Villanova wins its third Presidents' Award since the creation of the honor in 2014-15.
NEW YORK – Villanova University has been named the winner of the BIG EAST Presidents’ Award for the 2017-18 academic year. The annual honor, which was established by the conference’s Presidents in 2015, goes to the BIG EAST institution that has excelled at the highest levels in academics, athletics and citizenship during the preceding academic year. Villanova also won for the 2015-16 academic year.
A selection committee of athletic and academic administrators from each BIG EAST institution chose Villanova for the award. Each institution provides the selection committee with comprehensive information that highlights its accomplishments in all three areas. Georgetown, which won six BIG EAST championships in 2016-17, was the runner-up in the balloting.
“The BIG EAST Presidents’ Award was created to recognize the full scope of student-athlete achievement, and we extend our congratulations to the Villanova Wildcats for their exceptional performance this past year in the classroom, in competition and in the community,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. “We commend Fr. Peter Donohue, Mark Jackson and Villanova’s coaches, administrators and faculty for their commitment to a holistic collegiate experience and lifetime success for the extraordinary young people who represent Villanova across all 24 varsity programs.”
“Villanova student-athletes continue to embody the values and characteristics that define our University community,” said University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA. “From academic and athletic excellence, to inclusivity and service to others, I am extremely proud to have such wonderful representatives of Villanova. I congratulate everyone involved with Villanova Athletics on receiving this honor.”
“We are honored to receive the distinguished BIG EAST Presidents’ Award,” said Director of Athletics Mark Jackson. “This award is a result of a collaborative effort that begins with the leadership and support of President Father Peter Donohue and is followed by the unified commitment toward academic excellence, athletic achievement and a willingness to serve the greater community exemplified by our coaches, staff and student-athletes on a daily basis. This is truly an award reflective of the entire Villanova community.”
Academics – Villanova had 15 of its teams that compete in the BIG EAST earn NCAA APR recognition in 2017-18. Overall, a school record 18 teams earned APR public recognition in 2017-18. With 82 percent of its programs recognized, the Wildcats had highest percentage in the country for Division I programs. Both Villanova’s men’s and women’s basketball teams earned perfect APR scores of 1,000. On the court, both teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament, with the men’s team winning the national championship.
- Overall, Villanova student-athlete GPA for its BIG EAST teams (nearly 450 student-athletes) was 3.298 for the fall semester and 3.137 for the spring semester, for an overall GPA of 3.217 for the academic year.
- A total of 162 BIG EAST student-athletes were included on the Villanova Dean’s List (3.5 GPA or above) in the fall semester and 183 in the spring semester. For the Villanova Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (3.2 GPA or above), 274 student-athletes were honored in the fall semester and 279 in the spring.
- Villanova has had a total of 130 teams recognized by the NCAA in 13 years of the public recognition awards. The Wildcats are ranked among the top 90 percent of Division I programs.
- Individually, track and field standout Siofra Cleirigh Buttner and men’s basketball star Jalen Brunson were emblematic of Villanova’s academic and athletic success.
- Cleirigh Buttner, a communications major with a minor in criminology, earned a 3.62 GPA and was named to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-America Teams a combined seven times.
- Brunson, the consensus National Player of the Year, became the first Villanova men’s basketball player since 1988 to be named a CoSIDA Academic All-American. Brunson posted a 3.34 GPA as a communications major and was named winner of the BIG EAST Basketball Scholar-Athlete Award.
- In addition to Brunson’s honors achieved in men’s basketball, teammate Matt Kennedy received the NCAA Elite 90 Award at the Final Four as the student-athlete with the highest GPA among the four participating teams. Kennedy was one of three Wildcats to graduate Summa Cum Laude (minimum 3.90 GPA). Caitlin Daday of the women’s swimming and diving team and Katherine Fisher of track and field joined Kennedy in that exclusive club.
Team Athletic Achievements – In additional to the achievements by the men’s and women’s basketball teams, the men’s track and field team won its fourth indoor BIG EAST title in five years and had 18 student-athletes account for 25 BIG EAST honors.
- The men’s lacrosse team earned its highest ever national ranking (No. 4) and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
- The volleyball team finished 18-12 and earned a berth in the four-team BIG EAST Tournament.
- The men’s swimming and diving team posted its best finish since 1993 in the BIG EAST Championship, finishing second. Michael Perra was named Most Outstanding Diver at the event.
- The softball team closed out the distinguished 27-year career of coach Maria DiBernardi by earning a berth in the BIG EAST Tournament.
- The men’s basketball team earned some special distinctions en route to the third national championship in school history. The Wildcats, led by coach Jay Wright, established a school record with 36 victories against only four losses and won each NCAA Tournament game by more than 10 points. In addition to Brunson’s accolades, Donte DiVincenzo was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player. Mikal Bridges was a third team consensus All-America selection and Omari Spellman was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Year.
Citizenship –- Over the course of the 2017-18 academic year, Villanova’s student-athletes logged 2,920 hours of community service work.
- A signature Villanova event is the St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service, which is held each September. The project featured 360 student-athletes, coaches and staff volunteering throughout the Philadelphia area. In all, there were 4,500 Villanova volunteers at more than 135 service sites. The sites include schools, churches and community centers.
- A pair of unique student-focused initiatives were among many highlights in the area of citizenship. Mark Jackson, Director of Athletics, and Assistant Athletic Director Malcolm Grace started UNITAS which is designed to encourage feedback on a range of topics important to student-athletes, embracing constructive conversation with athletic department administrators in an effort to enhance mutual understanding. UNITAS student-athlete organizations were formed in the following areas: LGBTQ+, Women and Gender Equity, Mental Health and International Student Equity and Ethnicity and Diversity.
- Seminars were held for various groups and teams of student-athletes throughout the year on hazing, sportsmanship, social justice, alcohol and drug prevention, social media and Athletics and the Law.
- In partnership with the Title IX Coordinator and the Office of Health Promotion, enhanced educational programming was developed for Sexual Violation Prevention training.
- Under the direction of Campus Minister for Sports and Spirituality, several programs are provided for the student-athletes that seek to walk along their athletic journey by providing opportunities for prayer, self-reflection and meaningful connection in and out of sports.
Georgetown’s accomplishments included having 13 programs receive APR recognition. The Hoyas boasted a 91 percent graduation rate for student-athletes, which included 11 teams achieving a 100 percent graduation rate.
Athletically, Georgetown’s six BIG EAST Championships was the highest total among league members. The Hoyas captured conference crowns in men’s cross country, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s golf, women’s golf and men’s lacrosse.