In just over a week, Villanova men's basketball will open its 2026-27 season in Rome and in the shadow of Pope Leo against Notre Dame.
The Wildcats will do so entering their final season as a member of the Big 5, the association that comprises the six Division I college basketball programs in Philadelphia.
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It was announced Thursday that Villanova will leave the Big 5 beginning with the 2027-28 season, marking the latest blow to one of the great traditions in college athletics as a result of the rapidly evolving landscape of college sports.
Drexel, La Salle, Penn, Saint Joseph's and Temple will remain in the Big 5. The Dragons were added to the Big 5 in 2023, making it a six-team membership and a round-robin format that ended with a Big 5 Classic tripleheader that crowned a champion.
"These institutions are united in their commitment to preserving the history and enhancing the future of the Philadelphia Big 5. The round-robin format represents a renewal of the competitive spirit that has defined the city's college basketball landscape for more than 70 years, while also preserving the future of a partnership that is distinctively Philadelphia," the five remaining schools said in a joint statement.
"With five Division I programs located within a 10-mile radius, the schools remain uniquely positioned in collegiate basketball. The resumption of a consistent round-robin format, featuring both home and away contests, will sustain traditional rivalries while providing valuable scheduling stability in an increasingly complex Division I environment."
It's a notable move by Villanova, whose campus is located outside of the Philadelphia radius but have been part of the area's college basketball history for decades, including Rollie Massimino's squad defeating Georgetown in the 1985 national title game and then Jay Wright turning it back into a national powerhouse, highlighted by two championships in three years from 2016 to 2018.
Jeff Neiburg of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Villanova was not interested in keeping the current format of the Big 5 Classic as the "status quo." Neiburg, citing sources, noted the Wildcats were looking for a format that would "guarantee the Wildcats would not have to play another Big 5 road game," but that format was not agreed on by all six schools.
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The current format of the Big 5 is one home game and one road game for each team before the tripleheader at Xfinity Mobile Arena, the home of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, in December. The Wildcats claimed their 30th Big 5 championship — and first in the new format — last season with a 90-63 win against Penn. It marked the first title under Kevin Willard as well, who has brought the program back to national prominence after a few down seasons with Kyle Neptune, the successor to Wright.
Founded in 1954 and coined by Philadelphia Inquirer sportswriter Herb Good, the Big 5 is entering its 72nd season of competing. The 2026 Big 5 Classic is set for Saturday, Dec. 5 at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Villanova, which was picked to finish third in the Big East, is coming off a first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament to Utah State. The Wildcats received 14 votes in the preseason USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and has two top-25 teams — No. 20 Michigan and No. 18 Kansas — on their nonconference schedule.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Villanova is leaving the Big 5, dealing another blow to a college basketball tradition