Villanova University Vice President and Director of Athletics Eric Roedl has announced that the Wildcats nationally-ranked Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) program has accepted an invitation to join the Patriot League as an associate member beginning in 2026.

"Villanova looks forward to joining the Patriot League next season as an associate member, aligning with institutions that uphold an unwavering commitment to academic and athletic distinction and the holistic development of student-athletes," said University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD. "This league embodies the finest principles of collegiate athletics, where achievement on the field is matched by excellence in the classroom. We are proud to align with such esteemed institutions, forging a new chapter for Villanova Football."

"This is an exciting day for Villanova as we accept an invitation to join the Patriot League as an associate member for football beginning in 2026," said Roedl. "We have great respect for the institutions that make up a very competitive FCS conference and we share in their strong academic missions. The geographic footprint of the Patriot League is a perfect fit for Villanova, and as we get ready to embark on a new chapter for our football program, we remain committed to competing at the highest levels of the FCS and continuing to add to our accomplished history on the gridiron."

Villanova will continue to compete against longtime conference rivals Richmond and William & Mary upon moving to the Patriot League. Both schools have joined the conference as associate members in football over the last 13 months. There is plenty of familiarity for the Wildcats with the seven existing football members of the Patriot League as well. Villanova has played six of those seven schools at least once within the last 10 years.

"The addition of Villanova as our 10th football member represents a significant and exciting moment for the Patriot League," Patriot League Commissioner Jennifer Heppel said. "Villanova has consistently demonstrated excellence on the field, establishing itself as a premier FCS football program while also upholding a strong commitment to academic achievement. Combined with the recent additions of Richmond and William & Mary and the continued strength of our current members, this expansion solidifies the Patriot League's standing as one of the strongest in the FCS."

Playing football in the Patriot League is a natural fit on many levels for a Villanova program which has reached the FCS playoffs in three of the last four years. In addition to the Wildcats, seven other current or incoming Patriot League members have finished a season ranked in the Stats Perform and AFCA FCS Coaches Poll since 2015. During the span, the nine other schools have combined to win 13 games in the FCS playoffs. Colgate, Holy Cross, Richmond and William & Mary have all advanced to the quarterfinals in this recent 10-year stretch.

"We are excited to join a conference where the member institutions share similar values, both athletically and academically," said Villanova Head Football Coach Mark Ferrante. "The geographic alignment makes sense for our program and our student-athletes, and we believe this move will foster strong regional rivalries while maintaining our commitment to excellence on and off the field. It's a natural fit that positions us well for the future."

The average length of a Patriot League road trip for the Wildcats is 175 miles and none of the schools require air travel. Two possible road opponents, Lafayette and Lehigh, are located within 50 miles of Villanova. Patriot League member schools boast an average undergraduate acceptance rate of 28 percent, just north of Villanova's 25 percent acceptance rate.

The Patriot League will feature a full conference schedule to determine the League champion and automatic bid to the NCAA DI FCS Championship when the League expands to 10 teams in 2026.

The Patriot League's membership within the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) expands to 10 teams with the addition of Villanova, which joins charter members Bucknell University, Colgate University, The College of the Holy Cross, Lafayette College and Lehigh University, along with associate members Fordham University, Georgetown University, University of Richmond and William & Mary.

"We are proud to welcome Villanova to the Patriot League as a football member," Colgate University President and Chair of the Patriot League Council of Presidents Brian W. Casey said. "Villanova brings a tradition of athletic excellence that aligns perfectly with the League's core values. This is a momentous step forward—one that brings new energy, deepens our competitive landscape, and reaffirms our shared commitment to academic and athletic distinction."

ABOUT VILLANOVA FOOTBALL
Villanova begins its 128th season of varsity football in 2025 and marks its 40th anniversary of becoming a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) member in 1985. During their FCS tenure, the Wildcats have reached the FCS playoffs 16 times and advanced at least to the quarterfinals in 10 of those seasons. Villanova won its first national championship in 2009. On an individual level, the Wildcats have had three Walter Payton Award winners, one Jerry Rice Award winner, 31 first team All-Americans and 22 major conference award winners. Villanova football student-athletes have been Academic All-Americans 14 times and the program has compiled a multi-year NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) score of 983 as well as an average NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 90 percent over the last 10 years.

PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL HISTORY
The Patriot League will enter its 40th season of competition this fall at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. The League formed in 1986 with charter members Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette and Lehigh. Fordham has maintained its football member status since 1990, as the Rams were full members from 1990-94 before becoming associate members in 1995. Georgetown has competed as a Patriot League football associate member since 2001. Richmond will begin play in the Patriot League as an associate member in 2025. Villanova and William & Mary join the League for football in 2026. Davidson (1987-88) and Towson (1997-03) also competed in the Patriot League as football associate members. Full Patriot League members - the U.S. Military Academy (Army West Point) and U.S. Naval Academy (Navy) - play football in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

PATRIOT LEAGUE FOOTBALL ACADEMIC PROWESS
The Patriot League has been among the premier academic football conferences in NCAA Division I. According to the most recent data released by the NCAA in December 2024, the League's seven football programs achieved the best Graduation Success Rate (GSR) score (96) and top Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) score (91) among all NCAA DI FCS conferences. For more than a decade, the Patriot League has ranked among the best NCAA Division I conferences in GSR and FGR, posting the top FGR and ranking in the top two in GSR since 2020. The League also leads the 32 NCAA DI conferences in Academic Progress Rate (APR) (996) and retention (996), placing second in eligibility (996) trends by conference, according to data released by the NCAA in May 2025.

ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League's athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.