Villanova basketball has officially announced its 2025-26 non-conference schedule. The schedule includes a season opener in Las Vegas against Brigham Young University and the start of three home-and-home series.

The non-conference slate was officially announced on Tuesday, Aug. 12, in a release by the program.

Villanova will host Virginia Commonwealth University in an exhibition scrimmage on Sunday, Oct. 19, at the Finneran Pavilion. It will be the first public look at the program under the direction of Kevin Willard against another opponent. VCU is led by newly hired Phil Martelli Jr., son of former Saint Joseph’s coach Phil Martelli.

Following the exhibition against VCU, the Wildcats will hit the road five times during the non-conference portion of the season. Villanova will play the University of Virginia on Friday, Oct. 24. Virginia is also led by a new head coach, Ryan Odom.

A trip to Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena kicks off the season for Villanova. It is the same place and arena where the Wildcats ended their season last year in the College Basketball Crown tournament. They will face BYU in the Hall of Fame Series.

The Wildcats will return home to the Finneran Pavilion to host the “Villanova Challenge” – a three-team multi-team event (MTE) that is made up of Queens (Nov. 8), Sacred Heart (Nov. 11) and Duquesne (Nov. 11). The all-time series between Villanova and Duquesne is tied, 25-25. The last time the two teams faced off was in 1994. All three other teams will play each other at the Finneran Pavilion.

This season, the Big 5 has moved around pods. Villanova is now in Pod Two with La Salle University and Temple University. The Wildcats will open Big 5 play away against La Salle on Nov. 19 and take on Temple at the Finneran Pavilion on Dec. 1. Big 5 play concludes with the Big 5 Classic on Dec. 6 at the Wells Fargo Center.

If Villanova and St.Joseph’s do not meet at the Big 5 Classic, it will be the first time the two teams have not played each other since the 1997-98 season.

In between the two Big 5 games, Villanova will host Old Dominion on Nov. 25 at the Finneran Pavilion.

Non-Conference play ends with three home-and-home series that are all beginning this season. On Dec. 9, Villanova will travel to Michigan to face off for the first time since the March Madness Tournament in 2022. The Wildcats will host the return game in 2026-27.

A former Big East rivalry will be revived with a matchup against the University of Pittsburgh on Dec. 13 at the Finneran Pavilion. Pitt, Willard’s alma mater, holds a narrow all-time series lead against Villanova, 33-32. The Panthers have defeated the Wildcats in their last six meetings, with the most recent game played on March 2, 2013. Pitt won, 73-64. Pitt will host the return game in 2026-27.

Villanova’s non-conference slate wraps up on Dec. 19 in Milwaukee. The Wildcats will face Wisconsin for the first time since 2017. The all-time series is tied at 1-1. The last time the teams faced off was in the Round of 32 in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. Wisconsin bounced Villanova from the tournament, defeating the Wildcats 65-62.

Last season, Villanova basketball finished with a 7-4 non-conference record, losing crucial games to Virginia, Columbia, Maryland and Saint Joseph’s.

Currently, three of Villanova’s non-conference opponents sit inside of multiple top 25 rankings entering the 2025-26 season: BYU, Wisconsin and Michigan.

The rest of Villanova’s 2025-26 schedule is expected to be announced in September alongside the release of the Big East Conference schedule.