< Previous40 VILLANOVA.COM 2019 FOOTBALL 2019 GAMEDAY VILLANOVA STADIUM [VILLANOVA, PA. ] PRESIDENT, REV. PETER M. DONOHUE, O.S.A. The Reverend Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, became the 32nd president of Villanova University on June 1, 2006. Under his leadership, Villanova has charted a course of significant transformation that includes embarking on an ambitious ten- year strategic plan, launching the University’s largest comprehensive fundraising campaign, initiating a vibrant physical campus renovation and dramatically expanding student opportunities. PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE Throughout this transformative period in Villanova’s history, the University has introduced new initiatives, become more nationally recognized for its academic prowess and broken University admission records. Father Donohue has also worked together with students, faculty, staff, alumni and parents to strengthen the Villanova community and renew its commitment to the institution’s Augustinian, Catholic educational mission. A champion of the role of service learning at Villanova, Father Donohue instituted an annual St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service as a way for the University community to propel its Augustinian ideals into action. Each September, nearly 5,000 students, faculty, staff and alumni take part in projects throughout Greater Philadelphia. This is just one of the many service learning opportunities at the University, which boasts more than 250,000 hours of service in the local, national and international community. AN ACCOMPLISHED SCHOLAR Born in the Bronx, New York, and raised in Royal Oak, Michigan, Father Peter earned a bachelor’s degree from Villanova University in 1975 and was ordained an Augustinian priest in 1979. He has a master’s in Theatre from the Catholic University of America, a masters in Divinity from the Washington Theological Union, and a PhD in Theatre from the University of Illinois. Father Donohue is a tenured associate professor at Villanova who served as chair of the University’s department of theatre from 1992 to 2006. He annually directed musical theatre productions on campus, earning six Barrymore Award nominations and one Barrymore Award for Outstanding Direction of a Musical from the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. PRESIDENT’S CABINET PRESIDENT Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA PROVOST Patrick G. Maggitti, PhD EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Kenneth G. Valosky SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT Michael J. O’Neill VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATION & MARKETING Ann E. Diebold VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL E. Michael Zubey, Jr., JD VICE PRESIDENT FOR TECHNOLOGY AND CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER Stephen W. Fugale VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE Neil J. Horgan DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Mark W. Jackson VICE PRESIDENT FOR FACILITIES MANAGEMENT Robert H. Morro VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT LIFE Rev. John P. Stack, OSA VICE PRESIDENT FOR MISSION AND MINISTRY Barbara E. Wall VICE PROVOST FOR ACADEMICS Craig M. Wheeland, PhD ASSOCIATE VICE PROVOST FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AND CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER Teresa A. Nance, PhD 2019 GAMEDAY [VILLANOVA, PA. ] VILLANOVA STADIUM VILLANOVA.COM 41 2019 FOOTBALL DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS, MARK JACKSON Mark Jackson is in his fifth year as the Villanova University Director of Athletics in 2019- 20. He is part of the university’s senior leadership team and serves as a direct liaison between the Athletics Department and the broader campus community. As the Director of Athletics, Jackson is responsible for providing executive leadership, strategic direction and oversight for all of Villanova’s 24 varsity sports and more than 600 student-athletes. He is also charged with managing the department’s fiscal affairs, personnel, strategic planning, facilities, general operations and public relations. Villanova is a member of the BIG EAST Conference and the Colonial Athletic Association Football Conference, and also competes in the Colonial Athletic Association (rowing) and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (water polo). Club sports and an extensive intramurals and recreation program fall under the auspices of the Athletics Department. Jackson’s vision for Villanova Athletics during his time on campus has been a commitment to excellence in every facet of the student-athlete experience, and to fostering an environment that allows the Wildcats to be successful on all fronts while maintaining the university’s place among the nation’s elite institutions for the combination of its academic prestige, athletic achievement and community service. To this end, Villanova was presented with the BIG EAST Conference President’s Cup in three of the first four years that the across-the-board honor was presented. The President’s Cup recognizes the BIG EAST member school that has excelled at an elite