Villanova Men's Basketball
Matthew Hodge Takes on the NCAA | Meet the Wildcats

This is one in a series of stories introducing the Villanova Wildcats’ 2024-25 roster.
The son of an ODU Basketball standout who enjoyed a 17 year professional career overseas, the path Matthew Hodge navigated to Villanova took plenty of twists and turns. He’s older than your typical true freshman, turning 20 back in November, a 6-foot-8, 220 pound power forward who spent much of his life across the pond in Belgium during his father Odell’s playing (and later coaching) career.
Matthew Hodge moved stateside in 2022, playing at St. Rose High School in Belmar, New Jersey for two seasons under head coach and Villanova Basketball alumnus Brian Lynch. He put up 17 points and 6.7 boards per game during his senior year with St. Rose, landing on the Top 100 lists for his class from both ESPN (No. 95) and 247Sports (No. 83) as a consensus four-star recruit. Other teams who vied for Hodge’s talents include Maryland, Virginia, Xavier, Marquette, Alabama, Temple and Seton Hall, but he ended up signing with the Wildcats once able to do so in November 2023.
NCAA Steps In
Already a physical, gritty, hard-working presence in the front court, Matthew Hodge seems like the type of player who could scratch out a role for himself as a true freshman… were it not for a decision from the NCAA regarding eligibility that didn’t go his way. To be sure, Hodge took an untraditional trajectory on his way to Villanova, playing just two seasons in the United States despite earning his diploma from St. Rose.
Differences in educational standards between Belgium and America ended up rearing their ugly head, however. The NCAA ruled him ineligible to play during the 2024-25 season, deciding he hadn’t completed 10 core courses (including seven in English, math and science) before the start of his senior year of high school. Even though St. Rose didn’t find any issues with his transcript, and Hodge applied for a waiver, the NCAA apparently viewed things differently, remaining firm on their decision upon appeal.
As such, this season will end up an academic redshirt year for Hodge, who will have four years of eligibility remaining, remains eligible for financial aid such as scholarships and can travel with the team. He posted a statement to his Twitter account on Friday, Nov. 8, the day of the NCAA’s initial ruling, saying that “we have been working with Villanova for a few months to answer every question the NCAA has had about my time at school in Belgium… I graduated on time and am off to a good start in my classes at Villanova. I’m genuinely frustrated and the uncertainty weighs on me when I’m not on the court.”
Perhaps that frustration will light a fire under him once he’s finally able to suit up for the Wildcats in an official capacity.