The Bright Stars of the 2023-24 Villanova Athletics Season

August 7, 2024 –

The final in a series for the Big Five athletic teams looking back at the bright, shining stars of the 2023-24 season.

We will name a team of the year and student athlete of the year for each school. In addition, we will list an honor roll of teams and student athletes. Team recognition will be noted by a championship, postseason advancement, and / or a significant achievement. To be named as a player one should have a national award or honor, a league accolade, significant achievement, or a team record.

Let’s take a look back at the past season at the Finneran Pavilion, Villanova Stadium, and everywhere in Nova Nation for your Villanova University Wildcats.

Teams of the Year

Football

Champions of the CAA and an 8^th Seed in the FCS Championships the was the story written by the football team, The Wildcats under Coach Mark Ferrante finished with a 10 – 3 record and was 7 – 1 in the league. The season ended in a 23 – 12 loss in the quarterfinals at South Dakota State. Nova was an automatic qualifier for the tournament and earned a second-round home game against Youngstown State winning 45 – 28. The team’s winning streak reached seven games. Ferrante was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award symbolic of being the Coach of the Year in FCS College Football. In postseason accolades offensive lineman Michael Corbi and wide receiver Rayjuon Pringle made First-Team All-CAA Offense. Pringle caught 37 passes for 951 receiving yards and 8 receiving touchdowns. He led the country with an average of 27.5 yards per reception. He had 3 receptions of 75 yards or longer. Both players were Phil Steele FCS All-America honors. Villanova ran for an average of 214.6 yards per game led by Jalen Jackson. Villanova led the league in average yards per game at 424.9. Nova was also tops in the CAA in touchdowns with 54 and 34 via rushing scores. The defense was ranked first in CAA Total Defense holding the opposition to 121.7 rushing yards and less than 20 points per game. Shane Hartzell had a team-high 91 tackles with Brendan Bell making 89 stops.

Softball

The third time in four years that the Villanova Wildcats are softball champions of the BIG EAST. Coach Bridget Orchard and assistants Gabby Luety and Grace Fagan were honored as the BIG EAST Co-Coaching Staffs of the Year and NFCA Mideast Region Coaching Staff of the Year. The team finished with a 33 – 24 record and 19 – 5 in conference winning their first ever regular season league title. Villanova also took the tournament title with a 4 – 1 win over Creighton to sweep the weekend. Catcher Ally Jones hit a pair of home runs in the final game. The Wildcats earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and were sent to the Fayetteville Region. After dropping the first game to #17 Arizona, Villanova won their second-ever regional victory 4 – 1 over Southeast Missouri State. Pitcher Kelsey White got the win throwing five innings of 4-hit, one-run, 3 strikeout, and no walk softball. Just a few hours later Nova defeated the host and 12^th seeded Arkansas to advance to their first regional final in program history by a 7 – 2 score. Seven Wildcats combined on 11 hits to lead a balanced offense. Pitcher Kat Gallant picked up the win. The season would end the next day as they lost to Arizona for the second time in the regional despite a three-hit effort by Tess Cites. Jones and infielder Lilly St. Jean received second team All-Mideast Region honors while outfielder Cites made third team. St. Jean made All-BIG EAST first team hitting .302 with a team-leading 15 doubles and added 37 RBI’s. Cites led the team in batting with a .324 average and led the team in runs (51) and hits (58). Jones batted .308. Ava Franz contributed to the power states with a team-best 44 RBI’s runs and hit 10 home runs for second on the squad. Caroline Pellicano appeared in the circle 37 times posting a team-best 1.92 ERA. Alyssa Seidler had a 12 – 5 win/loss record. This season marked the fourth straight 30-win season for the Wildcats.

Student Athletes of the Year

Liam Murphy, Cross Country, Indoor, Outdoor Track, Distance and Middle-Distance Runner

Competing for three track teams Murphy achieved success running for Villanova. He ended the season competing for a National Championship and a berth on the United States Olympic Track and Field teams. While he did not achieve the ultimate goals, he represented himself and the school on a high level competing in the finals in the 1500m run in each meet. Let that not cloud over what Murphy accomplished during the season.

It started in the Cross Country season. Murphy won gold in the BIG EAST meet propelling the team into second place running a time of 24:46.33.  In the Mid-Atlantic Regionals Murphy defended his title running a 29:05.5. The team would earn an invitation to the NCAA Championships where they would place 20^th and Murphy ran a 29:17.5 in the 10k race to place 14^th.

The season moved indoors where he was a part of the Distance Medley Relay team that won the BIG EAST title for the second straight year. He won gold in the 3000m setting a school record time of 7:42.51 breaking Sydney Maree’s record. Earlier in the season Murphy ran to the top of the program record list running the Mile in 3:53.85 and the 5000m in 13:21.20.

