Today’s Philadelphia Inquirer counted Villanova’s 2009 Final Four Run and its Football Championship Subdivision national championship victory over Montana among the top Philadelphia sports moments of the decade.  (Hat Tip to Gpraz1)

“Little did anyone realize that when Scottie Reynolds hit that layup against Pittsburgh last March to put Villanova in the Final Four, it was only the beginning of what has turned out to be a spectacular 2009 for the Wildcats.  As the year draws to a close, Villanova has two national championships to its credit, had five teams reach the NCAA Tournament, one coach win national Coach of the Year honors, three coaches recognized as the best in their respective conference, a top 10 men’s basketball team for the second straight year and at least 10 athletes receive All-America honors.  Not bad.

“It’s been a little overwhelming,” said the Rev. Peter Donohue, Villanova’s president.  Team Wildcats capped an incredible cumulative year Friday night in the FCS championship game at Finley Stadium against Montana, less than one month after the women’s cross country team brought home its eighth NCAA title and first since 1998.

The success, though, was not limited to the football and women’s cross country programs.

The men’s and women’s basketball teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament in the same year for the first time since 1998 with the men’s team reaching the Final Four for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century and the fourth time in program history. The men’s basketball team is 9-1 and ranked eighth going into today’s game against Fordham at the Izod Center.

Meanwhile, the men’s lacrosse team captured its first CAA title last spring and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

As summer turned to fall, the women’s soccer team was nationally ranked and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. It was Villanova’s sixth trip to the big dance in soccer. While the women’s cross country team brought home the NCAA title, the men’s squad finished 11th at the national championships.

During the fall season, the Wildcats had a combined winning percentage over .600 in football, soccer (men’s and women’s) and field hockey.

Individually, the honors have been equally impressive.

Jay Wright won his second Big East Coach of the Year award. Harry Perretta was the co-Coach of the Year in the Big East. It was the first time since 1983 that coaches from the same school won the award. Andy Talley is the CAA and AFCA Region I Coach of the Year. Gina Procaccio (Sun Valley All-Delco) won the women’s Division I Cross County Coach of the Year award.

Junior Amanda Marino earned All-America honors in track and cross country. Frances Koons (women’s track), Sean Tully and Matthew Gibney (men’s track), Bogdana Mimic, Allison Smith and Nicole Schappert (women’s cross country), Mathew Mildenhall (men’s cross country) and Matt Szczur and Ben Ijalana (football) also earned All-America recognition.

Dante Cunningham was the Most Improved Player in the Big East. Laura Kurz shared the same honor on the women’s side. Heidi Sabatura was the Big East Rookie of the Year in women’s soccer.

“It’s a credit to our coaches and our athletes,” athletic director Vince Nicastro said. “They set audacious goals and to achieve those goals is extremely gratifying.”

The success is not limited to the playing field.

Villanova’s Academy Progress Rate (APR) of 986 ranks in the top 10 percent and the school has a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 95 percent.

The overall grade-point-average in the athletic department last spring was better than 3.0, which marked the 12th consecutive semester with a GPA higher than 3.0.

“The thing that I’m most proud of is that our athletic teams have been able to succeed on the field on the field without losing sight of our academic mission,” said Fr. Donahue. “They’re good athletes and they get good grades, too.”

That’s the way it is supposed to be on the college level. Succeed on the field and in the classroom. The two do not have to be mutually exclusive.

Bobby Knight would be happy.

“It’s a really difficult balancing act,” Nicastro said. “You want to win and you want to win championships and there is a lot of temptation to cut corners and there has never been a case where the institution has said, ‘Let’s cut a corner. Let’s let something slide academically.’ The university won’t stand for that and I tell the president all the time that we’re trying to hold up our end of the bargain.

“To be able to compete and do the work in the classroom proves that you can do it both ways.”
Villanova is doing it. The Wildcats are winning on the field and in the classroom. For how long, no one knows, but the Wildcats are going to ride the wave as long as possible.

