Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography
From CEER to SAC: Career Development p. 8
Continued on p. 9 Villanova band “Off the Reserve”performed at the Rusty Nail. Courtesy of Off the ReserveContinued on p. 7 Continued on p. 2 SEPTA stop at 9:15 p.m., dozens of Villanova students are packed into the Rusty Nail, a small dive bar off Haverford Road, to see the band Off the Reserve perform.
South Campus Intruder Identified, Awaiting Trial
Villanova Football Prepares for LIU p. 13
VintageU Comes to Villanova p. 9
On August 19, Vil lanova University opened its arms and its campus to 1,800 incoming students, the Class of 2026, marking the begin ning of a four-day Orienta tion entationscollegeprogram.Unfortunately,anduniversityorihavebeengiven
a bad reputation, as they are often compared to summer camp. There is truth there: both New Student Orienta tion and summer camp have overlap. There are often a lot of icebreaker activities, long, sweltering days in the late-August heat, and the oc casional educational activity peppered in to encourage new learning.Butthere is a purpose to the activities that often induce eye rolls and groans. New Student Orientation provided incoming freshmen with a baseline community and an opportunity to famil iarize themselves with the place and the people they will call home for the next four years. New Student Ori entation at Villanova was an overwhelming display of the institution’s core Augustinian values: Veritas, Unitas and Caritas.Orientation Coun selors, ‘OCs,’ as they are affectionately labeled, act as their groups’ guides to all things Villanova, not only leading the loathsome icebreaker activities, but also providing their own insight into their transition to college and campus culture. In doing so, they ease student anxieties and worries.“He was very person able,” freshman Ava Petrosky said about her Orientation Counselor. “He opened up to us during the serious discussions [and] I felt he was comfortable sharing with us [which] helped my group to bond.” Students ate, learned and celebrated with the
Villanova Band “Off the Reserve” Performs
The room is hushed but eager. The crowd waits in anticipation as the guitarists tune up. There is silence, and then the iconic opening riff of U2’s “Vertigo” blares out of the amplifier. The room erupts into cheers as the audience begins to sing along. This is not a sold-out Wells Fargo arena concert. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. A block away from the Ardmore Tommy Lynch Staff Writer Fox Writes About Uni versity Gender Policy p. 3
Sofia Krzewicki Staff Writer
Cate McCusker Senior Editor In an email to the Villanova community on Tuesday, Sept. 6, Villanova Public Safety Chief of Police David Tedjeske announced the name, photo and license plate of 40-year-old Eugene Hammen, who broke into Good Counsel Hall in Octo ber 2021 and was arrested for loitering on South Campus in May 2022. It was later found that he was photographing female students. Hammen is not incarcerated at this time. After his arrest in May, Hammen was connected to the crimes that occured in October. The Villanova University Police Depart ment charged Hammen with Burglary, Invasion of Priva cy, Loitering and Prowling at Night, and Possession of Instruments of Crime in May. Following his arrest, Hammen was arraigned be fore a judge, fingerprinted and photographed. The judge then set a Release on Recognizance (ROR) Bond, meaning he was released on a contractual agreement that he will appear and comply as required with the rest of his legal process. His next hearing date has been set for PublicOctober.Safety issued a photo of the intruder in its email and encourages anyone who spots Hammen to con tact Public Safety as soon as possible. To the University’s knowledge, Hammen has not come back to campus since May. This email was sent to students a little less than two weeks after classes began. Tedjeske said there was one main reason for waiting. “I can’t recall a specif ic reason why it wasn’t includ ed at that time,” Tedjeske said. “I do know that we didn’t have all the information that we do now in terms of knowing what was on his phone. We chose to send the notice to be proactive, to let students know that this is someone they should be watching out for.” Tedjeske explained why the University notified the community on Tuesday. “With classes in swing and everyone back on campus, we thought it would be prudent to let students, faculty, and staff know about this because things escape people’s minds,” Tedjeske
Augustinians of Villanova: Father Aldo Potencio p. 10
Women’s Soccer Faces Two Ivy OpponentsLeague p. 14
STUDENT-RUN SINCE 1916WEDNESDAYSEPT07,2022www.villanovan.com@thevillanovanVOLUME114|ISSUE13
No. 6
onThoughtsOrientation
Vivi Melkonian Co-Editor-in-ChiefEugeneHammen was charged with Burglary, Invasion of Privacy, Loitering and Prowling at Night and Possession of Instruments of Crime.
REED: Radnor Township Says No to Plastic Bags p. 4
Volleyball Goes 2-1 In Villanova Tourney p. 15
Off the Reserve was formed out of an impromptu jam session outside of Dona hue Hall in the fall of 2020. Using the extension cords for the COVID-friendly tents to power their amplifiers, Bren dan King, Dominic Veltri and Michael Castelli began making music together. They registered for practice space, and every Saturday they lugged their equipment from Stanford Hall to St. Mary’s Hall. That is when Michael Simeone (who goes by Indigo Mane), a fellow freshman living in St. Mary’s, began joining their practices as an extra guitarist and vocalist. The band gives credit to Villanova for helping it get off the ground.
Start of HoroscopesSemester p. 11 A Freshman’s Thoughts on Orientation p. 6
As Villanova students, it is our duty to bring school spirit to every sporting event. So, yes. Definitely show out to support the team and bring the energy. Same goes for soccer and other fall sports. Go ‘Cats!
McCUSKER RACHEL
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.
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
2 | The
OpinionNewsCultureSports 1 4 9 13 VOL. 114 | ISS.
Fox Writes About University Gender Policy
Liquor Underage/ Public Drunkenness/ Public Urination September 3, SOUTH CAMPUS GROUNDS A non-affiliated male, under the age of 21, was cited for underage drinking after a female Res ident Assistant reported he had been urinating outside a female student’s window.
Following the 2021 in cident, the University moved to enhance security on South Cam pus, “including increased lighting and CCTV cameras, cutting back foliage and shrubbery near build ings, and increased patrols of the area,” according to an email sent on Tuesday.Tedjeske offered fur ther recommendations for how students can stay safe on cam pus. “If you live on a ground floor, keep your windows secured and your blinds closed,” he said.
Liquor Underage/ Public Drunkenness
September 4, GOOD COUNSEL HALL A male resident, under the age of 21, appeared in public intoxicated. Student was evaluated by Public Safety and released. NEWS
“Where are the best study spots on campus?” We are lucky that there are a ton of different study places for different vibes here on campus. For a quiet vibe, we reccommend the reading room in Falvey. For a louder, background noise vibe, try Conn or Bartley.
BEAZLEY VIVI MELKONIAN TINA ARON
“Hot or not: wearing sun glasses when outside on campus?” This is a hot topic here at The Villanovan. Some of our editorial staff believes that it is a huge no-no to wear sunglasses on campus, while others strongly believe in their functionality. So, unfortuantely, there is no consen sus here. Luckily, we are entering fall and won’t have to deal with this problem as much now.
“Especially students who are stay ing over breaks, when there’s not as many students around, that’s when the October incident oc curred, that’s a time to really make sure that doors aren’t propped and noting anything that seems out of place.” Tedjeske also said Public Safety is increasing patrols around campus. He explained that there are inherent risks that come with an open campus, and the entire community must remain vigilant.
CORRECTIONS
September 4, 1 ALDWYN LANE GROUNDS Two male resident students were found in possession of a small amount of marijuana and paraphernalia. Liquor Underage/ Public Drunkenness September 4, STANFORD HALL A female resident student, under the age of 21, was found in public intoxicated, evaluated by VEMS, and transported to the hospital.
Theft by Unlawful Taking or Disposition
Paraphernalia/ Possession-Marijuana
Foster helped to write the new University guidelines after requests for resources were coming in from staff and students to make their classrooms more inclusive. In the past year, especially as Villa novans return to campus postCOVID, many faculty members approached the Gender & Women's Studies Department and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, asking for advice on how to create a learning environment where all of their students would feel comfort able. Foster stressed that no new policy has been introduced, but the guide is merely filled with gender inclusiveTherecommendations.University'sadministra tion continues to remind its campus community members of its core Augustinian values: "Such moments [of outside criticism] invite us to be who we claim we are and to practice the values we hold: pursuing truth through dialogue across difference (Veritas), sharing a commitment to one another (Unitas) and deep care for all, particularly those most often overlooked (Caritas)."
Liquor Underage/ Public Drunkenness
Liquor Underage September 2, GOOD COUNSEL HALL Two male resident students, under the age of 21, were evaluated for alcohol intoxication.
September 4, KATHERINE HALL A female resident student, under the age of 21, appeared in public intoxicated. Student was evaluated by VEMS and transported to Bryn Mawr Hospital.
September 5, WEST CAMPUS SOCCER STA DIUM A female visitor reported a theft of camera equipment. The value of the loss is $500.00.
Hammen drives a 2014 dark blue Ford Transit van with PA Registration KFA1486. To report suspicious activity or individuals, contact Public Safety at 610-519-
In the last days of August, FoxNews.com released an article by Emma Colton commenting on Vil lanova University's new "gender in clusive guide" for the 2022-23 school year. The new guide calls attention to the importance of providing a gender inclusive environment for students and staff in their classrooms, work spaces and laboratories, "especially for those who identify within trans gender, nonbinary, gender noncon forming and/or gender questioning communities."JohnMonaco, a Catholic commentator, was interviewed by Fox News for his stance on the release of Villanova's new "Unfortunately,guidance.thisis just another episode of a Catholic univer sity nodding along to the zeitgeist," Monaco said, referencing the Uni versity's new gender inclusive recom Themendations.sourcesincluded in the article, such as quotes from the Book of Genesis, outline the ways in which they believe Villanova's new guide contradicts the teachings of the Cath olic Church.Colton quotes Monaco as saying, "it is nothing short of aston COLIN CATE REINIGER SARAH SWEENEY SARAH WISNIEWSKI LYDIA MEGHANNMATTHEWCHLOEELENAMcFARLANEA.J.FEZZAROUSEMILLERRYANMORHARDT MOLLY BAKER OLIVIA MICHAELPASQUALEBRADLEYDEENASMITHCONTACT Villanovan www.villanovan.com13@thevillanovan villanovan.eic@gmail.comAdvisorAdvisorPhotographyCopySportsSportsCultureCultureOpinionNewsNewsNewsDigitalSeniorAssociateEditor-in-ChiefEditor-in-ChiefEditor-in-ChiefEditorEditorEditorEditorEditorEditorEditorEditorEditorEditorDeskChiefEditor
PUBLIC SAFETY BLOTTER
ASK THE VILLANOVAN
“My boyfriend and I decided to take a break this semester. How do we decide to go no-contact?” This is a tough one. If you think it is easier for you to move on (at least for the time being) then no-contact is probably the best option. However, don’t feel pressure to commit to anything too fast. Take your time and see what works for you. “Should I go to the football games? What are the vibes like?”
ishing that Villanova University does not simply tolerate gender ideology, but actively promotes it. Catholic bish ops and universities should be leading the way in instructing a confused world in the truth of human sexuality. But unfortunately, many of them have simply yielded to the spirit of the age, betraying their divine mission, and leading souls astray." Soon after the article was published on Fox News's website, the University administration respond ed swiftly, responding, "Villanova upholds and maintains the Catholic Church’s teaching that all people are accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Calling someone by their name and pronouns is a show of respect for them as a person and fellow Villanovan.”TheUniversity's public statements remind the community that inclusivity is an integral part of Catholicism. When the University was prompted further about its reaction to the article, a spokesperson comment ed, "the role of a university, particu larly a Catholic, Augustinian one, is to care for its community members in mind, body and spirit. Catholic universities should lead the way in promoting the care of those who are at risk of"It'sharm."notcontroversial to say trans students attend Villanova and that trans people work here. That's just true, and we're all better off because of it," said Travis Foster, Academic Director for Villanova University's Gender & Women's Studies Depart ment.
