On July 27, Villanova’s men’s basketball program opened its doors to fans and media for the 2026 Summer Jam, a lively open practice and autograph session that drew a crowd of enthusiastic supporters.
The session introduced a dramatically altered roster, with ten newcomers joining only four veterans, a shift that head coach Kevin Willard, in his second consecutive year of hosting the event, described as a deliberate step toward rebuilding.
Among the newcomers, 7‑foot‑3 Italian forward Luigi Suigo generated the most buzz. The freshman, who elected to withdraw from the NBA Draft, is slated to set foot on campus on July 28 after completing his eligibility paperwork for U.S. student status.
The roster also features transfer guard Jake Fiegen, who arrives from Cornell after a standout season that saw him average 17.1 points and 5.1 assists and earn All‑Ivy League First Team honors with a league‑leading effective field‑goal percentage of 64.9 percent.
Other additions include Kwame Evans Jr., a 6‑foot‑10 forward transferred from Oregon who is currently nursing a foot injury, and redshirt sophomore Matt Hodge, who is progressing through ACL rehabilitation and may not return until January.
Despite the injuries and the influx of new talent, Villanova remains confident. The team is currently ranked somewhere within the national top 20 to 30 and plans to test itself against a demanding non‑conference schedule that could push the Wildcats even higher.
A New Era Begins
With a blend of fresh legs, experienced returnees, and a coaching staff that has already proven its ability to adapt, Villanova’s Wildcats are poised to turn the summer’s early experiments into a competitive force when the regular season begins.