level in athletic competition, academic performance, community service and leadership. Under Jackson’s watch, the Wildcats have celebrated two national championships in men’s basketball and an individual national title in men’s cross country. The last four years have seen 10 different sports programs earn team or individual berths to national postseason competition, while Villanova has won 20 conference championships and produced dozens of individual conference titles during Jackson’s tenure. Several notable success stories highlighted athletic competition in 2018- 19, beginning with men’s basketball continuing to set the BIG EAST standard by winning the conference regular season and tournament titles as the defending national champions. The women’s swimming & diving team set a program record by winning the BIG EAST title for a sixth consecutive year, while the women’s cross country and track & field teams completed a second straight “triple crown” with BIG EAST titles during the cross country, indoor and outdoor seasons. The men’s and women’s cross country teams each earned team berths to the NCAA Championships, the men’s basketball team played in the NCAA Tournament for the 14th time in the past 15 years and the women’s basketball team advanced to the WNIT to notch its 17th national postseason berth in the past 20 years. The academic achievement of Wildcats student-athletes continues to break records even at a university with a history of standing out on the national level for success in the classroom. Villanova has topped all of Division I in the last two years with the highest number of its sports programs earning NCAA public recognition awards by having a multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) score that ranked within the top 10 percent of their sport. Villanova had a total of 18 teams achieve this distinction for the 2016-17 academic year, while 17 programs were recognized in 2017-18. Villanova has had the highest number of student-athletes named to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team in each of the last four years, including over 300 honorees for both the 2017-18 and the 2018- 19 academic years. The football, rowing and water polo teams have also been well-represented on their respective conference all-academic teams. Jackson created the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll starting with the Fall 2016 grading period to recognize Wildcats student-athletes with a semester GPA of 3.2 or higher. The number of student-athletes on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll has steadily increased and most recently set a record with 402 honorees for the Spring 2019 semester. The overall GPA for student-athletes in Spring 2019 was 3.346, a new athletics record and the second straight year that the spring semester saw a new record GPA. With this latest figure, the Athletic Department has now tallied 32 straight semesters with a GPA above a 3.0, including the last nine consecutive semesters in which the GPA was 3.2 or higher. More than 81 percent of student- athletes – 469 in all – achieved a GPA of at least 3.0 in Spring 2019. Jackson’s leadership has enabled Villanova Athletics to reach record levels of fundraising in the past four years. Since his arrival on campus, Villanova Athletics has raised more than $120 million while posting three consecutive record-setting years in terms of fundraising dollars. Jackson has steadily increased the number of leadership and major gift donors in support of athletics facility projects, most significantly helping to make possible $65 million in fundraising for the 100% donor funded Finneran Pavilion renovation. Other major projects include the October 2016 opening of the $18 million Andrew J. Talley Athletic Center and $4 million in facility enhancements to the Davis Center. Jackson also played a key role in securing $2 million for men’s and women’s lacrosse locker room upgrades and led construction of the $2 million track & field and cross country locker rooms and offices. In June 2016 Jackson helped to secure an anonymous $1.3 million gift, the largest ever to a Villanova Athletics women’s program, for the construction of a new home venue for the field hockey team at the Proving Grounds in nearby Conshohocken, Pa. This transformational gift provides a new home for the field hockey team and positively impacts both the competitive and recruiting landscape of the program. A similar project was completed in September 2016 at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth, where the baseball team plays its home games. Through the generosity of alumni and friends of the baseball program, artificial turf was installed on the infield and behind home plate. Outfield wall padding was added in March 2017. In addition to numerous capital projects, Jackson has overseen the successful implementation of the “Nova Points” donor and season ticket holder points system and has prioritized fundraising for staffing, scholarship and operational support in the Athletic Department.42 VILLANOVA.COM 2019 FOOTBALL 2019 GAMEDAY VILLANOVA STADIUM [VILLANOVA, PA. ] Jackson is involved with several external committees in addition to his responsibilities