Villanova Transfers: Hodge to Return, A-10 Guard Drawing Interest

Villanova Men’s Basketball will have rising redshirt sophomore Matt Hodge back for a third season per a team announcement on Friday, April 10.

A 6-foot-8 forward who averaged 9.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and a team-high 0.6 blocks per game, Hodge earned a starting spot in his first eligible season: a transcript issue kept him off the court during the 2024-25 campaign.

Hodge took roughly two-thirds of his shots from three, converting on 36.8 percent of them and helping to stretch the court. He suffered a season-ending ACL tear on Feb. 28 against St. John’s, and Villanova head coach Kevin Willard spoke to Hodge’s importance for the Wildcats in the press release.

“I think everyone saw how valuable Matt was to our team this past season when we lost him,” Willard said. “We really missed him and can’t wait to see him back on the floor fully recovered.”

Hodge underwent surgery in early March, and the procedure typically has a minimum recovery time of eight to nine months. As such, Hodge could miss time at the start of the 2026-27 season as he completes his rehab.

Looking to 2026-27

Villanova will return two of five starters from this past season, with rising senior guard Tyler Perkins also planning to stay put. Malachi Palmer, Chris Jeffrey and Malcolm Flaggs have yet to announce their intentions; the Wildcats will bring in freshman recruit Adam Oumiddoch, however, leaving them with at least nine roster spots to fill.

Per a report from Sam Kayser of League Ready, one name to watch in the transfer portal is that of rising junior Isaiah Elohim. A 6-foot-5 guard, Elohim averaged 12.4 points and 4.2 rebounds for Florida Atlantic last season, making 36.8 percent of his three-point shots. A physical presence at 215 pounds, Elohim is attracting plenty of interest from teams around Division I.