Villanova Graduate Pope Leo XIV Reveals Rooting Interest for ‘Cats Versus Notre Dame

Villanova graduate Pope Leo XIV hosted an audience in the Vatican City on Saturday, Oct. 31, with members of the Villanova and Notre Dame basketball teams — and those who came along to watch them face off in the 2026-27 season opener the following day — in attendance.

Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost in 1955, graduated from Villanova in 1977 and is the first-ever Augustinian pope. During the audience, he broached the topic of his rooting interest as two of the world’s foremost Catholic universities face off.

“Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, we oftentimes heard ‘go Irish!’” Leo said. “But as you all know, Prevost graduated from Villanova.”

Leo went on to make a distinction between his current role as head of the Roman Catholic Church and his old life.

“So the Pope doesn’t take sides,” Leo said. “Prevost has another opinion, but we won’t do that now.”

Barely two weeks removed from surgery to remove a cancerous nodule in his lung, the pope seemed energetic and in high spirits, dribbling a basketball that members of Villanova’s men’s and women’s basketball teams presented to him during the audience. Villanova and Notre Dame will face off in the Eternal City Tip-Off at 9:30 a.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 1; the women’s game will take place immediately thereafter at 12 p.m. EST.