’Sullivan said. “He’s been in the pool swimming. He’s a pretty decent swimmer, so at the end of the day, I think that was a good sign for him.”

Weeks originally ran a 1500 meter race last year as an unattached runner, but he was dropped down to the 1000 meter and 800 meter races.

“As it turns out, he’s got a little more speed than we thought,” O’Sullivan said. “He seemed to be a bit more comfortable in it.”

In the 3000 meter race, redshirt freshman Liam Murphy, true

freshman Jack Jennings and senior Josh Phillips all recorded personal bests. Phillips registered a sub eight minute time of 7:58.45, while Murphy posted a time of 8:07.96 and Jennings finished in 8:12.25.

Phillips benefitted nicely from a needed break in his native Australia, which gave him a sense of urgency once he came back to train.

“In that momentum that was created from being behind, he pushed on through the workouts, and all of a sudden, got the PR and another PR,” O’Sullivan said. “It goes to show sometimes the rest does pay off when it’s timely.”

The Wildcats will be contenders for the top spot in the team competition of the Big East Championships in two weeks, but they will face tough opposition from UConn and Georgetown. Some top contending events to watch out for are Cunningham in the triple jump, Dolan in the 800 meters, Dolan and Charlie O’Donovan in the mile and Phillips and Strintzos in the 3000 meters.

2022 Baseball Season Preview Zac Tipton Staff Writer Villanova baseball is coming off one of its best records in a long time and best under head coach Kevin Mulvey, going 21-14 in the 2021 shortened campaign.

Mulvey is entering his sixth season at the helm for the Wildcats after retiring from the MLB. From last year’s team, the Wildcats lost a lot of key players, most notably pitchers Gordon Graceffo and Jimmy Kingsbury, who both were selected in the MLB draft, and infielder Nick Lorusso, who transferred to Maryland. Mulvey will try to keep this team on the upward climb and go for a third straight winning season.

Villanova brought in some key freshmen and transfers to make up for these losses. The Wildcats are joined by Cole Patton, a junior from Seton Hall, and Cade Udell, an underrated pitcher who transferred from Duke and can hit 97 on his fastball. They also added senior first baseman Joey Castellanos, a four-year player at UMass-Lowell.

The Wildcats’ offense this season will be led by senior Chris Rotondo, who was named Big East All-Preseason Team and is coming off a year where he led Villanova in almost every offensive category including extra-base hits, home runs, stolen bases, RBIs and runs scored.

Villanova is bringing back a ton of pitching talent, includ-

Chris Rotondo (above) was named to the Big East All-Preseason Team Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

ing closer Danny Wilkerson, who led Villanova in appearances and finished second in the Big East in saves. Senior Cameron Mathes had 26 strikeouts in 18 innings last season, and will be looking to continue that in his senior year. Senior Tyler Arella is entering his sixth season on the team and will look to continue his impressive stature of holding batters to a .242 batting average. Devin Rivera is hoping to continue bringing in strikeouts in his sophomore season after averag-

ing 8.5 per nine innings as a freshman. The last big name returning for the Wildcats is senior Jonathan Cole, who missed all last season due to Tommy John surgery and will play his first season at Villanova after transferring from Franklin & Marshall.

On the offensive side of the ball, Villanova is bringing back a few players to go along with Rotondo. Senior Pat O’Neill hit .278 last year in 22 starts and will be trying to take the next step as a

senior. Sophomore Jack O’Reilly averaged .318 last year in 11 games started and drove in 20 RBIs. O’Reilly’s classmate, Cameron Hassert, was very impressive in the field and on the bases but hit just .182 in 77 at-bats. Sophomore AJ Hansen had a .385 on-base percentage a season ago.

Both O’Reilly and Hansen can play infield and outfield, which helps a very depleted outfield that might rely on a couple of freshmen in Connor Hale and Shane Solari.

Will Reiner will start at catcher in his junior season, with sophomore John Whooley and freshman Josue Valdez backing him up on rest days.