on campus. He was named by the NCAA to its Division I Council, a four-year term which began on July 1, 2019 and continues through June 30, 2023. The Division I Council is a high-level group comprised of practitioners who work daily in Division I athletics, and it has primary legislative authority for Division I. Jackson will also represent the Division I Council on the Strategic Vision and Planning Committee which has oversight responsibility of administrative functions related to the management of the Division I governance structure, including business and legal affairs, strategic planning and research, Division I membership activities, and health and safety matters. Jackson has been the chair of the BIG EAST Athletic Directors Committee and the Big 5 Athletic Director’s Committee, as well as the Co-Chair of the Collegiate Sports Summit for Athletic Directors. The latter is an initiative which Jackson worked with fellow athletic directors, sports executives and NCAA senior leadership to help found during his years at the University of Southern California. Villanova has been on a remarkable run of success since Jackson’s arrival at the start of the 2015-16 academic year. His first year on the job was marked by the men’s basketball team winning the second national championship in program history. Head coach Jay Wright was named the Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year and men’s basketball was one of four Wildcats teams that advanced to national postseason play. The women’s cross country team earned a berth in the NCAA Championships, while the volleyball team made its second-ever NCAA appearance and the women’s basketball team played in the WNIT. In 2016-17, the men’s basketball team returned to the No. 1 national ranking and won its fourth consecutive regular season BIG EAST title in addition to winning the postseason conference tournament for the second time in three seasons. The women’s basketball team won 20 games for the fifth straight year and reached the semifinal round of the WNIT for the first time. Men’s cross country student-athlete Patrick Tiernan capped his storybook collegiate career by becoming the second Villanova men’s athlete to win the NCAA cross country title. The football team returned to the FCS playoffs in 2016 and the men’s soccer team made its first- ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Highlights from 2017-18 included the dominant run made by men’s basketball during the NCAA Tournament en route to a second national title in three years. The women’s basketball and men’s lacrosse programs also earned at-large NCAA Tournament bids, with the men’s lacrosse team earning its highest-ever national ranking when it landed at No. 4 in the USILA Coaches Poll during the year. Jackson brought with him to Villanova nearly 20 years of experience and a comprehensive knowledge of all sports and the associated support necessary to sustain an elite collegiate athletic program. He was appointed the Director of Athletics at Villanova on August 25, 2015 after serving as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics and Chief Innovation Officer at USC, where he had responsibility for the university’s flagship football program along with baseball, women’s lacrosse and support services, including sports medicine, strength and conditioning, nutrition, security and apparel operations. Some highlights from his USC experience include oversight of more than $125 million in capital projects, playing a key role in a $300 million fundraising campaign for the USC athletic department, and managing the USC athletic department’s dealings with a multi-million dollar renovation of the Los Angeles Coliseum. Prior to USC, Jackson worked at Syracuse University as the Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director, where he oversaw all aspects of athletic administration and support for 20 men’s and women’s programs. At both USC and Syracuse, he was responsible for expanding athletic department partnerships with key sponsors. Jackson also developed a strong relationship with the NCAA, assisting with the development of a robust compliance program on campus. Jackson has previous experience at the professional level with the Oakland Raiders and the New England Patriots, serving as Director of Football Development with Oakland from 2007- 2008 and as a coaching assistant with New England for three seasons from 1998-2000. Jackson was born in Boston, Massachusetts and played defensive back at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. He received his bachelor’s degree in government from Colby in 1995 and a master’s degree in public policy from Trinity College in 1997. Jackson, 46, and his wife, Tricia, are parents to four children: Grace, 18; Hannah, 16; Kevin, 14; and Sean, 12. DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS, MARK JACKSONVILLANOVA.COM 43 2019 GAMEDAY [VILLANOVA, PA. ] VILLANOVA STADIUM 2019 FOOTBALL VILLANOVA STADIUM Villanova Stadium, home to Wildcat football, field hockey, lacrosse, and track and field teams, has a long and successful tradition. The Wildcats be- gin their 92nd season of conducting inter- collegiate athletic events inside the distin- guished