Villanova Men's Basketball
Villanova Forward Matt Hodge Done For Season: Here’s What’s Next
Villanova Men’s Basketball forward Matt Hodge will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season with an ACL tear, per a team release.
A redshirt freshman, Hodge averaged 9.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and a team-high 0.6 blocks in 27.6 minutes per game this season, starting every single game. He went down with a right leg injury early in the second half of the Wildcats’ Saturday, Feb. 28 loss to St. John’s and needed help getting off the court. Initial speculation feared an Achilles’ Tendon injury; ACL tears, while season ending, carry a more favorable return timeline of around nine months after surgery, putting the start of his next season in jeopardy. Many surgeons wait a week or more for swelling to subside before operating, further delaying the timeline.
Villanova head coach Kevin Willard described Hodge as “a tremendous person with an unbelievable work ethic” in the release, adding “we know he will be back better than ever.”
Hodge’s minutes went to sophomore guard/wing Malachi Palmer against St. John’s. Listed at 6-foot-6, he’s two inches shorter than Hodge but can play the 3 and even the 4 in the Wildcats’ small-statured lineup. Center Braden Pierce could also pick up more minutes. They’ve struggled against teams with size and athleticism this season, and that disparity could become even worse with Hodge absent.
Villanova has two regular season games remaining; at DePaul (16-13, 8-10 Big East) and against Xavier (14-15, 6-12 Big East), giving them a pair of tuneups to adjust to left without Hodge before the conference tournament begins.