Villanova’s season will start on Feb. 18 when it will face off against a top-100 team in Pepperdine for a three-day series. The Wildcats will have 47 non-tournament games to go along with the Liberty Bell Classic midseason tournament at home. Villanova will have 16 games at home this year, including a non-conference tournament against New Jersey Institute of Technology. In the Wildcats’ non-conference schedule, their big matchups are against Tulane, Virginia Tech and Richmond, not to mention the fact that they will also face Big East heavyweights in UConn, St. Johns and Creighton.

The top four teams participate in the Big East Tournament, and, for the Wildcats, they have a good chance of being one of those four.

16 | The Villanovan

SPORTS

Women’s Lacrosse Loses Home Opener Owen Hewitt Staff Writer

On Saturday afternoon, the Villanova women’s lacrosse team gave up a second-half run to the Willam & Mary Tribe, dropping the first game of the season, 14-13.

Junior midfielder Addie Fischer led the ‘Cats in scoring with a career-high four goals on four shots.

The Wildcats led the game in shots, 39-26, and draw controls, 19-11, but could not manage to come away with a victory in the home opener. Tribe senior attacker Lauren Russell led all scorers with seven goals on eight shots, and freshman goalkeeper Elise Palmer made 16 saves, including multiple in the closing minutes, in her collegiate debut for the Tribe.

The ‘Cats got off to a decent offensive start, scoring four goals in the opening period as transfer junior attacker Cara Moreau scored her first goal as a Wildcat to open the scoring at the 13:24 mark of the first. Fischer followed with the second, and senior midfielder Alexa Tsahalis and freshman attacker Sami Carey scored the third and fourth, respectively.

The ‘Cats kept up the scoring through the second period, taking an 8-3 lead into the half, with freshman attacker Sydney Pappas netting the first goal of her Villanova career, and senior captain Libby McKenna scoring twice in the period. At the half, Villanova led in shots at 22-9 and draw controls at 9-3.

The Tribe came out of the

half hot on the offensive end and went on a 5-0 run and held a 7-3 scoring advantage in the third period, closing the ‘Cats previous 8-3 lead down to 11-10.

In the fourth, Fisher converted two free-position attempts to bolster the ‘Cats lead to three, but the Tribe then scored three unanswered to tie the game up with 2:41 remaining on the clock. Tribe freshman attacker Serena Jacobs found the back of the net with just 2:17 to play for her third goal of the game, all of which came in the final period, giving the Tribe the lead, 14-13. The Tribe would hold on thanks to some excellent play between the sticks from Palmer, whose 16-save performance tied her for the fifth best in William & Mary history.

‘Cats senior keeper Alexa Moro gave up 14 goals on 26 shots, making seven saves throughout the contest. Senior midfielder Caroline

Curnal won a career-high 13 draw controls, while senior defender Hanna Driscoll forced three Tribe turnovers, a new career best for her. Senior midfielder Alexa Tsahalis also set a new career high in both shots and shots on goal, with eight of each.

The Wildcats will be back in action on Feb. 16 as they take on the Temple Owls. The Owls will provide a challenge for the ‘Cats, as the team is ranked No. 22 in the IWLCA’s coaches’ poll. The Owls are coming off a strong performance against Army, where they took home the victory, 16-5. The ‘Cats will have to score goals past graduate goalkeeper Annie Carroll, who posted an 83% save percentage in the match against Army.

Villanova will travel to Temple to take them on at 6 p.m. The ‘Cats will then return home on Saturday, taking on the Cornell Big Red.

Addie Fischer led the Wildcats with four goals on the day.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

Men’s Tennis Goes 0-2 On The Weekend Noah Swan Staff Writer The Villanova men’s tennis team finished a tough weekend with two losses to Delaware on Friday then Monmouth on Sunday, both by a score of 7-0.

One major caveat for the weekend arrived mere minutes before match play began against Delaware with the removal of sophomore Eitan Khromchenko from the lineup due to injury. Khromchenko opened the season with a doubles win at the #2 position with freshman Trey Fourticq, and head coach Brad Adams intended to play him third in the singles lineup.