Lauren Kourey Staff Writer Continued from p. 2 said. “Or in this case, the incoming freshman class wouldn’t have been notified about this at all.”
Disorderly Conduct September 3, SHEEHAN HALL Two female resident assistants reported hearing fireworks being set off inside Sheehan Hall. Liquor Underage/ Public Drunkenness September 3, FEDIGAN HALL A female resident student, under the age of 21, was evaluated for alcohol intoxication.
Liquor Underage/ Public Drunkenness September 4, ST. MONICA HALL A male resident student, under the age of 21, appeared in public intoxicated. Student was evaluated by Public Safety and released.
Paraphernalia September 4, SOUTH CAMPUS GROUNDS Three male resident students were found in possession of drug paraphernalia.
Katie Reed News Columnist effect so that the businesses and their customers can adjust accordingly. In the meantime, there is still plenty of work to be “Hopefullydone. in the future we can get rid of other single-use plastic items,” Savitz said. “There are things we can all do to reduce our plastic waste.”
The University welcomed back the Villanova community.
“Orientation and Villanova have felt closer and closer to how I remember my pre-COVID Orien tation and first year experience,” said senior Hannah Murphy, who is the 2022 Student Chairperson for Villanova’s New Student Ori entationForprogram.Villanova’s oldest stu dents, COVID and its aftermath has been a steadfast reminder that it’s never too late for new beginnings or fresh starts. “It’s been so refreshing to have an almost-normal semester back on campus so far,” senior Rachel Reardon said. “I still re member being sent home my first year at Villanova, and it’s been so awesome to see our community rally to be safe & stay on campus. Hopefully, senior year can be wor ry-free for my peers and me so we can enjoy a peaceful and celebra tory last year at Nova.” The University’s student body is not the only one hopeful for this new year. On August 24, University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D., sent his annual welcome back message to the Villanova community. For the first time since 2020, COVID-19 was not men tioned. Rather, he discussed what is “new” about Villanova: its peo ple and its “Thecampus.startof an academic year is always an exciting time as it brings new faces, new stories and new experiences to Villanova,” Father Peter said in the email. Father Peter welcomed the class of 2026, which joins us from 44 states and 31 countries. He an nounced campus transformations, including Mendel Hall to boast a Holy Grounds, West Campus residence hall renovations, CEER excavation work and more. The start of Fall 2022 brings new beginnings and con tinuing traditions for the entire Villanova community. After a successful first week of fully in-person and many unmasked classes, Villanova remains hopeful for a happy and healthy remainder of the semester.
Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography
“Nothing we use for a few minutes, such as single-use plastic bags, should be allowed to litter our communities, pollute our environment and fill our landfills and incinerators for hundreds of years to come.” Stores around Radnor—and of course, the University—have a sixmonth period before the ban goes into
REED: Radnor Township Says Goodbye to Plastic Bags
On August 24, the Villano va community returned to cam pus. However, something felt different this year. There was only a small number of masks, no so cial distancing and little to no talk of COVID-19.Withthe world appearing to be moving farther out of the pandemic each day, the fall semes ter is looking much more normal than the past two years. Nova Na tion appears truly back - arguably for the first time since 2019. According to the University COVID-19 Campus Information page, the following policies are in effect: all students, faculty and staff who will be on campus are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 (with the ex ception of approved accommoda tions). The COVID-19 booster is strongly recommended. Masks are not required indoors or outdoors. Professors are able to decide whether or not they will require masks within their classrooms. Any student who tests positive is expected to isolate for five days, per CDC guidance, and notify the Student Health Center. While the University will continue to engage in contact tracing of student COVID-19 cases, it will maintain only a limited number of beds off-campus and in the Stu dent Health Center for students who test positive or who are not up to date with their vaccines and require quarantine as a close con tact. Unlike last year, masks are recommended, but not required for visitors to campus. For a community and a student body largely impacted by the pandemic, this new normal brings feelings of hope and excite ment for the year ahead. “I definitely feel more com fortable coming to campus this year versus last year,” sophomore Kai Da Luz said. “I have a much stronger appreciation for in-person classes after online and asynchro nous learning.”However, with hope also comes uncertainty. For many students, “back to normal” feels unfamiliar and untrustworthy. The 2021 Fall semester began mostly unmasked and in-person before both the Delta and Omicron vari ants widely impacted the remain der of the year. “I’m definitely excited for everything to come this year,” Da Luz said. “I am a little worried about another surge of COVID, not necessarily because of COVID itself, but because I don’t think I could do online classes again.” For the senior class, the pandemic has meant a social-dis tanced college experience. With only one year left, many feel as though they are returning to the Villanova they knew as freshmen.
“If students are interested in getting involved and helping to reduce plastic waste in their community, be vocal about it and talk to your leaders, not just on your campus but in your community,” Savitz said. “Let them know what issues you care about and let your voice be heard. Your voice has power; you can use it.” He further emphasized that even making small changes can have a ripple effect in one’s lifestyle choices. “Try and use reusable alter natives in every part of your lives,” Savitz said, mentioning examples such as bringing reusable bags to grocery stores or mugs to coffee shops. “When you start making switches, you start to see other ways you can make change.” Savitz also encourages stu dents to shop locally, buy things in bulk and go to zero waste stores. Many students on campus have already adopted these strategies, and the Student Sustainability Com mittee (SSC) at the University is hard at work to increase awareness about these issues and implement changes on campus.Junior Fiona Lonergan is a member of SSC, specifically working with the Food Group. She offered her praise for the ban passed by Radnor and the positive impacts it will have. “I think it’s a great thing be cause it’s showing that the local com munity is being progressive toward environmental change,” Lonergan said. “I think it’s necessary, as we can’t keep going down the trajectory that we are. Nothing can be done without change.”Like Savitz, Lonergan also discussed how the ban will help people be more aware of the changes they can make in their own lives, as they will have to adapt to this new leg islation and choose what to do going forward.“Now, it’s on to bigger steps to reducing our plastic waste and doing more than just recycling,” Lonergan said. “[We’re putting an] emphasis on learning to refuse,” as in refusing to comply with practices that hurt the environment and, consequently, ourselves in the long run. Lonergan provided a pleth ora of resources that students may not be aware of but can help them to adopt more sustainable lifestyle choices.For instance, students can get locally made bread delivered to Rosie’s, and they can get produce from local farmers delivered to St. Mary’s. They can bring compost to MOM’s Organic Market in Bryn Mawr, which also accepts items such as denim, batteries and old technol ogy people are looking to get rid of. SHIFT on the Main Line is also a great place to shop for environmen tally friendly, zero waste products. “You can make a difference by being aware and wanting to learn to change,” Lonergan said. “Radnor is a perfectCollegeexample.”isatime when students are always absorbing new information and learning about what kind of life they want to live. This, as Lonergan pointed out, of fers a lot of teaching opportunities for sustainable living, especially on the heels of this legislation. If one is looking for more information about what they can do to be more eco-friendly and get more involved, they can check out SSC’s website and its Instagram, to learn about any upcoming events.
Wednesday, September 07, 2022 The Villanovan | 3NEWS Fall 2022: Welcome Back Nova Nation
Additionally, Savitz remarked that the next major step would be to have a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags, following the lead of states like New Jersey, adding that it should not take a formal ban for us to look more critically at our plastic usage. “There are many things businesses can do voluntarily,” Savitz said. “Hopefully we don’t always need legislation to do it, but sometimes that is the case.”Savitz also had a power ful message to share with students.
According to a press release from PennEnvironment, “a statewide citizen-based non-profit environ mental advocacy organization,” the Radnor Board of Commissioners passed Ordinance 2022-11 on Aug. 15, which bans single-use plastic bags in Radnor Township. The passing of this ban will have a large impact on the communi ty, as Radnor is estimated to use about 12 million single-use plastic bags annually.“That’s a lot of plastic we are keeping out of the environment,” Faran Savitz, a Zero Waste Advocate for PennEnvironment, said in a press release, referencing the nearly 66 tons of plastic that will be eliminated. “From that perspective, it’s a win.” Savitz further detailed the significance of this legislation. “Plastic bags are the poster child for the environmental harm caused by single-use plastics,” he said.
Molly Carriero Staff Writer
“A Homily Like No Other:” Father Peter’s “Hands On” Orientation Homily
Nawn assumed Fr. Peter was going to ask him a question. “It was not that at all,” Nawn said, laughing. “The first thing he told me was, ‘Become a lump ofAndclay.’”he did just that, as he curled up into a ball and plopped down on the stage. Fr. Peter then began to describe this story in Genesis, as he molded the “clay” that was Nawn into shape.The crowd began to laugh, look concerned and then laugh some more, as a general notion of shock fell over all those present. Fr. Peter continued in his narration, shaping Nawn’s arms, ears, face and head as God had done with the clay in Genesis.
Fr. Peter brought freshman Matthew Nawn onstage for an unforgettable homily. Courtesy of Maddie McClay
Since Spring 2022, Villano va University has let its students put their pronouns in their Banner accounts, as they would show up in class schedules and all Universi ty communication to them. Since then, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has come out with a “Gender Inclusive Practices Guide” in conjunction with the Gender and Women’s Studies Department. It was written in the hopes of cultivating an inclusive com munity within Villanova, its class rooms, laboratories and workplaces. It asks the questions: How can we cultivate gender-inclusive teaching and work environments? How can we invite full participation from people of all genders and respond to the harmful effects of gender ste reotyping and misgendering? There are six suggestions that are said to be not comprehensive but form a good introductory step. These sug gestions have been put into place in the classroom. This semester, professors have put gender state ments in their syllabus and have asked students for their pronouns as a part of their introductions. This is a major leap forward for Villanova, as it is accepting of the changes that are happening in the world. Students have want ed this out of Villanova and are pleased by this. The task of asking students their pronouns is simple and necessary for all students to have a sense that they are wel comed and Otherrespected.universities have responded to their students’ needs for gender inclusivity, as well. University of Notre Dame is going in a similar direction for its stu dents. Though there is no policy in place for its students, the South Bend school has taken steps for a welcoming community. It has an advisory committee for LGBTQ+ students, with appointed students and staff. The advisory committee does not put out policy nor does it serve as a governing body for the university, but it is a great step. Its Diversity and Inclusion website reads: “We welcome all people, re gardless of color, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, social or economic class, and nationality, for example, precisely because of Christ’s calling to treat others as we desire to be treated.” Having an advisory committee similar to this for LGBTQ+ students would give students a chance to be repre sented in a community where they have not been However,before.there has been a greater public response to it. One of which was an article by Fox News, in which Catholic commen tator John Monaco said that it was “shameful” of Villanova. He said that this was “an episode of a Catholic university nodding along to zeitgeist,” and that Villanova was striving for “public acceptance and eliteAftermetrics.”reading this, I was disappointed that the practice guide was seen as Villanova seek ing “acceptance” rather than an effort to support all of its students. There is no doubt that the “Gen der Inclusive Practices Guide” is going to greatly serve students within the transgender, non-bina ry, gender noncomfoming and/or gender questioning community. But more can and should be done. Compared to other universities in the United States, Villanova is coming up short. There needs to be more of an effort for them to cater to students’ backgrounds and values. It is for the greater good of Villanova that a gender inclusivity policy is put in place.
