Letter from the Editors,

If you needed any more proof that Villanova Basketball was on the national map, after last year, the appearance of Tony Yayo and 50 Cent at Hoops Mania demonstrates just how far Villanova Basketball has come.

There are many question marks, but there is also a lot of potential. One of the most exciting things about this year’s version of Wildcat Basketball is that no one really knows what to expect. We know that both the men’s and women’s squads have the talent to compete against anyone in the country, and both teams are expected to be players on the national scene.

There are plenty of interesting storylines to go around. On the men’s side, there’s the return of Curtis Sumpter from last year’s knee injury, set to write the final chapter of the celebrated recruiting class of 2002. In addition, this is the final season for Mike Nardi and Will Sheridan, as they seek to write their own portion of Villanova history.

Contrasting with the old, there is also the new, as freshman Casiem Drummond, Andrew Ott, Antonio Pena, Reggie Redding and Scottie Reynolds join sophomores Dwayne Anderson, Bilal Benn, Shane Clarke and Frank Tchuisi. These young players will look to get significant playing time and will have a chance to step in right away and have an immediate impact on the team.

For the women, there is also senior leadership, led by Jackie Adamshick, who is back on the Main Line for another year on Harry Parretta’s squad, as well as a two sport threat in Adrian Semrau, who splits her time between the basketball and volleyball courts.

The men’s team last year was one of the most celebrated in Villanova history. From the four guard line-up to the win over UConn, to the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the 2005-2006 Wildcats were special. Any team at any school would be hard pressed to match the success of a team that made it to the Elite Eight and saw three players enter the NBA draft in the following season. However, this years’ squad has just as much potential and presents just as many interesting story lines as last year’s, and it would be a disservice to the talented members of the 2006-2007 Wildcats to expect them to be the 2005-2006 team.

Much like the “surprise” at Hoops Mania, we don’t know what exactly is going to happen, but the 2006-2007 season should be one hell of a ride for all of us.