Sports

Matthew Hodge Announces Return to Villanova Next Season

Elijah McDow, Staff Writer

April 16, 2025

Hodge was forced to sit out the 2024-25 season by the NCAA due to eligibility issues.

On Wednesday, April 16, redshirt freshman forward Matthew Hodge announced his return for the 2025-2026 season.

Adam Zagoria of NJ.com confirmed the news on X (formerly Twitter). Hodge’s father, Odell, mentioned to Zagoria that his son was already familiar with new Villanova head coach Kevin Willard from his high school recruiting.

“It’s the perfect fit,” Odell Hodge said to Zagoria. “Willard recruited the hell out of him at Maryland. Matt is excited about staying.”

Hodge, a Belgian native, came to the United States as a high school junior. He enrolled at St. Rose School in Belmar, NJ, rising to the 95th ranked player in the ESPN top-100 as a high school senior.

He initially received offers from Maryland, Villanova, Marquette, Penn State and Xavier. Hodge committed to the Wildcats on Sep. 29, 2023 and signed his National Letter of Intent on Nov. 10.

Hodge’s decision makes him the first player from Villanova’s 2024-2025 roster to announce his return to the program. Hodge, a four-star recruit from the class of 2024, redshirted this season following the NCAA’s denial of his academic ineligibility on Nov. 13.

As of April 16, five former Villanova players have entered the transfer portal, including freshman forward Josiah Moseley, freshman guard Aleksandar Gavalyugov, redshirt freshman guard Kris Parker, senior forward Enoch Boakye and redshirt junior forward Nnanna Njoku.

Hodge was originally recruited by former head coach Kyle Neptune’s staff, but will officially begin his Wildcat career under Willard. After redshirting this past season, the New Jersey native will have four years of college eligibility remaining.

Go time https://t.co/wajg2qqgGi

— Matthew Hodge (@Matthew03333530) April 16, 2025

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About the Contributor

Dylan Johnson, Co-Sports Editor

Dylan Johnson is currently serving his first year as one of the two Villanovan Co-Sports Editors. He is currently pursuing a major in Communications with a specialization in journalism. Dylan is a sophomore from Philadelphia, PA. Dylan’s passion for journalism is driven by storytelling. At The Villanovan, he wants to discover and tell the stories that might otherwise go untold. Dylan is a hard worker who is always looking for the next article to write. He is a diehard Philadelphia sports fan and will never miss an Eagles game. He can always be found at a Villanova game, whether it be in a press box, on the sidelines, or in the stands. When he is not spending hours in the Finn’s media room, Dylan can be found enjoying runs around campus.