Kai da Luz Staff Writer
Villanovans, whether they be transgender, nonbinary or gender non-conforming, should be treated with respect and regard for their gender. It is not an abuse of its beliefs to ask students for their pronouns. Rather, it is a way of welcoming a student’s own beliefs.
As it reads, it is a part of the Augustinian values– Veritas, Unitas and Caritas– that Villano va respects students of differing faiths and values. Villanova can not say that Unitas is one of its values if it is not courteous to wards students’ genders.
Gender Guidelines Are Step in Right Direction
Welcome back, Wildcats. After a summer full of people an swering your “V’s up” with peace signs, and Starbucks messing up your Holy Grounds go-to, it must feel good to be back on campus. The beginning of the fall semester means welcoming a new class, the Class of 2026. Like the rest of us, they were welcomed with four days of orientation, jampacked with chants, games and OCs. And while I don’t believe any member of the Class of 2026 will be “going pro” for mascot stealing, it was a memorable Orientation nonetheless.One particular moment on the fourth day at the Com missioning Ceremony stands out. Freshmen gathered in the Finneran Pavilion, filling the floor and lower bleachers. The ceremony began with a prayer service led by Uni versity President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D. Every thing seemed to be going normally, until Fr. Peter stood up for the homily.“It was a homily like no other,” freshman Matthew Nawn said. Nawn is an Electrical Engineering major from Hanover, PA. He was able to experience Fr. Peter’s homily up close, as he was actually part of it. Fr. Peter began talking about the second chapter of Gen esis, focusing on the creation of man. “He asked for volunteers, and no one from the crowd stood up, so I thought, ‘Hey I’m a devout Catholic, I’ll go up and volunteer,’” Nawn said.
Zoe Kim Staff Writer
I believe Fr. Peter’s Homily served this purpose of welcoming the new students to Villanova with open arms, demonstrating how tru ly excited he is to see a new gener ation of Wildcats with the class of 2026.
Wednesday, September 7, 20224 | The Villanovan OPINION OPINION
The whole molding se quence went on for at least 30 sec onds, as everyone looked back and forth to verify that this was really happening.AsFr. Peter turned to speak to the audience, he firmly held Nawn’s head in his hands. Fr. Pe ter then spoke of the verse in which God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” (Genesis 2:7).
“I knew that was coming, and I didn’t know if he was actu ally going to do it or not,” Nawn said, referring to the breath of life portion. “I didn’t know if it was going to be full contact or not, like if I was about to get CPR from the president.”Fortunately, Fr. Peter sim ply breathed off to the side rather than fully reenacting the scene. After such a crazy se quence, the crowd was left in a state of awe. Most were still uncon trollably laughing at the unpredict able and wild homily, sitting on the edge of their seats wondering how far it would go. We were all wondering, “why?’’After some time to mull it over, I have developed a few leads. One possible motive could be that Fr. Peter was trying to instill excitement in the Class of 2026 for the performing arts. We all know Fr. Peter’s background in theater and that he returned to direct a play just last year. It wouldn’t be too far-fetched to believe that he was trying to do a little impromptu promotion, right? Maybe Fr. Peter was look ing to provide a visual aid for his homily. Certainly a veteran of his trade, he must have realized that this message in Genesis would be best communicated with a demon stration, so he took matters (and Matthew) into his own hands. All jokes aside, Fr. Peter intended to show the new members of the Villanova community that we are all God’s creation made in his own image and likeness, and that each of us is valuable as such. Each student enters the university with unique abilities and traits, and throughout their Villanova experience, they are molded into more complete individuals who are ready to participate in a changing world.
ADAMS: Villanova Should Extend Add/Drop Period
The first full week of classes has quickly come and gone, but so has something else: the add/drop period for Manyclasses.students, including myself, have long exhibited frustra tion when it comes to just how brief this period of time is. This year, we started classes on a Wednes day, and by the following Monday, we had to decide whether or not to keep our courses the way they were. That gave students just under a week to decide what their sched ules would look like for the remain der of the semester, without having to withdraw without penalty (better known as “WX”). With just a few more days to decide, students’ schedules would benefit greatly.
The Villanovan | 5OPINIONWednesday, September 7, 2022
Carter Smith Staff Writer Villanova’s dining halls have garnered criticism for their lack of healthy options.
COLIN BEAZLEY VIVI MELKONIANTINAARONAJFEZZA POLICY
EDITORIAL
Freshens should also have longer hours. I loved the availability of the premade ones in Sparket last year, and now that it and the Con nelly locations have been renovated, I love grabbing a smoothie when available. They are quick, delicious, filling and nutritious. However, the hours of the locations are not great. It seems like they are barely open. At least they make some extra ones in the Sparket one to keep in the fridge for later, but the availability on main campus is laughable. Up perclassmen rarely want to trudge all the way to South Campus to get a smoothie. While it might not need to be open until 1 a.m. like the con venience stores, keeping Freshens open later into the evening would be greatlyWhileappreciated.theprotein bar se lection is a great start, make more room on those convenience store shelves for some better snack selec tions. Dried fruit is usually popular — maybe expand that selection? Or possibly add some more yogurt or parfaits? The same produce selection at meal times could even be repackaged into fruit or veggie cups. And maybe there could be some more sparkling water and tea instead of soda and energy drinks in the fridges.Being in the intense envi ronment of college, we do not get to treat our bodies with the utmost care all of the time, but I certainly think there is room to make getting proper nutrition a little easier.
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The Villanovan encourages all members of the Villanova community to voice their opinions. Let ters to the editors may be submitted via e-mail to villanovan.eic@gmail.com. Letters must not exceed 500 words and must be signed. No anony mous letters will be published. All submissions be come property of The Villanovan and are subject to editing for clarity and space.
This period of time is much too short to determine the outcome of schedules and whether or not a course is meant for an individual. According to a 2008 study from Florian Klapproth of the Berlin Institute of Technology, “Time pressure might keep decision mak ers from choosing the best alter native since, it has been assumed, they divide their attention between estimating the elapsed time and selecting an alternative.” It is clear that feeling pres sured to make a decision without ample time to do so can negatively impact the choices made, and this rings true with Villanova students. Not only are we having to make this decision on the fly, but we must do this on top of adjusting to classes again, getting acclimated to campus life and making sure our other responsibilities are met during the first week. It is a lot to handle.I reached out to the Vil lanova student body to see what they thought through my personal Instagram, and out of 65 respon dents, 92% of people responded that the add/drop period should be extended. Furthermore, common feelings of pressure were felt among students, with Carter Smith, a sophomore, stating that it “seems hard to know what a class is like in a week.”I felt in complete agreement with my fellow classmates. To find out if extending the add/drop peri od had ever been considered, The Villanovan reached out to Craig Wheeland, the Senior Vice Provost for Academics.“Asrecently as Fall 2018, the University’s Academic Policy Committee considered extending the drop-add period beyond one week at the request of the SGA representatives on the committee,” Wheeland said. “After discussing various options, the majority of the committee viewed the change as unnecessary, because one week to review the syllabi, hear about assignments, meet with faculty members and consider alternative courses is sufficient. In addition, some members expressed concern that extending the drop/add period will be disruptive in the second week as students continue to add or drop courses.”Wheeland also explained other unique options that the com mittee had“Theconsidered.committee also dis cussed having a five day add period and seven day drop period,” he said. “However, the majority of the committee concluded that given different registration times, such an asymmetric policy could further disadvantage students with later registration times, e.g., if people routinely register for more classes than they plan to take and then drop courses after the add dead line.” This information offered some helpful insight into the deci sion-making process with respect to the timing add/drop period. Hear ing the idea that students are reg istering for more classes than they plan on taking in, putting students with later registration times at a disadvantage, gave me a new per spective. Maybe the problem does not solely lie within the add/drop period. Is it possible that updating or modifying the class registration process holds the answer to fixing this issue?While I still strongly believe that the add/drop period should be extended, Wheeland gave new insight on how to attempt to “fix” this issue. In the future, if we make our voices heard, there is a strong possibility that the class registration process as a whole could be over hauled.
Joe Adams Opinion Columnist
College life does not make it easy for us to keep our bodies and minds working in optimal condi tion. Students’ busy schedules can leave little time to get proper meals in, and they are constantly sleep deprived, stressed and mentally drained. When looking for suste nance, students often go for whatev er is most convenient here on cam pus, and often those first available options are not always the healthiest choices.The dining halls’ selections at meal times can be really hit or miss in this regard. At lunch, the sandwich bars and fruit and veggie spreads are usually a hallmark. The dinner selections usually involve piz za, meat, potatoes and pasta, with any vegetable dish usually being fried or cooked. And while those op tions aren’t necessarily unhealthy by themselves, without something from some less dense food groups to bal ance them out, consuming that for dinner all of the time probably isn’t great for the stomach. Students can miss out on some of those vitamins and minerals from that produce. The campus convenience stores in Spit, Connelly and St. Mary’s aren’t much better in terms of their selections. Aside from the surprising variety of protein/granola bars, the shelves are mostly stocked with chips, cookies and candy, and the fridges with soda. While that stuff tastes good, constant consump tion should not be encouraged. Holy Grounds is slightly better, offering bananas and bagelss. Coffee does have health benefits when consumed without a bunch of added dairy and sweeteners, but the muffins, while scrumptious, might as well be However,cupcakes. the late-night offerings might be the worst offend ers. Whether students need some grub to fill their stomachs after a workout, get a bit peckish while grinding out some assignments or want to grab a quick bite after a game, there are not the most diverse of options. They often boil down to chicken strips, fries, mac n cheese and the like. While those do provide something to eat, I wish there was just as reliable an option that is not deep fried, with a smaller chance of giving me food poisoning. And it feels bad to scarf down a box of onion rings after spending an hour in the gym.Athome, I am a healthy eater. I tend to limit my intake of fried food and sweets, and whenever I return from breaks, I am con stantly disappointed by the lack of healthy, convenient food available. And judging by how many different people I see at the gym every night, some others likely share my opinion. So, I have some ideas. Starting with the dining halls, having one of those stands with fruits and vegetables available for every meal period would be helpful. I imagine many of us are used to having those options with our meals at home, and it would make our meals more balanced.
