Villanova Set To Join Patriot League Following 2025 Season

Originally posted on FCS Football on SI
By Zachary McKinnell | Last updated Jun 5, 2025 10:58 AM ET

Villanova announced plans to join the Patriot League as an associate member following the 2025 season.

The Wildcats become the third former CAA program to join the Patriot League, joining Richmond and William & Mary. Richmond will officially join the conference this season, while the Tribe will make the transition next season.

Villanova will officially become the 10th football member of the conference, joining Bucknell, Colgate, Fordham, Georgetown, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, Richmond, and William & Mary.

"We are excited to join a conference where the member institutions share similar values, both athletically and academically," Villanova head coach Mark Ferrante said. "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."

Since joining the CAA in 2007, the Wildcats have made 10 appearances in the FCS Playoffs, including three appearances in the past four seasons. Villanova also won its only FCS national championship during its stint in the conference, defeating Montana in 2009.

Villanova Football set to join the Patriot League in 2026

: https://t.co/KuN8AbKViq pic.twitter.com/5R3iyPtSDA
— Villanova Football (@NovaFootball) June 5, 2025

Following Villanova's departure, the CAA will drop to 12 football members: UAlbany, Bryant, Campbell, Elon, Hampton, Maine, Monmouth, New Hampshire, North Carolina A&T, Rhode Island, Stony Brook, and Towson.

Since 2021, the conference has lost five programs, including James Madison and Delaware, who made the transition to the FBS level. It signals another massive shift for the conference, who was once recognized as one of the premier conferences at the FCS level.

CAA Commissioner Joe D'Antonio released an official statement on Villanova's departure from the conference.

"We were recently made aware of Villanova's decision to leave the CAA Football conference at the conclusion of the 2025 season," D'Antonio said. "While the departure of members is always disappointing, it has become an unfortunate part of the landscape of college athletics during a period of unprecedented change.

"The administrators, coaches, and student-athletes in the CAA remain committed to competing at the highest level of FCS football, achieving multiple playoff bids on a yearly basis and contending for national championships. The CAA has a long history of excellence in FCS football, and the desire to build on that tradition has never been stronger."

This article first appeared on FCS Football on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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