The outdoor season awaited next where he began to shine. In the 1500m run he was the Big East Champion and All-BIG EAST winning the race 3:39.0, a Nova best. He was named the Penn Relays Men’s Athlete of the Meet in Track events. He ran the anchor leg of the collegiate record setting 4 x Mile Relay team. On to the NCAA Championships. Murphy was the top qualifier coming out of the East Regional. He ran in the final but finished in 11^th place. The season was not done as the Wildcat runner competed in the final of the 1500m and a trip to Paris. He came in 11^th and did not make the team, but he did run his personal-best time of 3:36.37. He made his last race of the season his best on the biggest stage.

Over the 2023-24 season Murphy set or was part of 5 program records and 3 Villanova Stadium records.

Lucy Olsen, Women’s Basketball, Guard

Olsen stepped into a leadership position for the women’s basketball team and did so in a big way. She was an honorable mention All-American by the WBCA and the Associated Press. The guard was the Philadelphia Big Five Player of the Year and the Most Improved Player. In the BIG EAST Olsen was named First-Team and Most Improved. She started in all 35 games and averaged 23.3 points per game which ranked 3^rd in the NCAA and was 4^th in the nation in total points scored with 815. Olsen made 43.8% from the field (311 0f 710), 29.4% from the three-point line (55 of 187), then sank 80.7% from the free throw line (138 of 171). The career-mark in scoring came against Temple when put in 40 points. She held the team-lead in assists helping 134 times and in steals swiping 65. In double-digit scoring Olsen did so in 33 of 35 games, 25 games of 20 or more points. Her first career double-double of 31 points and 10 rebounds was recorded in the regular season finale against DePaul. The Collegeville native also set career-bests during the season in assists with 10, and 14 made field goals. The season ended at the WBIT Final. She played 36.2 minutes per game. If the team needed something to be done, Olsen did it.

Team Honor Roll

Women’s Swimming and Diving

Eleven straight BIG EAST Championships and counting for the Villanova Women’s Swimming and Diving team winning the meet with 1.482.5 points. It is their 16^th overall championship. Rick Simpson and his staff of Laura McGlaughlin, Todd Michael, and Keanon Dols were named Co-Coaching Staff of the Year. It is the 11^th award for these coaches. Audrey Pastorek earned the Co-Most Outstanding Swimmer in the women’s meet. She won three individual medals; gold in the 200 Back in 1:55.48 and 200 Individual Medley in 1:59.20, silver in the 100 Back (53.82), then silver medals in the 200 and 400 Medley Relays. She set personal bests in her individual medal races. The Wildcats took gold in the 800 Free Relay. The team of Molly Benson, Mary Kate Farrell, Marlene Blanke, and Lauryn Johnson swam a time of 7:15.39. Villanova has won this race for 11 consecutive years. The Wildcats won the 200 Free Relay for the 10^th straight time in 1:32.36. Benson, Carlota Colomer Guasch, Lainey Quinones, and Johnson made up the Nova team. Arabella Lee is the BIG EAST champion in the 100 Fly. She set the school record with a time of 53.31 breaking her own record time of 53.90 set earlier in the day at the prelims. Benson won the 200 Free in 1:48.54.

Women’s Basketball

Villanova came into the season with many goals, and one was to return to the NCAA Tournament. After a quarterfinal round loss to Marquette in the BIG EAST Tournament, it became apparent that the goal would not be realized. But the team would have another chance to play together. The Wildcats got a bid to the inaugural WBIT and were awarded a number one seed. Nova made the best of their chance to extend the season going all the way to the WBIT Championship game. Illinois downed Villanova 71 – 57 in the title game. The women’s team took the season as far as they could. Nova started the tour with a win over VCU and Virginia. The quarterfinal round awaited, and who was the opponent? The Saint Joseph’s Hawks and the winner goes to the WBIT Final Four. The Wildcats downed their archrival 67 – 59 and it was off the Indianapolis. Villanova earned a tough 58 – 53 win over Penn State, and they would play for the title. Lucy Olsen, the team leader, contributed over 23 per game, and led in most other statistical categories. Christina Dalce was the force on the boards where she led the BIG EAST in rebounding (329) and blocked shots (80) to become the league’s Most Improved Player. Bella Runyan contributed in every phase of the game. Then freshmen Maddie Webber and Brynn McCurry became contributors.

Villanova finished the season 22 – 13. And this team will be best recognized because they played for a National Championship.