More Healthy Food Options
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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.
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Even though he turned out to be evil, Syndrome from “The Incredibles” had an interesting thought: “You always, always say ‘be true to yourself,’ but you never say which part of yourself to be true to.”While it may be easy to identify one’s passions, it is not always simple to figure out which degree or career path to pursue. When I first set foot on the grounds of Villanova, I was an engineer. The “College of Engi neering” sticker sat freshly applied on the lid of my laptop, and I was placed into a bunch of classes with codes like “ENG” or “CHM” in front of their names. I had no idea what the college experience was, and I had no idea what pursuing a degree in engineering looked like. On a Monday morning about once a month, I walked to a room (formerly known as CEER 001; presently known as a pile of dirt) for a class called Career Compass First Year A. I thought, “Great, a class for freshman engi neering students like myself where I can familiarize myself with the experiences that I am going to have in the school of Engineering and get some help deciding on my career.”Wrong.
I do not mean to dimin ish the School of Engineering’s renown or the success of its grad uates. I simply have noticed that it is surprisingly traditional for an engineering school, which is something that I was not expecting from such a unique institution as Villanova. While I understand that many students’ choices are limited due to strict accreditation require ments, I believe that the School of Engineering can still make a stu dent feel important by incorporat ing some sort of program, project or discussion into the curriculum where students are able to make their own decisions about their ed ucation and learn about their path within the school. I feel that these changes would help foster the be lief in the value of interdisciplinary study throughout all of Villanova, not just some of its colleges. I am glad that CLAS values this holis tic approach and is a place where the entire self may be recognized, explored and fostered. And the brownies were also really good.
Career Development in the School of Engineering vs. CLAS
Isabella Ledet Staff Writer Villanova’s College of Engineering should do more to encourage students to pursue their passions. Courtesy of Villanova University
For Taylor Swift fans, Everything Has Changed since last week. Some Swifties may have thought that she was thinking something along the lines of “I Forgot That You Existed,” as she had been leaving fans in the dark about her next release plans. Nev ertheless, we now know that Swift has definitely been working like a Madwoman to create a new album for her Swiftfans. announced that she will be releasing a new album ti tled “Midnights,” on Oct. 21. The pop star describes the new album as “the story of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life.” In her recent Instagram post, Swift is pictured in one photo hunched over at a table, her head in her hands in dimmed light.
CEER 001 (rest in peace) was a giant, permanently lec ture-style room. It had a stage up front and tight rows of the strang est chairs to ever exist pointing to the front of the room. But the thing that struck me most was that the class was not, in fact, about careers. It was not about us at all. Rather, the main thing that this class was teaching us was how the professor himself was going to have such a profound impact on all of ourThelives.class was mostly made up of online modules, video lec tures and quizzes, but occasion ally would consist of an in-person lecture or maybe (if anyone was feeling particularly fun) an in-class activity. But overall, the class gave me no insight about Villanova Engineering and barely anything about future careers in the engi neering field, especially unconven tional engineering careers. I left the School of Engi neering after the spring semester and am now in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. My awakening came when I attended my first session of Math and Stat Communities, the CLAS version of a major’s career development class. It was held in a small classroom in Vasey Hall, and all of the chairs had little wheels on them so we could move them into a circular formation and actually see everyone’s faces, not just the professor’s. After the pro fessor covered the short syllabus, he pulled out a tray of brownies that he cooked for us at home and handed them out to everyone. He then proceeded to play his guitar and sing us a welcome song as we ate. It was nothing short of amazing and exceeded all of my expectations.Iamnot writing this only to praise him for the delicious brownies or the beautiful melody. The class itself is structured much differently from the “comparable” career development course back over in Engineering. This class is scheduled to have guest lecturers, student panels and alumni panels all throughout the semester, each sharing about different topics with in the world of Mathematics and Statistics, or simply to answer our questions. One of our main objec tives in the course is to plan out our academic path as we continue through our time at Villanova.
6 | The Villanovan Wednesday, September 7, 2022OPINION From CEER to SAC:
These are all things that are actually helpful as I figure out what I want to do with my life and learn to pursue it at this wonderful institution.Irealized that the best path for me to reach my end goal would not be slogging through the rigid curriculum of Civil Engineering. I never truly understood the “value of the Liberal Arts education,” as everyone claims, until I realized that CLAS gives students the free dom to be themselves: an entire person with many interests, talents and passions that do not always perfectly fit under a single umbrel la.
Swift Has Kept Us In The Dark: Thoughts on “Midnights” Album Release Announcement
Abby Faeth Staff Writer
“We lie awake in love and in fear, in turmoil and in tears,” Swift wrote in the caption. “We stare at walls and drink until they speak. We twist in our self-made cages and pray that they aren’t — right this minute — about to make some fateful life-altering mistake.” In another photo, Swift is seen holding a lighter up to illuminate her face.There is certainly some symbolism behind this Instagram announcement, as there is the presence of both darkness and light. This ominous post made me even more excited for this release. The October album seems to be both dark and light, as it is a “journey through terrors and sweet dreams.” I usually find that the more emotional a Swift song is, the better it resonates with her fanbase and beyond. Swift teased the new album when she won multiple awards for “All Too Well: The Short Film” at the MTV Video Music Awards. Immediately after the show, album pre-releases were available for purchase on her website. Personal ly, I think it was a good move for Swift to preview her album on the MTV awards, and it speaks to her success as a musician in how she was accepting awards for a previ ous album while announcing an upcomingSwiftiesalbum.were most recently left with the rerecording of “Red” last November. That album felt nostalgic to me, as it was all old songs I knew and even grew up lis tening to, but conveyed by Swift’s more mature and elegant voice nine years after the original album. With her recent re-recordings, I suspected her next album would be the rerecording of 1989 instead. I am definitely happy that Swift is giving us new music, even though I love her old styles too. In a way, the new album gives us a way to better connect with Swift and her perspective. Additionally, the album is about various mo ments in her life, so it will still give us that nostalgic feel while also offering some new perspectives through her lyrical masterpieces. As with any Taylor Swift album, a multitude of theories has risen among fans since the announcement. There are many Swifties that craft theories from her social media posts, interviews and previous songs. Oftentimes, these theories have proven to be true. Swift is known for dropping hints and often plans them years in advance. To this point, when Swift was on “The Tonight Show” last year, she discussed her hidden clues, saying “It’s sort of a tradi tion that we started a very long time ago. I think the first time that I started dropping sort of cryp tic clues in my music was when I was…14 or 15, putting together my first album.” One possible theory is that this announcement was planned based on the previous incident between Kanye West and Swift at the VMAs in 2009. This possible conscious decision of announc ing the new album at the VMAs exactly happened 13 years (known as Taylor’s lucky number) after the incident of humiliation. She also wore a similar silver dress for last week’s award… possibly a revenge ensemble? Specifically, in 2009, her moment was taken, but now in 2022, she took this moment for herself and her new upcoming album “Midnights.”Thisisjustone theory about Swift’s new album that is out there. However, I’m sure there will be much more clarity after Swift’s release this coming Octo ber. The one thing I know for cer tain is I will definitely be waiting until Midnight for this upcoming album.
Sofia Krzewicki Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 7, 2022 The Villanovan | 7OPINION
A.J.
A Freshman’s Thoughts on Orientation
Freshman Orientation welcomed the Class of 2026 to campus from Aug. 19-23.
with the same group of 20 or so of their peers, including their Orien tation Counselor. In early August, my Orientation Counselor, Sulley Sanchez, sent me a handwritten letter in the mail, kindly introduc ing herself, providing information about Group 8 and encouraging me to further a connection and con versation by reaching out to her via iMessage. The University’s commu nity was a big part of why I decided to apply. My Orientation Counsel or’s commitment to fostering that via a personalized letter reaffirmed that I was indeed heading off to the right place.While the most thrilling parts of New Student Orientation were highlighted in Villanova Television’s (VTV) annual vid eo, the program is designed to set students up for success, helping them to familiarize themselves with all that the institution has to offer. Each day, students attended presentations that provided helpful information and answered need-toknow questions from ‘How do I get basketball tickets?’ to ‘Where can I seek emotional support on campus?’ On paper, this sounds mundane, but at Villanova, the Orientation staff makes this process enjoyable, memorable and entertaining. In order to teach incoming students about the area outside Villanova’s campus (Wayne, Rad nor and Philadelphia), including the various modes of transportation available to the various attractions, the Orientation staff gave a presen tation in the style of “Ferris Buel ler’s Day Off.”
Courtesy of Villanova Television
The LSAT Inconveniences Students For Profit As hordes of freshmen settle into life on Villanova’s campus, many seniors are making prepa rations for life after Villanova. For some, this includes preparing for law school and thus taking the notorious Law School Admissions Test, orThisLSAT.past week, on Aug. 31, tens of thousands of students across the country received results from their August LSAT. Next week, on Sept. 9 and 10, thousands more will take the September LSAT. One would probably as sume that those who are dissatis fied with their August scores can register to retake the test in Sep tember, and likewise, that those who did well in August can cancel their September test registration if they wish. However, you would be assumingLSATincorrectly.registration deadlines for a given test are routinely sched uled right before the preceding test date. For example, the September LSAT registration deadline was 13 days before the August LSAT. There is no clear reason for such an early registration deadline. Since 2020, the LSAT has been a fully-online exam, identical for all students. There are no physical tests to distribute and no physical testing centers to prepare. The only reason why the LSAC (Law School Admissions Council) may need such early registration dates is to prepare digital proctors. The SAT (taken for un dergraduate university admission) has no comparable timeframe. For comparison, SAT registration deadlines are typically within a mere four weeks of the test date. It is almost as if the LSAC wants a person to empty his or her pockets by signing up for an un necessary number of LSAT dates, unaware if one’s first LSAT score is satisfactory for target schools. Yet, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to issues surrounding the LSAT.