on-campus stadium in 2019. Officially dedicated on October 8, 1927, the Wildcats wasted no time establishing a winning tradition inside their new sta- dium, winning the opening football contest against Lebanon Valley 32-7. The ‘Cats went on to extend their home win streak to 14 games before finally suffering its first football defeat in Villanova Stadium in 1930. Because this historic site includes two memorials to former Wildcats, alumni and fans often forget that the official name of this complex is Villanova Stadium, as it was originally dedicated back in 1927. The first memorial came soon after Villanova Stadium opened. On October 2, 1928, Leo J. Goodreau, a sophomore on the football team, died as a result of injuries received during football practice. On May 7, 1930, his classmates dedicated the playing field to his memory, with a plaque located at the main entrance to the stadium. On September 27, 1980, the track encircling Goodreau Field was dedicated to long- time Villanova track & field coach James “Jumbo” Elliott. Therefore, the ‘Cats play football and lacrosse on Goodreau Field, while the track team runs on the Elliott Track, all within Villanova Stadium. The stadium was originally completed at a cost of $500,000 in 1927. Able to seat approximately 5,500 spectators, the stadium was recognized as one of the fin- est on-campus collegiate stadiums in the country. In 1930, the stadium had its first addition as concrete stands on the north side were added, increasing the Villanova Stadium seating capacity to 12,000. While the Wildcats continued to expand on their success inside Villanova Stadium, the sta- dium itself remained relatively un changed until 1958 when the seating capacity was again increased. Extending the seating in both the north and south seating areas, Villanova Stadium capacity was increased to 13,400. A re-configuring of seats, and replacement of the entire seating with new aluminum bleachers in the summer of 1990 reduced the seating capacity of Villanova Stadium to its current 12,000. In 1980, Villanova undertook a $1.3 mil- lion renovation of the playing surfaces inside the stadium. The old grass playing field and the ‘Cats’ legendary cinder track were torn up and removed and replaced by an AstroTurf playing field and an eight- lane, Rubaturf 400-meter track. Completed in August 1980, Villanova’s new track was officially dedicated the Jumbo Elliott Track on September 27, 1980 in honor of the Wildcat’s legendary track and field coach. Twenty-two former track Olympians from Villanova and a score of other Wildcat track and field greats gathered for the official track dedication during halftime of the sold out Villanova – Boston College homecom- ing football game, a contest the Wildcats won with an impressive 20-9 showing. In November of 1980, six 100-foot light towers, three on the north and three on the south sides of Villanova Stadium, were installed giving Villanova’s historic stadium the capability of evening and night time use. Prior to 1980, there had been one night football game in Villanova Stadium, a 20-20 tie with the Parris Island Marines on October 31, 1952. It wasn’t until November 19, 1987, in front of a national ESPN cable television audience, Villanova faced NCAA I-AA No. 1 ranked Holy Cross in the stadium’s first-ever intercollegiate night football game. New to Villanova Stadium in the fall of 1992 was a fresh Astroturf-8 playing field, and Rekortan-S track. Installed in the sum- mer of 1992, the $1.25 million project began after Villanova’s commencement exercises were concluded in the Stadium on Sunday, May 10. The next day, work began on the refurbishment of the playing field and track. The original Astroturf and Rubaturf sur- faces, installed during the summer of 1980, were torn up, and the new surfaces installed over the course of three months. Each year, Villanova Stadium plays host to a wide assortment of athletic contests ranging from CYO and club levels to high school and international events. Hosting all- star athletic events as well as high school championships, the Jumbo Elliott Track annually hosts some of the East’s top col- legiate track and field meets, including 25 of the last 39 Big East Conference outdoor track and field championships. In Noveber, 1991, the Stadium hosted the NCAA Field Hockey National Championship, won by Old Dominion University. In the fall of 1998, Villanova Stadium was the site of the Big East Field Hockey Championship. In May of 2013, Villanova Stadium hosted the NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse national cham- pionships. In the fall of 1999, the Stadium under- went yet another face-lift with the Stadium Renovation Project. Included in this project was a state of the art press box that includ- ed a first class facility for both print and radio media to use, in addition to housing an 80-person meeting room for all Villanova Athletic Department personnel to use. Yet, most of all, Villanova Stadium is known for Wildcat Football. Since mak- ing their debut in Villanova Stadium back in 1927, the Wildcats have compiled an impressive 242-104-5 overall won-loss-tie record on their home field, for a .687 win- ning percentage. Since the