“Eitan Khromchenko was injured for the whole weekend,” Adams noted of the situation. “We had to totally reconfigure our lineup 15 minutes before our match with Delaware. It was actually Fourticq and [sophomore Anthony] Prokurat at #2 [doubles].”

Fourticq and Khromchenko presented Adams with the team’s only doubles win during the team’s season opener against Jefferson, and their absences contributed to doubles struggles in both matches this weekend. Against Delaware, Fourticq and Prokurat battled in a 5-7 loss, but the other teams were less successful.

Junior Alex Kim, filling in for Prokurat in the #3 team, joined sophomore Ryan Nguyen in a 6-2 loss, while senior Matthew Jones and sophomore Josh Robinson lost in a similar fashion, 6-1.

Success in doubles has been a major point of focus for Adams and

his team throughout the offseason, and some of the improvement began to shine through in the match against Monmouth. Despite losing the overall doubles point, the Wildcats lost, 7-5, in two of the three matches. Junior Justin Suarez replaced Nguyen in the #3 team and nearly secured a narrow victory with Kim before dropping the last few games.

“Against Monmouth, I was extremely happy about how everyone played,” Adams said. “Unfortunately, we lost the doubles point to a very good team that will probably go on to make the NCAA Tournament. Considering these guys had not had much time together, they actually performed very well.”

With Khromchenko out, the narrow margins of victory speak to the effort of the team. The one area that requires improvement is the performance of the top doubles team of Jones and Robinson: The duo found immense success last season, and they will need to rediscover that form to lead this Villanova team to greater consistency.

The singles scores are similarly disheartening, yet the recognized youth of the team combined with injury replacements means the match experience is valuable, nonetheless.

Suarez entered the lineup at the #3 singles position in place of Khromchenko, and his performance inspired confidence in the junior as a potential regular starter for future matches.

“It’s not necessarily a guy at #6 [singles], it’s a guy who’s been in and out of our lineup for the last couple of years in Justin Suarez,” Adams said. “He has the ability to play high in the lineup, it’s more of whether he

can be consistent. He played a very good match against Delaware.”

Robinson, at the top of the lineup, failed to win any sets in his two matches, but for the sophomore, the experience against the highest level of competition will prove crucial in future matches. This is Robinson’s first season as the top player, and he still needs to find his footing at the new position.

“I think Josh played a very, very tight match yesterday where he came off the court saying he could play with these guys,” Adams said of the Monmouth performance. “Even with the loss, he kept his head up. It’s just a matter of securing the big points and being a bit tighter as far as not giving up loose points.”

Just below Robinson, Fourticq could not back up his opening match victory with similar results. The freshman found tougher opponents in his second and third ever competitive matches. As the youngest player in the lineup, Fourticq must still adjust to the college team setting, a noted change from the individual nature of junior tennis.

“Trey just needs to find himself,” Adams recounted. “It’s a very tough ask for a freshman to play that high in the lineup. He had a great fall, beat some quality players and now he’s getting some confidence.

It’s a different game coming from an individual sport all through juniors.”

The Wildcats must recover quickly with two matches this coming weekend, against Fairleigh Dickinson and Navy. The former is coming off two straight wins while Navy has already won seven of its 10 matches this season.

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

WEEKLY SCOREBOARD Feb. 9 - Feb. 15

Wednesday, February 9 Women’s Basketball @ UConn 72-69 W Thursday, February 10 None Friday, February 11 Men’s Track @ Rutgers Open No Team Scoring Women’s Track @ Rutgers Open No Team Scoring Men’s Tennis @ Delaware 7-0 L Women’s Tennis @ Delaware 6-1 L Women’s Track @ Tiger Paw Invite No Team Scoring Men’s Track @ Indoor Music City Challenge No Team Scoring Softball vs Marshall 9-1 W Softball vs Georgia Tech 5-2 L Women’s Basketball vs Marquette 74-63 W, OT Saturday, February 12 Softball vs Marshall 8-0 L Softball @ Georgia Tech 11-0 L Men’s Lacrosse @ Penn State 13-12 W Women’s Lacrosse vs William & Mary 14-13 L Women’s Track @ Rutgers Open No Team Scoring Men’s Track @ Rutgers Open No Team Scoring Women’s Track @ Tiger Paw Invite No Team Scoring Men’s Track @ Tiger Paw Invite No Team Scoring Men’s Basketball @ Seton Hall 73-67 W Women’s Water Polo vs Harvard 15-7 L Men’s Track @ Indoor Music City Challenge No Team Scoring Women’s Track @ Husky Classic No Team Scoring Sunday, February 13 Women’s Water Polo vs Mount Saint Mary’s 14-3 W Softball vs St. Joseph’s 7-5 W Women’s Basketball @ Seton Hall 72-60 L Women’s Water Polo vs Saint Francis 11-8 W Men’s Tennis @ Monmouth 7-0 L Monday, February 14 None Tuesday, February 15 Men’s Basketball @ Providence 89-84 W

