At Villanova University, all roads — or at least many of them — seem to lead to Rome, thanks to famed alumnus Pope Leo XIV and the school’s growing ties to the Vatican. Even its vaunted basketball program is getting in on the act.
Health permitting, Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to hold a private audience on Saturday with all four U.S. college basketball teams and their traveling fans in Rome.
A college basketball doubleheader in Rome featuring men's and women's games between the two Catholic universities will be preceded by a private audience with Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV.
When Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Niele Ivey first heard the idea, she was thrilled. With the election of Pope Leo XIV as inspiration, college sports event organizers wanted to host a pair of men’s and women’s basketball games in…
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV on Saturday told the basketball teams from his alma mater, Villanova, and fellow Catholic university Notre Dame — in Rome for their season opener — that in matters of sport, the pontiff is…
The teams are in Rome for the U.S. college basketball season opener — an event dubbed the Eternal City Tip-Off and created to honor the U.S.-born pope.
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV on Saturday told the basketball teams from his alma mater Villanova and fellow Catholic university Notre Dame — in Rome for their season opener — that in matters of sport, the pontiff is neutral.
The Villanova and Notre Dame men’s and women’s teams will play a doubleheader on Sunday at the 11,000-seat Palazzo dello Sport, about a half-hour drive from the Vatican.