I was in the audience for the 6:00PM showing of “Attitude Of a Champion” tonight, and I’m anxious to tell everyone that it’s a must see/purchase for any member of the extended Villanova Basketball family!

The production quality is very high (think NFL Films) with original footage, coupled with network TV highlights, interviews, and behind the scenes shots and stories which capture and preserve the memorable season we just witnessed.

Scott Graham’s writing fuels his narration, and we watch the season unfurl chronologically with Jay and the players carrying us along.

There are mini features on each of the major players, touchstones that define their unique roles in the journey. I was struck by the difference between the Sophomores like the Coreys, and the Seniors, Dwayne, Dante, Shane and Frankie. You realize how much older 21 is than 19. And you watch Scottie and Reggie, and you’re glad that we have them to guide and teach this new class in the upcoming year.

Jay is featured throughout commenting on the players, the games, and the moments that defined the season. Ryan Fannon’s distinctive play-by-play is sprinkled in, helping remind me of where we I was, and how I remember all of the games from that memorable year.

The music is appropriate and at times soaring, the visuals first class, and all in all, a wonderfully produced keepsake of a very special year of the Cats.

Most of all though “Attitude of A Champion” serves as a reminder to me as to what I love most about Villanova Basketball. It’s the character of the people involved, from Jay, to the assistants, and especially to the young men who don the uniform. I looked at Dante and Dwayne, and Shane and Frank and was sad that their playing years are done. But as we welcome them into the vast fraternity of former players, we turn our attention to those who will assume their leadership roles, and anticipate the new kids, and prepare to watch them grow.

Great job WipeOut productions, and the players, coaches and fans of Nova Nation. A year in the life is skillfully and emotionally preserved, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.

Many thanks from the VUhoops.com staff to Gunner for a great (& quick) recap.

It will be shown in the Villanova Room and Cinema in the Connelly Center at 6p and 730p.

Admission is free, but space is limited to a first come- first seated basis.

The film will also be shown on Thursday August 6th.

The video will be available for sale on the 10th of August.

Here’s his 2008-09 Villanova Men’s Basketball video from YouTube…

[youtube dCg7oAX790Q]

On behalf of all VU Hoops fans… THANKS SEAN!

• Reggie Redding won the the Paul Arizin most improved player
• Corey Stokes earned the Alexander Severance Award for “his hard work and dedication in the classroom and demonstrating a commitment to reaching his full potential”
• Frank Tchuisi took home the Jake Nevin Award for “selflessness and providing an outstanding example to his teammates”
• Dante Cunningham and Scottie Reynolds were co-winners of the Most Outstanding Player Award
• Dwayne Anderson and Shane Clark were the co-winners of the Villanova Basketball Award

Thanks to HoboKat & Steve

Here are the Top 3 for the more popular categories…

Scoring
Dante Cunnigham- 16.1
Scottie Reynolds- 15.2
Corey Fisher- 10.8

Rebounds
Cunnigham- 7.5
Dwayne Anderson- 6.2
Reggie Redding- 4.9

Minutes
Reynolds- 32.2
Cunningham- 31.6
Redding- 28.8

3 FG %
Corey Stokes- .42
Shane Clark- .39
Reynolds- .35

Assists
Reynolds- 3.4
Redding- 3.1
Corey Fisher- 2.8

American University is the Patriot League regular season and conference tournament champions.  This is their 2nd trip to the Big Dance. The Eagles lost last year in the 1st Round to Tennessee 72-57.

The Eagles are coming in with a 13 game winning streak.  They haven’t lost since January 24th at Holy Cross.

Villanova was 1-2 at the Wachovia Center this year.  They had a heartbreaking loss against Louisville when last second tips would not fall and lost 61-60 in January.  They also beat Syracuse and lost to Georgetown at the Wachovia Center.

Quick Notes:

• Villanova has won all 8 previous meetings between the two schools.
• Villanova leads the all-time series 8-0

Tickets for the NCAA game were still available on TicketMaster as of 3/16/09.