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

The Villanovan | 17

SPORTS

Women’s T&F Finishes Regular Season

Catherine Browne Staff Writer

Over the weekend, Villanova’s women’s track and field was represented at three separate individual meets, with no team scoring.

The team competed for two days in meets hosted by Rutgers, Clemson and Washington.

In New York, for the Rutgers Open, graduate thrower Sade Meeks finished second out of 15 athletes in the championship section of the weight throw, with a mark of 19.13 meters. This throw adds to her success of the season, as it is the fifth-best mark of her career and second-longest throw in school history.

In the college section of the weight throw competition, senior thrower Emily Galvin marked her personal best and the fifth-longest throw in school history, with a mark of 16.59 meters. Graduate thrower Jul Thomson placed seventh right behind Galvin, with her top mark being 16.01 meters.

Senior Alexis Martin won first place in her heat of the 400 meter race, with a time of 59.67.

On the second day of the competition, freshman Maya Dorer competed in the 600 meter race and tied the eighth-fastest time in school history, clocking in at 1:33.26, which placed her in fifth.

Sophomore Kate Flynn recorded a new personal best in the 800 meter race, with a time of 2:29.76, finishing in ninth place.

In the shot put event, Meeks and Thomson made another appearance and placed third and

fourth, respectively, where Meeks’ top throw was 14.53 meters and Thomson threw an indoor personal best of 14.17 meters.

In the competition hosted

by Clemson, junior Jane Livingston beat her personal best in the preliminary heats of the 60 meter hurdles, with a time of 8.27. This qualified her for the semifinals where she beat her mark again, with a time of 8.25.

Following Friday’s competition, senior Sanaä Barnes earned second place on this year’s Big East performance list in the high jump, with a height of 1.77 meters. This mark tied her for third place out of 34 competitors. This was Barnes’ first time competing since the U.S. Olympic Team Trials last summer and the closing of the Villanova volleyball season.

Head coach Gina Procaccio says that Barnes’ appearance in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials last summer “has helped keep up the tradition because [they] usually do have athletes qualify for the Trials every year.”

In Seattle, Washington, junior Maggie Smith, freshman Sadie Sigfstead, junior Anna Helwigh and freshman Emma McGill ran in the invitational heat of the 3000 meter competition. Smith beat her personal best, with a time of 9:21.43, placing her in fourth place on the Big East performance list this season for the event. She finished seventh out of 83 competitors, with Sigfstead following close behind in 20th place, with a time of 9:27.04 and Helwigh in 27th place beating her personal best, with a time of 9:32.81.

Freshman Emma McGill

Mckenna Keegan (above) entered the top-three in 800-meter times this year.

Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

ran a personal best of 9:41.77 in the 3000 meter race.

On the final day of the competition, graduate student Mckenna Keegan raced in the top heat of the 800 meter race and placed third in the nation’s fastest times this season.

She finished with a time of 2:03.48, which puts her in a position to be selected as an individual qualifier for the NCAA Championships next month.

Keegan is one of the few athletes, including Meeks and Thomson, that will be graduating after this season, and Procaccio hopes for these athletes “to continue to improve and compete at the highest level” to strongly close out this season as some of the top scorers on the team.

Freshman Emily Robinson lowered her personal best in the mile, with a time of 5:02.63.

