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Ahead of Rome Tipoff, Basketball Powerhouse Villanova Embraces 'Pope Leo Effect'
The university says more than 10% more applicants followed the pope’s election, as 6,000 Villanova fans travel for the season opener.
- On Sunday, Villanova University's men's and women's basketball teams open their season against Notre Dame in Rome, playing 6 miles from the Vatican in the Eternal City Tip-Off.
- Founded by the Augustinian order in 1842, Villanova is the only American university to count a pope as an alumnus; Pope Leo XIV graduated with a mathematics degree in 1977.
- Following the 2025 election of Pope Leo, Villanova saw applications jump more than 10%, while interest in Catholicism has grown among the school's around 10,000 students.
- Over Halloween weekend, 6,000 Villanova fans and 1,000 Notre Dame fans are traveling to Rome, where the sports-loving Pope is scheduled to hold a private audience for the teams.
- Ed Hastings, a 1971 Villanova basketball player and current faculty member, will join a sold-out panel in Rome discussing "the passions of my life" — sports and spirituality.
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Ahead of Rome tipoff, basketball powerhouse Villanova embraces 'Pope Leo effect'
Villanova University is deepening its ties to the Vatican, thanks to its famous alumnus, Pope Leo.
·Detroit, United States
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Total News Sources18
Leaning Left6Leaning Right1Center10Last UpdatedBias Distribution59% Center
Bias Distribution
- 59% of the sources are Center
59% Center
L 35%
C 59%
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