The LSAT price stands at a whopping $215 per exam, making retakes a costly Meanwhile,endeavor.theSAT is only $55 per exam. An argument could be made that more people take the SAT, making distribution easier. Still, pricing at almost quadruple the amount of the SAT is excessive. This is especially true when considering that the LSAT is the only exam prospective law students can take. Most law schools will not accept alternatives to the LSAT in the way that universities accept both the SAT and the ACT. In terms of content, the LSAT has three sections: Analyti cal Reasoning, Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. These sections require test-takers to analyze logic games, short passag es and long passages, respective ly. The LSAT is designed to test reasoning skills in order to gauge suitability for law school. As such, it would make sense that the LSAT would be an exam one cannot easily study for, like most IQ tests. After all, one’s innate reasoning ability does not undergo drastic im provement over the course of three months (the most common length of LSATHowever,preparation).theLSAT is not designed in this way whatsoever. The test is highly memorizable, and students can improve through repetition. Thus, the test favors those who have the time and mon ey for test preparation services like those offered by Kaplan and the Princeton Review. At the very least, it would be better if the LSAC admitted as much and adjusted its messaging and services accordingly. It could make all of its previous LSATs available for free so everyone has the chance for repetitive practice, instead of charging $99 for this service. Additionally, LSAT score reports could include breakdowns by section instead of simply show ing your score and your percentile ranking, so that one can adjust their studying habits for future test dates. Yet, none of these measures have beenSomeadopted.Villanova students, like senior Hunter Dickson, appre ciate the LSAT as a tool for law school admissions.“IliketheLSAT because it removes all the externalities,” Dick son said. “There’s no superfluous stuff to the [law school] admissions decision. It’s pretty much based on your LSAT and GPA and very few supplemental things, so it’s really good for giving everyone a clean slate.” For Dickson, the problem with law school goes beyond its admissions testing process and into its actual“Whatcontent.Idon’t like is that it’s meant to prepare you for the lan guage and skills used in law school, but law school doesn’t actually pre pare you for the realities of being a lawyer whatsoever, so it seems like the mindset is kind of messed up,” he said.Even if the LSAT is theoret ically a valuable tool and a “clean slate,” it is hard to deny that it is much more poorly-managed and unfair to test-takers than the SAT. If the College Board’s greed sur rounding SAT practices is disheart ening, then the LSAT is a night mare. Fezza
While these presentations successfully managed to put a smile on every face in the room, it was often difficult to recall what was discussed after the conclusion of the information sessions. Providing freshmen with access to the presen tations, or at least the information presented in a condensed manner (perhaps with links to the Dining Services website for more infor mation on the difference between MPEs and meal swipes, etc.), would have eliminated students feeling overwhelmed. As creative and thoughtful as the presentations were, the information presented is crucial for Villanova students to know and should all be made available in case students need to reference something or refresh their memories.Additionally, the jampacked schedules leading up to the start of the school year provided little to no time for freshmen to prepare themselves for their first week of classes. Freshmen should be allowed more free time during the day, especially on Tuesday after noon, to visit the campus bookstore to buy textbooks and supplies, print available syllabi or learn how to use the laundry machines in their dorms. As New Student Orientation came to an end on Aug. 23, the day before the beginning of a new semester, the Class of 2026 gath ered in the Finneran Pavilion for an official induction to the Villa nova community led by University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., PhD. Students then shared a special moment with their class mates. In the true spirit of com munity, students helped light each other’s candles one by one to fill a darkened Pavilion with light and to mark the beginning of their career at Villanova. A similar moment will be shared in four years at the end of their journey.Thiswas indeed a beautiful moment to be remembered and cherished by the Class of 2026. It was a perfect way to wrap up a very hectic, overwhelming four-day New Student Orientation. It was the per fect way to start a new chapter with an outward display of community and friendship.Ithasbeen more than a week since New Student Orienta tion and the 1,800 freshmen have integrated themselves into the Villanova community by attending classes, learning from their pro fessors and inquiring about intra murals and a capella groups. The smooth transition could not have been made possible without the program, which has given incoming students the permission to find a place for themselves at Villanova, to feel more excited about their new home and to feel confident in their decision to join this community.
Opinion Editor Cont. from pg. 1
“College moves pretty fast,” an Orientation staff member paro died in the video. “If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” The entertainment contin ued over the course of the program, featuring presentations about all things Villanova University inspired by memorable film and television classics such as “Freaky Friday,” “Finding Nemo” and “Parks and Recreation.”
Fit Check. Textbooks, Check. amazon.com/joinstudent Start your 6-month trial.
Reserve is working on original music, which is expected to premiere soon. An Off the Reserve website is in the works, but in the meantime, all information can be found at indigo mane.com.The band can also be found on Instagram @offthereserveband.
CULTUREWednesday, September 7, 2022 The Villanovan | 9
Off The Reserve is made up entirely of Villanova strudents. Courtesy of Off The Reserve
VintageU Comes to Villanova Emily Schoonover Staff Band Off the Reserve Gains Traction Cont. from page 1 “They gave us our first gig,” Castelli said, recalling an open mic night at the steps of Corr Hall set up by the Campus Activities Team in 2020. Many band names come from seemingly meaningless instances, and Off the Reserve is no different. In the middle of a boring week, Castelli decided to watch “Madagascar 2.” “The lion goes, ‘You’re off the reserve; you’re gonna get shot,’ and I was like, ‘Yup, that’s it,’” Castelli said. With musical influences rang ing from The Beatles and Pink Floyd to classical piano concertos to Primus and Kanye West, Off the Reserve has roots from all sides of music, which come together to form their tight, professionalAdditionally,sound. all its lighting and sound equipment is handled by the VU Tech WhenCrew.onewalks into the Rusty Nail, it feels like a typical dive bar. The room is split in two. On one side is a bar, and the other has a small stage. In the back there is a dart board, a pool table and a couple TVs playing the Phillies game. The bar books local acts on Friday nights and charges a $10 cover. King, the guitar ist and drummer, booked the show in July, and with everyone living at home over the summer, they were only able to practice once, unplugged and with out a drum set, before performing. The show had a great turnout and was the largest Off the Reserve has seen yet, which only elevated its set. “It was the most energetic per formance I had ever been a part of,” King said. “It was off the wall, and you could tell that we as a band fed off of that.” Whether the band was an nouncing that it was switching in struments, playing a song it did not prepare or simply tuning up, every thing Off the Reserve did was met with cheers from fellow students and friends. This is not each member’s only band. King is a part of two other bands, Kings and Jacks and Fahren heit, and Simeone has Indigo Mane, whose music can be found on Spotify, Apple Music or his website, www. indigomane.com. Off the Reserve will play at Chaplin’s in Spring City, Pennsylvania, on Friday, Sept. 30. The band also has a Halloween show in the works. With upcoming shows, Off the Tommy Lynch Staff Writer
VintageU has an array of Villanova merchandise on their company website. of VintageU
While both women love the fun and classic look of the clothes, they also are passionate about the mission of the company. “I think that it is crucial to shop from small businesses, espe cially online ones,” Frantz said, “To help sustainable small busi nesses grow and gain a better out reach, especially in today’s culture of fast fashion.”Asfootball season is start ing and with basketball season just around the corner, many will be shopping for new campus merch to wear and stand out in the stu dent section. While it is easy and convenient to order something from Amazon or pick something up quickly at the bookstore, this year, consider buying something pre-loved.Frantz described success in this area.“So many of my friends have ordered stuff from VintageU for tailgates, football games and a lot of other school spirited events and have received so many com pliments,” she said. If you want to be on the receiving end of the question “Where did you get that?” or if you are sick of the classic book store looks and want to shop more sustainably, be sure to check out VintageU or any other sustainable clothing store geared toward uni versity apparel.Formore information on VintageU, check out its orhttps://www.thisisvintageu.com/websiteitsInstagram@thisisvintageu.
It is no secret that vintage clothing is “in” for a variety of reasons, including its timeless look and positive environmental im pact in response to the fast fash ion epidemic. This new stylistic trend has seeped into something the Villanova community knows very well: college apparel. Many students are guilty of rummaging through their parents’ closet to look for vintage finds from their college days to show off on campus this year. While some have found success there, others have resorted to vintage resale companies. More specifically, VintageU, a reseller dedicated solely to college apparel. Syracuse student Lauren Levin founded VintageU. Find ing the classic bookstore styles of campus clothing boring, Levin wanted to find some school gear that would make her stand out but was also sustainable, as the fashion industry is a large contributor to climate change. Soon, she discov ered some vintage Syracuse cloth ing that she liked the look of, and was drawn to its vibe and sustain able benefits. As she started wearing these clothes out, many of her friends fell in love with her new pieces and wanted some for their own. As a result, Levin launched “Vintage Cuse,” an online store that sells vintage Syracuse mer chandise. After gaining traction for her Syracuse-based merchandise, Levin created VintageU, to sell vintage pieces from all schools to reach a broader audience.
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VintageU has become popular among college students, and Villanovans are no excep tion. Levin has posted a variety of vintage Villanova apparel on her website, and some students are even branding marketers for the company, including soph omores Lauren Casimiro and Hope Frantz. When Casimiro and Frantz heard about the company, they knew it was something they wanted to be a part of. “I had heard about and seen some of the VintageU stuff before and had followed them on Instagram and decided that I wanted to see if I could get in volved,” Casimiro said. “After communicating with the owner via email, I was able to get my posi tion.” She shared more about her experiences.“Inour position, we help take pictures for Instagram, mes sage potential customers and ship out orders,” Casimiro said. “VintageU has definitely become popular here at Villanova, but I would love to see its popularity grow more here on campus.”
“One of the things I love about celebrating Mass here at Villanova is the student involve ment and participation,” Father Aldo Potencio, O.S.A., said. “I see a lot of student leaders who volunteer to join the worshiping community. They serve, read and sing. For me, that is very import ant because I believe you create a community through action.” This week, Fr. Aldo offers Villanovans a glimpse into his life as an Augustinian at Villanova University.Born and raised in the Philippines, Fr. Aldo attended a school run by sisters of the Order of Saint Augustine, commonly re ferred to as Augustinian sisters. Fr. Aldo was exposed to the Augustin ian way of life from a young age, and he grew up surrounded by the Order’s many traditions. He ad mired the Augustinian sisters who taught him and were mentors to him. Even though he discerned re ligious life and priesthood during high school, he went on to study physicalFr.therapy.Aldomoved to the Unit ed States and worked as a physical therapist. Although he offered many years of his life helping the injured recuperate as a physical therapist, he decided that it was time for a career change. Realizing that physical therapy was no lon ger his calling, Fr. Aldo returned to school and became an accoun tant. However, soon after he began his work in accounting, Fr. Aldo felt that he was being called to religious“Whenlife. I started thinking about religious life and the priest hood, I was drawn to the familiar ity of the Augustinian spirituality,” Fr. Aldo said. “My brother became an Augustinian priest right after high school, so his dedication and my Augustinian roots helped me make my decision.” Fr. Aldo and his brother grew up in a Filipino communi ty very dedicated to the Roman Catholic faith, particularly the Augustinian way of life, given that the Augustinian sisters served as the primary educators for the community’s youth. Going to Sunday Mass every week became deeply ingrained in the communi ty’s culture.“Church was a large part of my culture growing up,” Fr. Aldo said. “My friends and I attended an Augustinian Catholic school, so faith and what we did on a day-to-day basis became very intertwined. I think the strong connection of faith, family and community allowed each of us to truly be open to our vocations.” After completing his theo logical studies in Chicago as part of the Formation process, Fr. Aldo was ordained an Augustinian priest in 2017. He was then as signed to St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church in the Bronx borough, New York. After a few years serv ing the Parish, Fr. Aldo was then sent by the Provincial to join the Novitiate Community in Radnor, Pennsylvania.“Eventually, I started help ing out in Campus Ministry here at Villanova,” Fr. Aldo said. “I love the welcoming spirit Villano va has, and I continue to see how we live it every day as one com munity. When we gather together on special occasions like the Feast of St. Augustine, Orientation, or the Baccalaureate Mass, there is always a good spirit. Although not all members of the Villanova com munity are Catholics, we all come together to celebrate these special gatherings. Villanova Masses are so welcoming, a true testament to Catholicism as well as our Augus tinian values.”Fr.Aldo serves as the Chaplain at the Villanova Uni versity Charles Widger School of Law, where he often celebrates Mass, Adoration, and offers Con fession in the chapel on the first floor. Every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m., Fr. Aldo leads law school students in prayer at Mass. He also continues to celebrate stu dent Masses on Sundays at the St. Thomas of Villanova Church. In Fr. Aldo’s spare time, he loves to play the guitar, paint with watercolors and reminisce on his travels around the world. Given his Filipino roots, Fr. Aldo enjoys spending time with his family in the Philippines. Although Spanish is not his first nor second lan guage, Fr. Aldo traveled to Guate mala and the Dominican Republic to study it. Fr. Aldo celebrates Spanish Mass every other Satur day in Corr Chapel at 5:30 p.m.