revival of Wild- cat Football in 1985, Villanova is 132-57-0 at Villanova Stadium, and 76-45 in home conference contests. There was a new look to Villanova Sta- dium in 2002, as the former AstroTurf play- ing field was replaced during the spring of 2002 with a synthetic grass surface known as AstroPlay. The Jumbo Elliott Track underwent a remodeling effort in the summer of 2007. Installed was a BSS 1000, 13 mm dual durometer, full pour polyurethane track sys- tem. The new track surface will provide the Wildcat Track & Field Program with a first class running venue. In the summer of 2018, Villanova Sta- dium underwent another renovation when AstroTurf with rubber infill was installed. This surface includes a root zone 3D3 blend with a brock shock pad as the sublayer. The AstroTurf will provide the stadium with a first class playing surface for all Wildcat teams to use for both practice and game competition. Villanova will play its 92nd season at Villanova Stadium in 2019. 2019 GAMEDAY [VILLANOVA, PA. ] VILLANOVA STADIUM VILLANOVA.COM 45 2019 FOOTBALL ON THE AIR VILLANOVA ATHLETICS WEBSITE WWW.VILLANOVA.COM • Game notes • Statistics • Schedule and results • Digital media guide • Villanova apparel NOVA NATION ALL-ACCESS • Live and on demand coverage of Villanova sporting events, including every Wildcats football game • Fans can access by going to www. villanova.com, mouse over “Fan Zone” then select Nova Nation All Access beneath multimedia VILLANOVA RADIO NETWORK For a seventh straight year in 2019, 610 ESPN will broadcast the Villanova Football Radio Show. This year’s Talking Villanova Football With Coach Mark Ferrante will be held on Tuesday nights from 7-8 p.m., at The Inn on the campus of Villanova University. The one hour show will be hosted by Steve Pinone and will provide a weekly recap of Wildcat football games, as well as a preview of upcoming contests. Throughout the program, Pinone and Coach Ferrante will discuss all aspects of Villanova Football. The show will also feature special guests both live in the restaurant and on the phone. FLAGSHIP STATION 610 ESPN (WTEL – AM) Philadelphia, Pa. VILLANOVA ON TUNEIN RADIO • Fans can access Villanova TuneIn by going to www.villanova.com, mouse over “Fan Zone” then select TuneIn beneath multimedia or visit the Football Schedule and select TuneIn located to the right of the game day match up.46 VILLANOVA.COM 2019 FOOTBALL 2019 GAMEDAY VILLANOVA STADIUM [VILLANOVA, PA. ] TO OUR FANS As a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Villanova University is responsible for exercising “institutional control” over its intercollegiate athletics program. The NCAA holds the University accountable for the acts of anyone identified as a Villanova University “athletics representative.” By definition, an “athletics representative” is any individual who is: • A season ticket holder. • A member of an institutional athletics booster club. • Involved in providing jobs or internships for enrolled student-athletes. • Involved in promoting the institution’s athletics program. • Has ever been involved with the Villanova University athletics program. • Has made contributions to booster clubs or to the athletics department. Once “athletics representative” status has been reached, fans retain that status for life. Under NCAA legislation, “athletics representatives” are prohibited from any contact (e.g., letters, telephone calls, face-to-face, and social media) with a prospective student-athlete or the prospect’s relatives or legal guardians for purposes of recruiting. Such contacts are to be initiated exclusively by authorized athletics department staff members. Athletics representatives are subject to NCAA legislation which requires member institutions to revoke or withhold privi- leges from any individual who has engaged in conduct that is determined by the NCAA, or its member conferences, to be in violation of NCAA legislation, regardless of whether such violation results in the imposition of sanctions. Such benefits or privileges may include, but are not limited to, ticket privileges being withheld by the University to any University-hosted athletics event, for a period of time which the NCAA, and its member conferences, deems appropriate. We request that “athletics representatives” do not make recruiting contact with prospective student-athletes at any time. No matter how well-meaning your intentions, any contact you make with a prospective student-athlete places you, our University, and the Villanova University athletics program at risk of receiving NCAA sanctions. If you have any questions, before taking action, please contact our compliance office at the address below and telephone number for clarification. Should you wish to receive more information on applicable NCAA policies, our compliance office will be happy to provide additional information and clarification to you. To request a free copy of our “Guide to NCAA Rules…for Alumni, Faculty & Friends” or to receive clarification of NCAA rules before taking any actions, please email athletics.compliance@villanova.edu or call 610-519-6607. We are grateful for your wonderful and enthusiastic support, and we appreciate your attention to all NCAA