This weekend marked the final competition until the Big East Championships on Feb. 25 in Chicago. Procaccio has stressed the prevalence of the Big East Championship in the past, and she feels as though this weekend was the last chance to see if anything needs changing, but she thinks the team looks really good coming out of the final regular season competition.

The women’s track and field team has won 17 Big East Championship titles and will take a crack at number 18 in a couple of weeks.

And, Procaccio knows that in the upcoming contest, the team will have to lean on its seniors, who have experience in the big meet.

“Every team is different,” Procaccio said. “[They] are always going to rely on [their] strengths and (...) on the seniors that have been [at the championships] before.”

Women’s Tennis Falls to 0-3 on the Season

Charlotte Ralston Staff Writer

er match,” Reiniger said about the third doubles slot. “And when I say ‘mix up the doubles combinations,’ it could go [for slots] one through three, because we haven’t really clicked yet. I want to give it time, I want them to try to get used to playing with each other.”

While Fisher and Kapp went down 6-1, the number two duo of freshman Emma Brogan and senior Sabina Gregorian played a competitive 6-4 set, putting up a fight but ultimately failing to come out on top. The highest seeded pairing, seniors Annalise Klopfer and Emily Strande, did not finish their set, but the two losses alone were enough to award the Blue Hens the first point of the day in the doubles category.

Despite the setback in her doubles set, Klopfer continued her dominant streak for the ‘Cats in singles play later that afternoon.

She came from behind to defeat

Delaware’s Eliza Askarova in three sets after dropping the first, 4-6, to earn Villanova’s sole point of the match.

On Friday, Feb. 11, the “[Klopfer] lost to [AskaroVillanova women’s tennis team va] last year, so that was great for fell to the University of Delaware, her to really step up,” Reiniger 6-1, its third straight loss to open said. “She took care of her in the the spring season. The match also third set. It was 6-1, so she played marked the Wildcats’ third consecas well as I’ve seen her play.” utive loss to the Blue Hens, with A transfer student from their last win over Delaware comNavy in her second season at Villaing in 2016. nova, Klopfer has emerged as the This season, the team has backbone of the Wildcats’ lineup. yet to win a doubles match. Head After maintaining the top spot in coach Steve Reiniger has been exboth singles and doubles from last perimenting with different combiseason and opening spring 2022 nations, but the process takes time. with three straight singles victories, While he switched up the third Klopfer knows a thing or two about doubles pairing for the match at winning. Her success and senioriDelaware, partnering junior Caitlin ty on the team gives her a unique Fisher with senior Oliva Kapp for ability to help advise her team as it the first time since the preseason, looks to turn the season around.

Reiniger said he’s open to changes “I had Annalise just talk to in any of the pairings. the team about how she competes “I’ll probably try [the Fisher before the match,” Reiniger said. and Kapp combination] for anoth“So on Thursday, she talked to the team, and it was good to hear her angle on how she approaches tennis.”

Despite this motivation from their teammate, the ‘Cats lost all five of their other singles matches in straight sets. But, it was not for lack of heart.

“The effort’s always good,” Reiniger said. “As far as character is concerned, they always fight really hard. I don’t have to worry Annalise Klopfer (above) had Villanova’s lone win of the match. about that.”

Looking forward, Reiniger Courtesy of Villanova Athletics

stressed the importance of perfecting his lineup, a goal he has been focusing on throughout the beginning of the season as the team adjusts back to normal play post-pandemic. “[I’m] just trying to make sure I have the individuals in both the singles and doubles, and [trying] to make sure I have the lineup correct,” Reiniger said. “It’s been weird with COVID, we’ve had a few issues in the spring to start the season, so I just want to make sure I’m not overlooking anybody.”

The Wildcats look to capture their first team victory of the season on Saturday, Feb. 19 at Temple. In preparation for this match, Reiniger reported that the team is continuing to hone its doubles pairings after a stronger individual showing in singles versus Delaware.

“Our main focus will be on the doubles, [trying] to improve what we’re doing, and there’s a few individuals who can work on specifics,” Reiniger said. “Then, as a team, we’ll continue to work on closing and putting pressure on returning serves.”

