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Took On UCLA – Howard Porter
Porter then played collegiately at Villanova University, where he was a three-time All-America selection. He took Villanova to the 1971 NCAA Championship Game, in which Villanova lost to UCLA 68-62. Porter was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after scoring 25 points in the final game. However, he was later ruled ineligible for the honor because he had signed a professional contract with the Pittsburgh Condors of the American Basketball Association during the middle of his senior year. To the present day, the MOP for the 1971 Final Four is listed as “*Vacated.”
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Wildcats NCAA Basketball Champs 2018, 2016, 1985
2018 NCAA Champs
Villanova, Michigan, Kansas, and Loyola-Chicago, the “Cinderella team” of the tournament, reached the Final Four. Villanova defeated Michigan in the championship game, 79–62.
2016 NCAA Champs
In the Final Four, Villanova defeated Oklahoma, while North Carolina defeated Syracuse (the “Cinderella team” of the tournament). Villanova then defeated North Carolina to win the championship on a three-point buzzer-beater by Kris Jenkins. Pundits called the game one of the best in tournament history, going on to say this was one of the most competitive finals ever.
1985 NCAA Champs
Eighth-seed Villanova, coached by Rollie Massimino, won their first national title with a 66–64 victory in the final game over Georgetown, coached by John Thompson. Ed Pinckney of Villanova was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. The game often cited as “The Perfect Game”, is widely considered among the greatest upsets in college basketball history, and is the second biggest point-spread upset in Championship Game history. This Villanova team remains the lowest-seeded team to win the tournament. The Wildcats are also notable as the last Division I men’s national champion to date to represent a school that did not sponsor varsity football at the time of its title (Villanova had dropped football after the 1980 season and did not reinstate the sport until the 1985 season, the first after the championship game). The game is also notable as the last played without a shot clock.
Villanova plays its arch rival the Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens in the “Battle of the Blue”. Villanova leads the all-time series which was first played in 1895 by the margin of 23-21-1. The Wildcats have a current series where they play the Temple Owls for the Philadelphia “Mayor’s Cup”. Villanova won the inaugural game in September 2009 but dropped the next three games to the FBS school. Villanova still leads the all-time series that started in 1928 by the margin of 16-15-2. In recent seasons the Wildcats also play the Penn Quakers with many of the games held at historic Franklin Field. Villanova has an 11–6 lead in the series first played in 1905 and most recently in 2015.
College Sports Established
1894
Location
Villanova, Pennsylvania
College Name
Villanova University
Collegiate History
1973 – Present / NCAA Division 1
1921 – 1973 / University Division of the NCAA
1907 – 1921 / Athletic Association of the United States
Conference History
1980 – Present / Big East Conference
1976 – 1980 / Atlantic 10 Conference
1921 – 1976 / Independent
Nickname
Wildcats – In 1926, a contest was conducted involving the entire university, to adopt a mascot for Villanova. Edward Hunsinger, a former All-American defensive end at Notre Dame, hit upon the nickname “Wildcats”. Hunsinger was nicknamed the “Little General” of the legendary “Four Horsemen” and he had recently been added to Villanova’s football staff as the assistant coach.
The name Wildcats refers to a wide variety of feral felines such as the bobcat, caracal, and lynx. Villanova’s Wildcat most closely resembles the bobcat, which is found in the Southwest part of the United States. The term Wildcats is meant to convey the image of an animal that is successful in its quest to survive using its ferocious attitude, speed, agility, and alertness. The spirit of the Wildcat is embodied in all of our athletic teams.
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men’s Basketball 3
2018, 2016, 1985
Women’s Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 0