Courtesy of Olivia Gordon/Villanovan Photography
AugustiniansColumnist
Kendall’s Column: Back at It
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Olivia Sabalaskey Staff Writer Fr. Aldo Potencio celebrates Spanish Mass every other Saturday in Corr Chapel at 5:30 p.m. Courtesy of Fr. Aldo Potencio, O.S.A. Villanovans are back on campus for the first normal semester since 2019.
Wednesday, September 7, 202210 | The Villanovan
As students enter their third week of classes, it is strange to think that for seniors, this is their first normal semester since first semes ter freshman year. Time is really a crazy thing.Last fall, Villanovans thought that the 2021 spring se mester would be the last semester impacted by the pandemic, but clearly that was not the case. With the Delta variant on the rise, Vil lanova lasted about two weeks before University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D., announced that changes would be made. So, a semester full of masks and random testing continued, and our “new normal” did not even feel new anymore. It just felt normal. Then, on Friday, February 11, 2022, Father Peter emailed the Villanova community that come that Monday, masks would no longer be required in classes. Yes, surveillance testing would still con tinue, but it finally felt like things were going to be as they once were: actuallyItnormal.isunsettling to think that the last time the class of 2023 had a fully normal semester was its first semester of college. That was more than three years ago. It makes one think about how fast time truly moves. One minute someone is moving into South Campus, and the next they are in their senior house wondering how they got here so fast. If someone figures it out, please let me know. I look back on my college experience, and I don’t think I would change a minute of it. Of course, I wish the pandemic never happened. Yet, who knows if my and others’ friendships, relation ships and memories would be the same if it did not happen. My college experience is rare. I met my four best friends the first weekend of college. They are sitting in my senior house with me as I write this article, three years later. They are my people, and I do not want to go back and see wheth er or not our lives would look the same if COVID-19 never entered it, because I am really happy. I think a lot of the 2023 class is too. I think the pandemic, as horrible, lonely, scary and sad as it was, allowed certain relationships to become stronger and memories to feel more precious. Classroom friends became best friends, and roommates became family. I know it did forMyme.point is that because of the tight-knit circles due to social distancing mandates, real and true friendships persevered and devel oped during an incredibly dark time. People will often tell stu dents in the class of 2023 that we were “robbed” of a normal college experience, since all of our years included the word “COVID-19.” This is partly true, but at the end of the day, we all were robbed. Every single person alive during the pan demic lost valuable, precious time and people no matter how young or old. So, instead of looking back and reminiscing about something that never was, I say we should look forward. Because finally we can see the light at the end of this tunnel, and it is brighter than what it could have ever been before. Kendall Hayes Culture
of Villanova: Father Aldo Potencio
Syllabi and Star Signs: Semester Horoscopes
new people and experiences. It’s time to break free of the regular routine and embrace these potential new relationships. You are on the precipice of meeting some of the best people yet and having the greatest laughs. Be open to all of Virgo:it.Embarking on a new journey, you may be feeling the grow ing pains. It’s natural to feel unsteady on your feet as you get used to your life changing, no matter how right or ready you are. Know that you’re about to hit your stride, and every thing that felt like a misstep will be worth it. Get ready, because the stars will light the way soon.
What are the stars saying about your semester? Courtesy of Elena Rouse
Aries: Welcome back, Aries. This semester, you’re clear- eyed and crisp-minded. Keep your shoulders back, eyes forward and spirit full of zeal. You know what you want, even if you don’t have all the details mapped out. No matter what, this semester is all about trusting your instincts and not letting anyone tell you otherwise.Taurus: Overwhelmed already? Though the year has just begun, you seem to already feel the pressure of life’s maze. Before you get too overpowered by the circumstanc es, take a breath. Life wasn’t meant to be sorted out all at once. Take it each moment at a time and know that every step along the way is exactly where you’re meant to be.
Scorpio: Timing is everything, and this time things feel a little off for you. What you don’t realize is that the timing isn’t off –-- what you think you want is. Stop searching for what will never be, and start embracing what is right here and now. The sooner you do, the faster you will realize that you’ve been blind to what’s right there and yours for the Sagittarius:taking.Saying goodbye can be hard, but it’s necessary. This year, you have to get rid of the de mons that have been holding you back because you have ended up in the same cycle for long enough. Both you and the universe know what you are capable of, but it will only happen when you finally say no to the toxic negativity that keeps rummaging around in your everyday life. Capricorn: You might be thinking that no one gets it. Your experience and feelings are getting wrapped up into one painfully unique box that no one can seem to unwrap. Though it might feel like you’re a little misunderstood and more than a little frustrated, remember that no one is ever truly alone. You have the resourc es and people in your life to help you, you just have to be creative about where you find them. Once you are, you will see how fruitful your endeav ors trulyAquarius:are.
CULTUREWednesday, September 7, 2022 The Villanovan | 11
Pisces: This season, the word you’ll find most healing is “accep tance.” Of yourself, circumstances and what is and is not quite what you thought. Though you will be facing surprises, both good and yes, intensely disappointing, the proper response is not anything that involves the words “what if.” Remember that you are enough, and whatever it is that you face, you can handle it. Accept!
Leo: It’s all about relation ships for you, Leo, cultivating them and putting them first. This year, you’re going to find you’re drawn to
Libra: Choices. Choices. Choices. Since when does life have all these options? How can you pick? The good thing is, there isn’t any rush, and there’s no wrong answer. The right path will come to you when it’s time, and it won’t come with a ques tion mark. Trust the process and lean into the unknown, you’ll need to em brace it before anything is answered.
It is the year to let loose. No more overthinking for you. This time around, when an oppor tunity arises, jump on it, and do not, under any circumstances, second guess yourself. You are fiercely in the running for so many things. You just have to get out of your own head.
Cancer: Good things aren’t signs that bad ones are coming. You are experiencing happiness and you can’t help but wonder if life is going to come crashing into you at any moment.
Elena Rouse Co-Culture Editor
Gemini: You’re on the move. Here, there and everywhere, you’re making every second of every day count. Admirable, surely, and your spontaneity is notable, but make sure you’re not running yourself ragged. Take time for yourself, and don’t forget to tell the people you love as much. Don’t let the craziness of life make you forget to do the little things.
Life is always full of ups and downs, but it isn’t your responsi bility to predict what comes next. Do yourself a favor and stop looking for the future storm cloud and look up towards the sunshine. It is the only way to get a full face of light.
Colin Nemeth Staff Writer
Freshmen Orientation Mass
Families gathered together to celebrate Mass for Orientation.
In 2014, acceptance rates for undergraduate admission were close to 50%. But now, the Class of 2026’s acceptance rate has been more than halved, to 23%. Esti mates say that this number will continue to decrease each year. Over the last 10 years, goal class sizes have not changed, staying at around 1,700 students. The disproportionate increase in students applying and the stagnant target class sizes are the significant reasons acceptance rates have fall en. So the real question is, why are applicant sizes increasing?
Sofia Krzewicki Staff Writer
What’s The Deal With Villanova Admissions?
Villanova, as emphasized in Father Peter’s homily, is a place where students will find their calling or at least be on the path to do so. And, although Villanovans may inte grate themselves into a new commu nity, a new home, students should never forget the communities they are a part of back home. At the Mass’ conclusion, Father Peter encouraged the congre gation to participate in a time-hon ored University tradition: parents and family members were invited to reach out and place a hand on their incoming Villanova student, offering a prayer. The moments to reflect and to be one with the community after a hectic move-in and action-packed first day of New Student Orienta tion were much appreciated by all those who attended.
August 20 marked the first day of New Student Orientation at Villanova University. Eighteen hundred incoming freshmen and their families gathered at the Rowen Campus Green in the sweltering, mid-August heat to take part in a special Mass led by University Presi dent Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A, Ph.D. From the moment prospec tive students visit campus or inquire about Villanova, they are met with the Augustinian values at Villanova’s core: Unitas, Veritas and Caritas. The Mass focused on the founding values ofCurrentVillanova.students played an integral role in the Mass proceed ings, as they do in all Masses on campus. Orientation counselors served as cross-bearers and lectors, walking ahead of the resident Au gustinians who trailed behind, while the Pastoral Musicians — student vocalists and instrumentalists — ser enaded the Overwhelminglycongregation.moving and emotional, the Orientation Mass held for new students and their families was, at its core, a communi ty-building event. To begin, “in [the] true Au gustinian fashion,” as Father Peter stated, new students and families were invited to introduce themselves to those sitting in front, behind and to the sides of them, a display of friendship of which St. Augustine would have been proud. This gesture is a funda mental part of the Masses held on campus. At the Solemnity of St. Augustine Mass on Aug. 28, the first in-church Mass of the academic year, the congregation was invited to do the same.Thestudent involvement and participation at the Orienta tion Mass was inspiring, as it was a display of the University and values in real-time.Father Peter highlighted a lyric in the song, “Homeward Bound,” performed by the Pasto ral Musicians: “Set me free to find my calling / And I’ll return to you somehow.” At an event that marks a transition into a new environment, such a lyric offered hope and eased anxieties for students and parents alike. The lyric “symbolizes how loved ones are letting their students go on to blossom into who they are meant to become as a Villanovan,” Katie Tuberosa, a Pastoral Musi cians member and First Year Expe rience Coordinator, said. “When this is sung at Baccalaureate, it rep resents the growth of each student over these four years and while their time as a Villanova student may be over, they will always have this com munity as a support system as they continue on their path.”
Wednesday, September 7, 2022CULTURE12 | The Villanovan
It has never been “easy” to get into Villanova. But why is it that admissions rates have plum meted in the last decade?
