While walking around campus, everyone seems to be sporting Villanova gear. However, recent years have called Villanova’s school spirit into question. Do people just wear the merch because everyone looks good in navy?
There have been recent complaints about declining enthusiasm and the number of students present in the student section, especially during basketball games. However, it is understandable that Villanova school spirit fluctuates with the success of the most popular sports teams, especially men’s basketball, as Villanova is often referred to as a “basketball school”.
Since men’s basketball has not experienced as much success in recent years, failing to make the NCAA Tournament since 2022, students have been less motivated to attend games and are unusually quiet when they do. If students are basing their level of school spirit on men’s basketball, there has surely been a noticeable decline in school spirit over the last few years.
Julia Stencel, President of The Nation, describes her experience leading the official student fan group of Villanova athletics throughout her time.
“I have served on the Nation’s Executive Board for all three years of my Villanova career so far, and being Giveaway Chair and now President has let me see the behind-the-scenes of fan engagement,” Stencel said. “Throughout the years, we have noticed The Nation Member numbers go down when team performance goes down. At our peak, we had over 1000 Members, and at our lowest, we had as few as 400.”
But the 2025-2026 school year seems to have revived Villanova’s school spirit.
This renewal could be attributed to the addition of head coach Kevin Willard, with whom the men’s basketball team is seeing one of its best records in years. In addition, Villanova’s football team saw strong success this fall, achieving its best playoff run since 2010, and the women’s basketball team has had a phenomenal season, boasting a 21-6 overall record.
This wild athletic success has fostered a level of school spirit that Villanova has not seen in years.
“I think this year we are truly seeing the revival of the Villanova student section,” Stencel said. “Although The Nation has our incredible fans that have stayed optimistic through ups and downs, the performance we have seen in men’s basketball, women’s basketball and football has definitely spiked fan attendance.”
Athletic performance has a direct connection with fan turnouts. The louder and more energetic the students are, the more likely a team is to win. Moreover, as teams continue to win, students have greater motivation to cheer. Stencel says that Villanova athletics have recently been “seeing more students stay throughout the entire game, which has a direct impact on how well our team performs”.
Students need to support the school’s athletic teams despite losses. Although it may be frustrating at times, teams and fans depend on each other, and it is important to show unwavering support.
Stencel stresses the vital role fans play in the success of Villanova athletics.
“Every voice and individual’s energy matters to our athletes and our community,” Stencel said. “Keep showing up and cheering on our teams. We need you.”
Along with demonstrating school pride in the stands, Villanova’s school spirit is loudly manifested in other ways throughout campus. The enthusiasm students demonstrate for their campus involvements, such as collaborating to organize Fall Fest, fundraising for NOVAdance or giving enthusiastic Blue Key tours, exemplifies students’ Villanova pride.
Villanova’s school spirit may not be at an all-time high, but it is certainly increasing, and can continue heading in this positive direction with the help of the student body.
“We have, without a doubt, one of the best student sections in the country,” Stencel said.
Regardless of athletic ups and downs, most Villanovans would agree with Stencel.