After being swept by Temple at the preseason Villanova Invitational in singles, and Fisher and Kapp capturing the sole doubles win for the team, squaring off against the Owls this weekend will be a challenge for the ‘Cats. The Philadelphia-area rivalry is set for 7 p.m. Saturday night.

18 | The Villanovan

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

RIVALRY WEEK

RIVALRY WEEK History of the Rivalry

Matthew Ryan Co-Sports Editor In every great rivalry, there’s a defining moment — one play, sequence or game that takes everything to a whole other level.

For the Villanova vs. Georgetown matchup, that moment happened on a day that’s known for the unexpected. And boy, oh boy, was April 1, 1985, unexpected.

After completing an improbable run to the Final Four, the Wildcats topped Memphis State to advance to the national championship game where they would face the defending champion Hoyas.

Georgetown was the overwhelming favorite in the contest, coming off a national championship the season prior led by many NBA players, most notably Hall-of-Famer Patrick Ewing.

The Hoyas were so much the Goliath in the matchup that fans were celebrating the title before the game. To win, the Wildcats had to play a perfect game - and they did.

After entering the half leading by one, Villanova came out and had one of the greatest halves in college basketball history.

Throughout the 20-minute frame, the Wildcats had nine shots make it to the rim, and they all went in.

The lone miss in the entire half was a blocked shot by Ewing.

Despite Villanova shooting 78.6% from the field to Georgetown’s 54.7%, the game still came down to the wire. But, in the end, the ‘Cats held on for a 66-64 victory, giving the program its first-ever title.

“It was like everybody already proclaimed that [Georgetown] was going to be the champs, and it was just a matter of time,” said Chuck Everson, a 1986 Villanova graduate and center on the national title team. “And, it was the world’s greatest April Fool’s joke as it turned out. When we got the big win over them, then it became, ‘hey, now they were chasing us as much as we were chasing them after that.’”

While during Everson’s time on the Main Line, Georgetown’s program was certainly at a higher level than Villanova’s, the Wildcats were always competitive in their matchups with the Hoyas. From 1982-86, Villanova won at least one contest against Georgetown each season, and it was those back and forth affairs — plus the ‘85 championship game — that took the rivalry to a whole other level, according to Everson.

Villanova has a 34-30 record against the Hoyas after that championship game, including

The Wildcats beat Georgetown in the National Championship in 1985.

Courtesy of Fast Philly Sports

17 wins over the last 20 contests.

There has been a fair share of legendary matchups since ‘85, most recently being Georgetown’s upset over Villanova in the Big East Tournament a year ago.

However, over the last decade, the two programs have gone in opposite directions. Villanova has won two national titles, while Georgetown has had some good teams but has mostly been on the tournament bubble.

“We are the Georgetown of the 80s, right now, in the last seven, eight years,” Everson said. “We’re the team to beat all the time. We’re

the team that we’re getting everybody’s best effort, where that was Georgetown, back when we were playing.”

On Saturday, the No. 10 Wildcats will host a Georgetown team that is winless in 13 Big East games. The game will be similar but the opposite to the ‘85 championship game. There is an overwhelming underdog, but it’s not Villanova.

“We’re not the underdog for this game,” Everson said. “Georgetown’s the underdog. So it’ll be a little different scenario. We’ll be on the other side of that fence.”

VILLANOVA VS GEORGETOWN HISTORY OVERALL RECORD: 45-45 LONGEST WIN STREAK: 9 GAMES LONGEST LOSING STREAK: 6 GAMES HOME RECORD: 24-15 AWAY RECORD:18-23 CONFERENCE RECORD: 29-29 LAST 10 MATCHUPS: 8-2

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

RIVALRY WEEK

The Villanovan | 19

The Villanovan: Despite Wins and Losses, Beating Georgetown Will Be “Tough”

Meghann Morhardt Co-Sports Editor, The Villanovan In its 43 year history, the Big East has bred a multitude of rivalries among its members, both past and present, but arguably the most consistent and competitive one exists between Villanova and Georgetown. The two teams have spent the last four decades taking turns as the top dog in the conference, combining for half of the regular season titles in the conference’s 42 seasons, the Wildcats with 11 and the Hoyas with 10.