Men’s Lacrosse

After an up and down season the men’s lacrosse team showed resilience. The team was the 4 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament.  They created a stir in the league with a 10 – 9 win over top seeded Denver in the semifinal round, and advanced to the title game against Georgetown. In another thriller the Wildcats fell just short losing 11 – 10 in overtime in a game where the Wildcats overcame an 8 – 1 Hoyas lead. Both teams had an excellent chance in the last two minutes but were denied as each goalie came up big. Georgetown won it on their first overtime possession. Long Stick Midfielder Stephen Zupicich and Attacker Matt Licata made the All-BIG EAST First Team. Licata led the team in points with 56. He had 36 goals and 20 assists over 16 games. Zupicich was a force on the defensive side getting 59 ground balls and he caused 51 turnovers. He appeared on the Tewaaraton Award Midseason Watch List. Colin Michener had a team-high 37 goals and Mason Reale assisted on 20 scores. Justin Coppola gathered 66 ground balls. Nova finished the season with a 9 – 7 record.

Men’s 4 x Mile Relay Team at the Penn Relays

The team of Sean Donoghue, Charlie O’Donovan, Marco Langon, and Liam Murphy stepped to the line in the 4 x Mile Championship of America race at the Penn Relays. Fifteen minutes and 51.91 seconds later the team ran the second fastest time in world history in this event. Murphy brought home the Championship Wheel and collegiate record getting past Virginia in the final fifty meters. Three teams in this event ran the race faster than 16 minutes. Villanova needed every second of Murphy’s 3:54.32 to get past Virginia and Georgetown. His split was the fastest mile split in school history. Donoghue led with a 3:59.32. O’Donovan brought in a split of 4:00.09. Langon reeled off a 3:58.18 handing the baton to Murphy and history.

Student Athletes Honor Roll

Meghan Mitchell, Field Hockey, Forward

Mitchell came to Villanova from nearby Notre Dame Academy de Namur. This season she became the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year. She scored 16 goals and assisted 6 times for 38 points. Her average points per game of 2.11 ranked 10^th in the nation. Mitchell made the 2023 All-Tournament team and is on the NFHCA Mid-Atlantic All Regional First Team. This season Mitchell set a career-mark of 4 goals in a game against Quinnipiac, and a collegiate-best 3 assists in the Longwood game. She is only one of two Wildcats to be named the conference Offensive Player of the Year.

Abby Harrell, Volleyball, Outside Hitter

It was quite a first year for Harrell as she is the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and is on the league First Team. Harrell had 3.9 kills which ranked 6^th in the conference. She scored 3.28 points per game in the league which was best for all freshman BIG EAST players. Harrell totaled 389 total kills and 449.5 total points led the team. She served an ace 39 times, second on the team.

Eric Dixon, Men’s Basketball, Forward

Dixon earned the Big Five Player of the Year award. He led the team in scoring with 16.6 points per game and in rebounds averaging 6.5. Over the last nine games of the season, he increased his scoring average to just under 20. In the win over North Carolina Dixon set a career-high in scoring with 34 points which tied the Battle of Atlantis second-most points in a Battle game. He added 10 rebounds. The forward from Abington High School led the Wildcats in minutes (1,038), field goals (193), made and attempted free throws (125 – 145), rebounds (222) blocked shots (16), and tied for second in steals at 128. Dixon was at the top or near it in every statistical category for the Wildcats.

Mary Moore, Women’s Lacrosse, Midfielder

Moore turned in a stellar freshman season winning the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year award and was a unanimous conference First Team selectee. Moore ranked second on the team in assists with 12. She added 23 goals to total 35 points playing all 16 games for the Wildcats. She headed the team in draw controls with 27 and had team-tying tops scooping 26 ground balls. Moore scored in 13 straight games to end the season. Ten of those games were multi-point efforts. The midfielder set her career-mark with 7 points (4 goals) in the game against Marquette to send Villanova to the conference tournament.

Roschell Clayton, Women’s Track and Field, High Jump

Clayton became a celebrated Villanova high jumper earning a Penn Relays championship in the event then took the BIG EAST title for the third consecutive time. At Franklin Field she cleared the bar at 1.83m on her final attempt. At home in the BIG EAST meet Clayton took her first jump and was successful at 1.76m to win the title. She soared over the bar at 1.81m to equal the Villanova Stadium record. Clayton qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, OR. At the meet she tied the school record with a height of 1.87m to finish fifth in the event to put 3.5 points for the Wildcats on the women’s team scoreboard. The jump was made on her second attempt at that height. During the indoor season Clayton set the overall school record with a jump of 1.88m in Boston. The BIG EAST nominated her for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.

Written By: Glenn Papazian

Contact: Glenn@PhillyCollegeSports.com