Villanova Graduate Pope Leo XIV Lands On Sports Illustrated Cover

Villanova helped open the 2026-27 college basketball season when their men’s and women’s teams faced off against Notre Dame in the Eternal City Tip-Off in Rome, Italy on Sunday, Nov. 1. The one-off event pitted two of the nation’s foremost catholic universities against one another in the city central to the faith… and Pope Leo XIV, a Villanova graduate, hosted a private audience with attendees the day before the game.

Leo graced the cover of the digital edition of Sports Illustrated published on Tuesday, Nov. 3 as part of an article celebrating the unique event: during the audience on Oct. 31, the Wildcats presented him with a golden basketball. As the leader of a faith that makes up nearly 18 percent of the world population, Leo didn’t endorse his alma mater directly, noting that he encountered many Notre Dame fans while growing up on the South Side of Chicago prior to attending Villanova.

“The pope doesn’t take sides,” Leo said. “Prevost [his birth last name] has another opinion, but we won’t do that now.”

The Sports Illustrated cover shows Leo handling the gifted basketball, which he pump-faked (and double-dribbled) while on stage. Regardless of any papal favor, Villanova’s men’s team lost 74-72 to Notre Dame in the Eternal City Tip-Off, blowing a 10-point second half lead. The women’s team entered as underdogs to a nationally ranked Irish team, which took care of business 99-75.