The national reputation for Villanova grows continuously, with academics at the forefront. It is most likely because the basketball team is making major strides in na tional championships, but culture is evolving on campus in other ways. “After years of improving the Villanovan education and culture, Villanova has increased its range across the country and the world for its recruitment process,” sophomore Harrison Jenkins said. “Students from all different back grounds, holding various beliefs and interests, are more inclined to apply to the university than ever before.”Villanova has made epic strides toward being a campus that can host many faith groups and student opinions while still promot ing Augustinian beliefs. Having the spaces, holding the discussions and creating an academically stimulat ing environment makes the campus distinguishably unified. Seniors Alise Adornato and Sofia López-Somohano also expressed thoughts on the evolving culture.“Applying to Villanova as an Early Action candidate who had never visited campus before, the idea of attending Villanova was somewhat distant,” Adornato said. “However, by the end of my college process and a quick visit for Early Candidates’ Weekend, the sense of community and service at Villanova struck me and ultimately made my decision clear.” Service and community are the most defining factors in an ac cepted student attending Villanova. “Over the years I’ve been at Villanova, I’ve seen how students, administration and even people outside of Villanova have realized how each student’s voice matters,” López-Somohano said. “I’ve seen this emphasis through campaigns like Let’s Vote Nova and the var ious new advocacy groups that have been created. A lot of strides towards acceptance and inclusion culture had been made, and there is still a lot more to come.” López-Somohano leads Inclusion Week on campus, a time where students can learn about cultural identities and celebrate their peers, and is also involved in Special Olympics. She recognizes the changes that must still happen at Villanova regarding inclusion, but also recognizes the important steps the school and administration have taken.“Ialso think it’s interesting that the steadily rising percentage of students of color is also speak ing to Villanova’s movement to try and diversify the student body even though it still is very much a pre dominantly white institution,” said a Villanova alumnus, who wishes to remain Theanonymous.Classof 2026 had the highest student diversity to date, with 37% of students being stu dents of“Ifcolor.more students of color can have access to higher education spaces despite Villanova being a PWI [Predominently White Insti tution], I would say any progress, even if it’s small, is progress headed in the right direction,” the anony mous alumnus said. When speaking to people who have worked in Villanova admissions, there is one obvious thing that differentiates a Villano van from other applicants: com munity outreach. Precisely 83% of accepted students in 2021-2022 were involved in community service in high school. Students can attest that this carries over, as there is a prominent reputation on campus to be a student for others, meaning that service is a priority. Admissions officers want meaningful service, not just a suitable application file. “Villanova is selective but not unattainable,” Andy Halstead, Assistant Director of Admissions, said. “OUA will give thoughtful consideration to each aspect of the applicant’s application in its entirety and ensure that we are identifying candidates that clearly demonstrate the Augustinian char acteristics of Veritas, Unitas and Caritas.”Halstead also explained the competitive nature of each school within Villanova, such as CLAS and VSB.Ultimately, admissions officers are not able to create one checklist for “Thereapplicants.isabsolutely an el ement of unpredictability for us ad mission folk as we look to craft each first-year class at Villanova, which is simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying, but that is the fun of working with these extraordinarily talented, young people,” Halstead said. “What I can say with cer tainty is that, in the ever-shifting landscape of higher education, Villanova University remains on the radar of the most inspiring change-makers of the next gener ation — and that is something that keeps me in this profession and also proud to work for this institution.” Villanova is constantly evolving, and it is changing quicker than ever.Some things stay the same, but, there are things attached to the school that has changed to invite more applicants: inclusive spaces, competitive sports and a diversified student body.
Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography
Villanova’s Austin Hall houses the Office of Admissions.
Courtesy of Olivia Pasquale/Villanovan Photography
Connor Watkins (above) made his first college start against Lehigh. Courtesy of Quinn Burns/Villanovan Photography Villanova men’s soccer beat Northwestern, 4-0, at Higgins Soccer Complex on Monday after noon, claiming its first victory of the season. Senior forward Lyam MacKinnon scored twice, with the other two goals scored by junior forward Akinjide Awujo and ju nior midfielder Jorge Garcia. With the win, Villanova improved to 1-1-1 on the MacKinnon,season. who missed both of Villanova’s games on the West Coast due to injury, proved just how important he is to Villa nova’s attack in the match. The Swiss national helped to awaken a Villanova attack that had been quiet in the previous two games. “It feels awesome,” MacK innon said to Villanova Athletics. “The work we put in during our trip to California didn’t pay off out there, but it feels great to be back and help the team win.” Villanova head coach Tom Carlin stated after the win just how important it was to have MacKinnon back in the lineup. “It makes such a difference when he’s out there,” Carlin said to Villanova Athletics. “He’s got such a great mind for the game and he’s a difference-maker. He scores goals, he sets goals up. He’s
SPORTSWednesday, September 7, 2022 The Villanovan | 13 SPORTS No. 6 Villanova Football Prepares For LIU
Men’s Soccer Downs Northwestern, 4-0
Senior midfielder Gray Ricca found Awujo in the 60th minute, who utilized his pace to get past the Northwestern back line and slotted one past Garner. Awujo wasn’t done creating chanc es either, as he made a run that led to a chance for Garcia in the 67th. Garica was able to finish the chance, making it 4-0. “We had a good week of practice,” Carlin said to Villanova Athletics. “Our starters were really popping. We still weren’t scoring in practice, but you could see the movement and transition really pop. You could see we were eager today. We’re a veteran team and at home we’ve got to stay on our front foot. We knew we let an op portunity get away at Stanford and didn’t play that well until the end at Cal. We knew we had to assert ourselves, and I’m glad we did.”
Tyler Moore Staff Writer
The Villanova football team cruised through its opening oppo nent Lehigh last weekend, winning, 45-17, to start the season 1-0. The sixth ranked team in the country now moves on to face LIU, a team that was crushed last week by FBS Toledo,In37-0.the Wildcats’ dominat ing win, first-time starter Connor Watkins, a junior, threw for 298 yards. Watkins was responsible for four of the six touchdowns, includ ing a 66-yard touchdown pass to fifth year receiver Dez Boykin and another 68-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Jaaron Hayek. However, the explosive offense can not take all the credit. The defense received strong performances from sophomore safety Ethan Potter and sophomore linebacker Brendan Bell, who each put up career-high tackle numbers.ForLIU, the season opener was not at all similar. While some of the FCS-FBS matchups of the weekend were close and showed how well the FCS can compete, the Sharks’ shutout loss did not follow suit. Toledo only allowed 113 total yards by the LIU offense. In 2021, LIU went 2-8 overall, continuing a streak of not having a winning season since join ing the FCS in 2019. This season, the Sharks introduced new head coach Ron Cooper, who has had a significant amount of experience coaching alongside Nick Saban, the head coach of DespiteAlabama.thelackof success in the LIU program, Villanova has struggled in the past against lesser opponents, and Cooper’s players have a bitter taste in their mouths after a discouraging start. While the score does not show it, the Sharks’ defense put on a great performance against Toledo last week, includ ing only allowing two field goals until the later part of the first half. As Toledo went up 20-0, the LIU defense held the Rockets offense scoreless in the third quarter. Also, safety Victor Nelson Jr. for the Sharks swatted a touchdown pass and recorded an interception. On the offensive side, LIU utilized three quarterbacks on Saturday, which include a graduate transfer and two freshmen. Gradu ate transfer Derek Green took care of the first half while freshmen Luca Stanzani and Maurice Smith got touches in the second. Only 68 total passing yards were recorded by the quarterbacks. The use of all three quarterbacks will be helpful for the Sharks as they try to develop skill sets in their offense and get it to its peakWhileperformance.thisgame has no con ference implications for the ‘Cats, it will be important to capitalize on the opportunity of a lighter game for several reasons, the first being that Villanova is still in the national spotlight and a major contender for the national championship. Ranked sixth in the most recent poll, ‘Nova needs to win the games it is expect ed to. The Wildcats go on the road for the first time this season as they begin a two game stretch. The next game as a visitor comes Sept. 17 at FBS opponent Army. Keeping morale high going into a difficult matchup will be key for Villanova, and it is very common to see teams too focused on the week ahead. The matchup against the Sharks will kick off at 1 p.m. on Saturday in Brookville, New York. Dez Boykin (above) had a 66-yard touchdown reception against Lehigh Courtesy of Quinn Burns/Villanovan Photography Owen Hewitt Staff Writer what you want in an attacking player.”MacKinnon opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. Ju nior midfielder Dominic Cyriacks served a corner kick that found the head of MacKinnon, who directed the ball past Northwestern gradu ate keeper Christian Garner. Garner, despite giving up four goals, was on the ball throughout the afternoon and made a few impressive saves. He totaled seven saves on 23 Villa nova shots and 11 shots on goal. Villanova outshot Northwestern, 23-12.
MacKinnon found the net again in the 58th when sophomore forward Balthi Saunders forced a Northwestern turnover in the mid dle third and sent a ball into the feet of MacKinnon, who finished the chance.“Balthi played a through ball to me,” MacKinnon said to Villanova Athletics. “A defend er came across me and kind of tripped up. I was just staring at the ball, focusing on putting it on frame. Thankfully it went in.” From there, the goals came fast and furious for Villanova.
Northwestern remains winless on the season with the loss, dropping to Villanova0-2-2.will go back on the road for its next match, trav eling to New Haven, Connecticut, to face Yale on Sept. 11. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPN+. Villanova bested the Bulldogs, 2-1, in September of the 2021 cam paign. Villanova will then return home for a match against NJIT on Sept. 14. The team opens confer ence play against Providence on Sept. 17.
Lyam MacKinnon (above) scored two goals against Northwestern. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics
Katie Lewis Staff Writer
Thursday, September 1
Saturday, September 3
CiCi Fox (above) scored with three minutes left to force a draw against Penn. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics
The Villanova field hockey team came out of last weekend with a 3-1 record after taking down Hofstra on Friday and losing to Ball State on Sunday. The Wildcats defeated the Pride, 3-2, but fell short to the Cardinals, 4-3. Against Hofstra, the Wild cats started off strong, taking an early lead in the first quarter with a goal from junior forward Amanda Middleman, her fifth of the season.
Wednesday, August 31 None
Although the women’s soccer team has struggled to build consistent momentum during the first five games of the season, and has posted a record of 0-3-2, new head coach Samar Azem is confident that the players are ready for a promising season of transition.This week, the team took on two Ivy foes, tying the Universi ty of Pennsylvania 1–1 on Sept. 1 and falling to Cornell 2–1 on Sept. 4. According to Azem, both games provided a wealth of material for the team to better understand both their strengths and places for improvement. The game against Penn was one of the Wildcats’ strongest per formances yet. Villanova controlled possession throughout the first half, only allowing one shot from the Quakers, which went wide of the net. During the second half, the Wildcats continued to create scoring chances, taking six shots throughout the final 45 minutes. Penn scored off a header to the back corner of the net (76’) to take a 1-0 lead. The Wildcats refused to concede. The last chance to even the score came during the final min utes when junior midfielder Emma Weaver sent a long ball into the box, finding senior forward Makayla Stadler. Stadler deftly knocked the ball towards graduate forward CiCi Fox, who headed it into the goal with only three minutes left on the clock. Three days later, the team traveled to Ithaca, NY, to face Cor nell. The game’s three goals were scored in short succession and all during the first half, with the Big Red notching the first two off a blocked clearance (12’) and a rebound during a corner kick (18’). But only a minute later, Villanova bounced back when senior defender Alexa Wojnovich scored by connecting a cross from Weaver (19’). The Wildcats were un able to score an equalizer, leaving the final score at 2-1. Azem and the players felt the extra boost of energy during the sec ond half that resulted in the tie with Penn was lacking in the Cornell game. “We took our foot off the gas after a really good performance against Penn, but we still have a lot to take away from that,” Azem said. “We’ve been talking a lot about responses within games and I thought our players dug deep [against Cor nell], responding with a great goal pretty quickly.”Oneaspect of the Wild cats’ performance thus far has been adjusting to changes, as the program introduced a new coaching staff for the 2022–23 season. “A big part of the last month for the players has been learning a new style, a new system and a new way of operating in general,” Azem said. The team will have more than a week to train before they return to New York to play Colgate on Sept. 14. The team’s focus will be on fine-tuning its playing style and preparing physically and mentally for the upcoming“Nothing’scompetition.goingto come eas ily this season, and everything’s going to be hard work,” Azem said. “But we’ve shown the players that we want to see them succeed, and they’ve given us twice as much back. I’m really ex cited about what these young women are doing every day — they’re hungry to win.”The Colgate game will be the last before the Wildcats enter Big East conference play later in the month, beginning with Seton Hall on Sept. 25.