regulations regarding Villanova University prospective and enrolled student-athletes. Thank you, Katie LeGrand, Associate Athletic Director for Compliance 48 VILLANOVA.COM 2019 FOOTBALL 2019 GAMEDAY VILLANOVA STADIUM [VILLANOVA, PA. ] SPOTLIGHT: FIELD HOCKEY By Lauren Staff Villanova Media Relations The drive is short; 10 minutes at most. On the way, white and blue flags decorate the lampposts, letting drivers know they’re close to Villanova. At the end of the road in Radnor Township, just under three miles away from the campus, you’d find field hockey forward Lydia Sydnor’s childhood home. But her youth’s proximity isn’t her only connection to the school. She’s a third-generation Wildcat legacy. Her grandfather, George Sydnor, was inducted in the 1985 Villanova University Varsity Club Hall of Fame for his career on the track and field team. During his time as a Wildcat, George was a five-time Penn Relays champion and was a member of the 1957 outdoor track and field NCAA championship team. In 2011, George was inducted into the Penn Relays Wall of Fame, and his picture now hangs in The Pavilion, Villanova’s men’s basketball court. Nowadays, George enjoys watching his granddaughter compete for his former school. “She’s a great athlete and she’s really good at what she does,” George said. Lydia’s mother and father, Willie and Katherine, met on Nova’s track team. “She was the track girl, the freshman that came in,” Willie remembers. “We dated and we’ve been married for 37 years now.” Willie was also a dual athlete and played on the football team for three years, before starting his professional career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 1979, Willie led Villanova in receiving, kickoff return average, punt return average and all-purpose yards. Katherine also played volleyball for the Wildcats. “Villanova has been embedded in our family for a good amount of time. We grew up loving Villanova,” Lydia said. Now, as one of the youngest members of her athletic family, Lydia is a star forward for the field hockey team. But she’s not the only one of her three siblings to play a Division-I sport. Her sister, Shelby, played four years on Maryland’s field hockey team. And her brother, Brice, just graduated from Bucknell University, where he spent four years patrolling the Bison defensive backfield. While she is now the top scorer for Villanova this season, Lydia didn’t start off her career with the Wildcats. She was first contacted by colleges after going to different field hockey camps her freshman year of high school. Her top three choices were UVA, Syracuse and Michigan, and she ultimately committed to the Wolverines her sophomore year. When she headed off to Ann Arbor, Michigan, she loved the campus, the facilities and her coaches and teammates. But there was something missing. “I didn’t think I’d be homesick until I really got out there,” Lydia said. Even though she was starting most games and having a successful first season with Michigan, she developed a stress fracture halfway through the season. The added pressure of dealing with her injury had her thinking about home even more. That’s when she made the decision that she would come home after the end of her freshman year. After that year off she spoke to her coaches in Ann Arbor and decided to return and play for her former team. But while she planned to return to Michigan in August, she realized in June she just didn’t want to go. She didn’t want to experience the homesickness of living 569 miles away again. That’s when she called Villanova head coach Joanie Milhous. She asked Joanie if Villanova had room for her on the team and Joanie was ecstatic about the addition. “I was very excited about having Lydia join our program. She brought a different level of intensity and work ethic to our program,” Joanie said. She’s helped lead Villanova field hockey to an exciting start this season. The Wildcats are 3-1 — their best record through four games since 2008. Lydia has team-high 8 goals and 3 assists to begin the season, including four goals versus Wagner on Sept. 13. While she’s dominant on the field, she’s also stepped up as a leader for her younger teammates. And her coaches have noticed. “Lydia wants to make our Villanova Field Hockey program better,” Joanie said. “She pushes herself and therefore pushes others to be their best.” Since she lives 5 minutes from her parents in her off-campus apartment, she still sees them all the time, which she cherishes. “It’s kind of cool that we’ve been here for three generations,” Lydia said. One day there might be a fourth- generation Sydnor playing for the Wildcats in some sport. But while Villanova has always been in her DNA, she had — and still has — her own ambitions. This season, the senior will try and help her team make another run at a Big East Championship, especially with her classmates. “We all have that attitude that it’s our last year and we want to make it our best year,” Lydia said. THIRD GENERATION WILDCAT, LYDIA SYDNOR, HAS PROVIDED AN EARLY SEASON SPARK FOR VILLANOVA Willie Sydnor, who led Villanova football in receiv- ing yards in 1979, and his daughter, Lydia, who is a current member of the field hockey team.Next >