Sparked largely by the ‘Cats’ thrilling 66-64 upset over No.1 overall seeded Georgetown in the 1985 National Championship game, the rivalry has been fueled by upsets and tight games.

“It’s just always been that way,” Villanova head coach Jay Wright said of the competitiveness.

“I think the styles of play are unique to one another, they’re completely different styles of play, so it makes for a game where we’re both trying to impose each other’s wills. I think

we both do things that are difficult for each other.”

In the early years of the rivalry, Georgetown held a consistent advantage over the ‘Cats, with most Villanova victories being decided by single digits. At the turn of the century, however, a shift in power occurred as Villanova began its campaign for the top Big East powerhouse. Prior to the 2000-01 season, the Hoyas held a 32-20 lead in the overall series between the two teams and had seven regular season and six conference tournament titles to their name, but since then, the ‘Cats have dominated, winning 25 of the 38 subsequent matchups while accumulating eight regular season and four tournament titles.

Wright has led the Wildcats as head coach for 20 seasons and was a large reason for the shift in power. As a Pennsylvania native and Villanova assistant coach during the late ‘80s and early ’90s, Wright understands the rivalry as well as anyone.

“I remember growing up in the area, I remember the Georgetown-Villanova rivalries before ‘85, and those great Big East games

between Villanova-Georgetown,” said Wright. “Probably for me as a young player and coach coming up, those might have been my favorite games.”

Just last year, the Hoyas reignited the rivalry’s spark as they stunned Villanova in the Big East Tournament quarter finals. As the No. 8 seed, they knocked off the top seeded Wildcats, 72-71, and went on to win their first conference tournament championship since 2007 and first NCAA Tournament bid since the 2011-12 season.

Following the postseason push from the Hoyas last season, there was hope that the team had finally settled in and found their rhythm in head coach Patrick Ewing’s third season. Ewing, the centerpiece of the ‘85 Georgetown team, is no stranger to the rivalries of Big East basketball and was hired in 2017 to restore the Hoyas to their former heights, but aside from last season, this promise has yet to be fulfilled.

The Hoyas are in the midst of their seventh consecutive losing season in Big East play, losers of 14 straight and yet to win a conference

game. The Wildcats are on a roll, sitting at second in the conference with a record of 12-3.

The two teams met earlier this season when the ‘Cats traveled to Washington D.C., defeating the Hoyas, 85-74, in a more competitive game than anticipated. Villanova trailed by three at the half, giving Ewing’s squad hope of earning its first conference victory, but a hot second half from graduate guard Collin Gillespie and the rest of the Wildcat roster allowed Villanova to close out the game.

Entering the second matchup of the season on Saturday with the all-time series tied at 45 wins a piece, the Hoyas will have to overcome a top-10 Villanova team and a high energy atmosphere in the Finneran Pavilion as the team celebrates Senior Night and the final home game before students leave for spring break.

It is hard to imagine the winless Hoyas walking away victorious in these conditions, but anything can happen in a rivalry game. As Wright said prior to the January meeting, “It’s gonna be a tough game, it always is.”

The Hoya: In a Rivalry Built on Mythic Upsets, Never Count the Underdog Out Peter Dicioccio Sportswriter, The Hoya Familiarity breeds contempt. Ever since Villanova joined the Big East in 1980, one year after the conference’s inception, the Wildcats and the Georgetown Hoyas have had enough in common to make them natural rivals.

Most of these similarities still endure: Catholic identity, location in the Mid-Atlantic corridor, contempt for the Syracuse Orange. From the beginning, the pair’s commitment to hoops helped define the athletic character of the Big East, a dynamic most visible when they joined forces to stonewall football-centric Penn State’s bid for membership in 1985.

The 1980s provided the budding ‘Nova-Georgetown feud with a number of the eternal moments on which rivalries are built. With each side guided by a program-defining coach – the

bombastic Rollie Massimino for the Wildcats and legendary John R. Thompson, Jr. for the Hoyas — the two teams traded blows over the course of the decade.

