Pope Francis Meets Villanova and Notre Dame Basketball Teams in Vatican
Pope Leo XIV met with the Villanova and Notre Dame men's and women's basketball teams in Rome, Italy, ahead of their season-opening doubleheader. He humorously declared his neutrality on the matchup, while noting his personal preference as Robert Prevost, an…
Richmond Petersburg, VA, October 31, 2026 —
Pope Leo XIV met with the men’s and women’s basketball teams from Villanova University and the University of Notre Dame in Rome, Italy. The meeting took place in the Vatican audience hall ahead of the teams’ season-opening doubleheader.
During the gathering, which was part of an event referred to as the Eternal City Tip-Off, the Pope made a lighthearted statement regarding his position on the upcoming game between the two universities. He humorously declared his neutrality on the matchup. However, he also noted a personal preference, mentioning Robert Prevost, an alumnus of Villanova, as someone with a connection to the university.
The presence of the collegiate basketball teams in Rome for a season-opening series marks a significant international engagement for the athletic programs. The specific details regarding the length of their stay in Italy or other aspects of their itinerary beyond the meeting with the Pope were not provided in the summary. Similarly, the exact date of the meeting or the scheduled date of the season-opening doubleheader were not specified. The summary also did not contain any further information on the interaction between the teams and the Pope, beyond his remarks on neutrality and personal affiliation.
Story summarized from the original created by AP via Scripps News Group on www.wtvr.com, see more information here.