Courtesy of Villanova Athletics
Women’s Soccer @ Cornell 2-1 L Volleyball vs Fairfield 3-2 L Monday, September 5 Men’s Soccer vs Northwestern 4-0 W Tuesday, September 6 None third quarter to improve its lead to 4-2.
Soccer Faces Two Ivy League Opponents
Brooke Ackerman Staff Writer
Women’s Soccer vs Penn 1-1 T Friday, September 2 Field Hockey vs Hofstra 3-2 W Football vs Lehigh 45-17 W
Despite trailing, the Wild cats continued to put up a fight with a late goal from Maguire in the fourth quarter to cut the Cardinal lead to one. But with a few saves in the final minutes, the Cardinals came out victorious, es caping ‘Nova’s comeback attempt. Regardless of the recent loss, the Wildcats have been put ting up big stats early this season, with 20.3 shots per game while only allowing 12.5 to their op ponents. Villanova has also been strong on the defensive end, with 22 saves from goalkeepers Claire Borman and Emma Leppert. The Wildcats will play their next game on the road as they face University of Pennsylvania on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 12 p.m.
Men’s Cross Country @ Lehigh VolleyballInvitational1stof11vsLafayette3-0W
The women continued their momentum into the second quarter, improving their lead to 2-0 with a goal from graduate mid fielder Makenna Maguire. Senior forward Maggie Mick followed this with another goal off a stellar feed from junior Meghan Mitchell to extend the lead to 3-0. The women had a decisive lead heading into halftime, but Hofstra was hungry for a potential comeback. After a scoreless third quarter, the Pride put up a fight heading into the fourth quarter, but they fell short. Despite having 12 corner attempts in the final quarter, Hofstra was only able to capitalize on two of its opportuni ties. The Wildcats showed strong defense in the win, with sophomore goalie Emma Leppert saving six goals and the defensive line blocking two of the eight shots in the final minutes of the game. The consistent team effort led to a 3-2 advantage for ‘Nova as the final buzzer sounded. With the win, the team improved to 3-0 on the season, the program’s best start since 2008.Inthe second game of the weekend, Ball State snapped the Wildcats’ win streak, handing ‘Nova its first loss of the season. The Cardinals took an early lead in the game, scoring two goals in the first quarter and adding on another in the second. The Wildcats responded with a goal from sophomore mid fielder Anne Drabbe in the middle of the second followed by a goal from Mitchell to even up the score at 2. The Cardinals quickly an swered with a third goal to take a 3-2 lead into the halftime break. Ball State carried its mo mentum in the second half, scoring a goal just a few minutes into the Emma Leppert (above) came up with six saves in the win over Hofstra.
Amanda Middleman (above) scored her fifth goal of the season against Hofstra. Courtesy of Villanova University
Wednesday, September 7, 2022SPORTS14 | The VillanovanWomen’s
Field Hockey Goes 1-1 on Weekend
SCOREBOARDWEEKLYAug.31-Sept.6
Volleyball vs New Hampshire 3-2 W Sunday, September 4 Men’s Golf @ Alex Lagowitz MemorialT-4th Field Hoekcy @ Ball State 4-3 L
The third set was the closest despite New Hampshire winning the first five points of the set. Villanova was able to close the lead this time, and with the score tied at 20, the Villanova Wildcats went on a threepoint run that allowed them to finish it off, winning the set, 25-22.
Finally, Villanova ended its classic with a game against Fairfield, which had also won its first two matches.
Volleyball Goes 2-1 in Villanova Classic
SPORTSWednesday, September 7, 2022 The Villanovan | 15
Courtesy of Villanova Athletics Zac Tipton Staff Writer Villanova volleyball beat Lafayette College and University of New Hampshire, but it was unable to overcome Fairfield at the Villanova Classic, moving its season record to 3-3. The Wildcats made their home debut Friday, beating Lafayette in straight sets (25-23, 26-24, 29-27). They then took out New Hampshire on Saturday in a thrilling five-set match (25-17, 14-25, 25-22, 22-25, 22-20). But that would be the last win of the tournament for Villanova, as it fell to Fairfield in another five-set thriller (25-18, 21-25, 25-20, 21-25, 9-15), onTheSunday.Wildcats entered this tournament with a 1-2 record af ter losing to USC in three sets and UMBC in four at the Cardinal and Gold Classic in Southern California. Villanova faced Lafayette College in the first game of the Clas sic on Friday. The first set established the tone for the entire match. Lafay ette took the first two points of the set, holding onto that lead until late in the set when it was 23-21. Villa nova started to put things together, and right when it looked like the set was over, junior outside hitter Riley Homer got a kill, followed by a Wild cat block. Then, it was Homer again with another kill before a Lafayette error gave ‘Nova the come from behind set win to go up to 1-0. The second set was also back and forth but with a lot more runs than the first, as Villanova took an early 11-5 lead. Lafayette took the lead back late, scoring nine of the next 12 points to take a 22-18 lead. But Villanova battled back, winning four straight to tie it. How ever, it would take more than 25 to win this set. With the score tied at 24, sophomore outside hitter Rose Crist delivered a strong kill that was immediately followed by an ace from senior setter Belle Morgan to secure the win.The third set followed the same trend, with the lead never get ting higher than three points. It was back and forth again, and when Vil lanova was down to its last point 2421, it rallied. It scored four straight before the Leopards regained pos session. After two Lafayette points, the ‘Cats were able to put it away, winning three straight off of two kills from Homer and a service ace. Carrying the momentum from the win, Villanova took on New Hampshire on Saturday. The ‘Cats fell early, but down 11-7, a timeout by head coach Josh Steinbach allowed the Wildcats to regroup. They came out firing, winning 13 of the next 16, before winning five of the last eight points to take the first set 25-17. New Hampshire took a 12-7 lead and cruised. Despite a short Villanova run, the Wildcats of New Hampshire took out Villanova handi ly, scoring on 13 of the next 20 points to easily win the second set, 25-14.
James Haupt Staff Writer
Men’s XC Sweeps Top Five in Lehigh Inivtational
Josh Phillips (above) placed second in the Lehigh Invitational. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics Riley Homer (above) had a strong showing at the Villanova Classic. Courtesy of Villanova Athletics
The fifth set typically goes to 15, but this set nearly made it to 25. Neither team could get two in a row, and it felt like the game would go on forever. But after a long set, junior middle Kiera Booth and Morgan ended it with back-to-back kills.
The blaring sound of the gun can only mean one thing: cross-country season is officially upon us. After a successful 2021 season, the men were back at the Lehigh Invitational and showed no signs of rust, finishing first out of 11 teams. The event only had one race which was the 6k. The Wild cats finished with a score of 15, and Temple was second, with 49. Villanova’s Charlie O’Don ovan tacked on another fantastic race to his running resumé. The senior won with a time of 18:03.5, with an average mile pace clocked in at 4:50.5 per mile. His team mates weren’t far behind, as the top five runners for Villanova all finished within less than two seconds of each other. This in cluded veteran Josh Phillips, who finished six-tenths of a second behind O’Donovan, with a time of 18:04.1. Then came sopho more Liam Murphy, who recorded a time of 18:04.7. Senior Haftu Strintzos and sophomore Jack Jennings continued this pattern as they took fourth and fifth with the same time of 18:05.1 to complete the top five sweep. Twelve Wildcats ran at the invitational, and the runners out side of the top five were just as ex citing. Villanova had eight runners in the top 20. Coming in 12th and 13th were senior Jack Fredian, with a time of 18:14.3, and redshirt freshman Devon Comber. This was Comber’s first offical race at Villanova as he red shirted last season. He showed his great potential in this race as he re corded a time of 18:15.0. The last runner to place was sophomore Cole Walker, who finished with a time of 18:17.8, which earned him 16th place.The last four Wildcats in the race ran exceptionally well, demonstrating the depth of this team. Junior Sean Dolan finished in 25th place, with a time of 18:36.8. Although he didn’t score for the Wildcats, he helped Villa nova finish with nine runners in the top 25, which is an impressive feat. Sean Donoghue, another red shirt freshman, and junior Mathias Powell finished 35th and 36th. run ning an equivalent time of 18:46.4. To finish it off for Villanova, senior Ben Seiple ran a time of 19:02.0 and placed 45th overall. In a race that held 160 athletes in total, all 12 Wildcats finished in the top 50. This was an impressive outing that the team looks to build on for the rest of the Theseason.nextmeet will take place on Friday, Sept. 16 at the Main Line Invitational. This meet will be hosted by Haverford, and the Wildcats will look to dominate at another Pennsylvania venue. The Villanova men’s cross-country season has just begun, but the team has already shown a clear glimpse of what it can do. Charlie O’Donovan (above) won the Lehigh Invitational.
The fourth set was a close affair, and no one jumped out to an early lead. When Villanova went on a five-point run to take a 19-16 lead, it looked like it would be able to cruise to a win, but New Hampshire fought back, winning eight of the next 10 points, before a kill finished off the set for UNH.
The first set was all Villa nova, as it took a 17-7 lead and was never caught. Despite Fairfield trying to come back, Villanova took five of the last eight to win, 25-18. The second set started back and forth, but when Fairfield took the 16-12 lead, Villanova couldn’t get any closer the rest of the way. No team could get a lead larger than three in the third set. When Fairfield was leading 15-13, Villanova won six straight. Fairfield never came back, and Villanova fin ished it off with a kill from Morgan. The fourth set was the same as the second, starting close, but Fair field took a big 16-9 lead. It held that lead firm, and Villanova was unable to recover. For the second time in two days, Villanova headed back to a fifth set. Down 3-0 in the fifth, Fair field scored six straight points to take a 6-3 lead. Villanova won backto-back to bring it within one, but Fairfield could not be stopped. It won nine of the next 13 points to take the set and match.TheWildcats return to action next weekend when they travel to Ohio for the Dayton Invitational. Villanova will face Missouri State and Dayton on Friday before facing off against Illinois on Saturday.
Villanova Dining Services VILLANOVA DINING SERVICES Late Night Hours Begin Tuesday, September 6 Visit our website for a complete list of hours of h�ps://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/services/dining/hours/regular.htmlopera�on