While the majority of these conflicts were won by the Hoyas, who towered over most of the college basketball world both figuratively and literally at the time, fans on both sides of the fault line know that one rather important one was not.

The events of Apr. 1, 1985 are still seared into Hoya memory.

After defeating the Wildcats twice during the regular season en route to a 35-2 record and the number one overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, Thompson’s team of defending national champions lost a 66-64 heartbreaker to an eight-seeded Villanova squad in the final. It remains unclear what ancient magic Georgetown ran afoul of that allowed the Wildcats to miss one shot in the entire second half, but the loss punctured a growing mystique around the Hoya program that has never

rematerialized. Georgetown has returned to the Final Four exactly once since the loss, while the 1985 game is not even the most painful way Villanova shooting has dispatched an opponent in a national championship; that honor belongs quite convincingly to North Carolina in 2016.

The series’s upcoming installment this weekend lacks the luster of many of its predecessors.

Jay Wright’s Wildcats sit at #10 in the country, battling Providence for the Big East regular season title, an honor they have failed to secure just once since 2014. By contrast, Patrick Ewing’s Hoyas are an abysmal 0-13 in conference and have not won a game in over two months. While the last two meetings have been competitive – Georgetown’s thrilling one-point victory over Villanova in last year’s Big East tournament and a hardfought 85-74 Wildcat victory on Jan. 22 – neither took place in the hostile confines of Finneran Pavilion. After achieving a 45-44 advantage in the all-time series

earlier this year, Villanova certainly seems poised to broaden their lead when the two squads take to the floor on Saturday.

But as long as the odds may seem, this is a rivalry constructed on mythic upsets. By the season’s end, the Wildcats will almost certainly be preparing for their ninth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance; the Hoyas will be taking a long look in the mirror and asking difficult questions about the future of their program.

But for forty minutes of gametime on Saturday, wherever things will stand a month from now will take a backseat. Once the ball tips, it will be just two fanbases, two uniform combinations, two men in Wright and Ewing that have been witnessing the agony and ecstasy of this series ever since they were assistant coach and star player in the fabled ‘80s. It is unusual for so much to be attached to a relatively inconsequential college basketball game, but this is hardly just college basketball – it is the Big East.

EXPERT PREDICTIONS: Matthew Ryan Co-Sports Editor The Villanovan

Meghann Morhardt Co-Sports Editor The Villanovan

Saar Shah Sports Editor The Hoya

Maisy Liles Sports Editor The Hoya

What to watch for: Saturday’s game is a tale of two teams in two completely different situation. One is a top-10 program with national championship aspirations, the other is looking for its first Big East win after starting out 0-13.

Will there be an upset? No.

What to watch for: A struggling Georgetown squad will enter the Finneran Pavilion on Saturday looking to upset No.10 ranked Villanova and earn their first conference win this season, but the ‘Cats will ultimately come out victorious, using the energy from the senior night crowd to fuel the win.

What to watch for: Despite failing to win a single Big East contest this season, Georgetown will finally nab its first conference win of the season against one of the best teams in the country. Aminu Mohammed will have another statement game, proving his place in the Big East as the Hoyas shock the college basketball world.

What to watch for: Georgetown will prove once again why everyone loves the underdog when it succeeds in upsetting conference foe Villanova. Though the odds are stacked against the Hoyas, Donald Carey’s sharpshooting abilities from three will combine with Aminu Mohammed’s ongoing hot streak to put Georgetown on top.

Final score: Villanova 75, Georgetown 51

Final score: Villanova 78, Georgetown 63

Final score: Georgetown: 81 Villanova: 74

Final score: Georgetown 78, Villanova 74

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DINING SERVICES

Villanova Dining Services

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Featuring Recipes from Carla Hall

Brown Sugar Baked Chicken Creamed Kale Pan Roasted Cabbage with Celery Root Spoon Bread Dressing Green Bean Salad with Pickled Red Onion Visit our website to learn more about the lives and accomplishments of all of our featured chefs! https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/services/dining.html

ring a menu inspired by recipes from Edna Lewis!