Villanova Partners With Santander US to Fund Scholarships

Villanova Athletics announced a multi-year partnership with banking firm Santander US that will carry a $1 million grant to the university for the purpose of funding scholarships for 50 student-athletes. In return, Villanova Athletics will name Santander their Official Retail Bank Partner.

Per the Wildcats’ press release, “this grant is part of the company’s recently announced $13 million in funding to more than 30 colleges and universities across the US for 2025 and 2026.” In the release, Wildcats’ Vice President and Director of Athletics Eric Roedl said “We’re thrilled to partner with Santander to diversify and deepen opportunities for student-athletes both in and out of the classroom… This partnership provides resources student-athletes need to pursue their athletic and academic goals, providing a platform to help them reach their full potential.”

According to a report from strategy and analytics consultant Tony Altimore, Villanova Athletics’ operating budget came out to $61 million in total during Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), the second-best mark in the Big East behind UConn ($92 million).

Along with every other Division I program, the Wildcats can devote up to $20.5 million to their student-athletes during the 2025-26 academic year as a result of the landmark House v. NCAA settlement, which paved the way for schools to pay their players directly rather than going through third-party outlets like NIL collectives.

The partnership with Santander could free up more operating funds toward that goal.

For a related story, here’s what Roedl had to say about making the Wildcats’ football team succeed amidst the financial challenges that FCS programs face.