BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Villanova will join the Patriot League in 2026 as an associate member for football, the league announced on Thursday.
 
The Wildcats will begin competition in the League for the 2026 football season, joining William & Mary which was announced as an associate member for football in April. The University of Richmond, added last summer, begins its first season in the League in 2025. The new league format in 2026 will feature 10 members. 

"We are proud to welcome Villanova to the Patriot League as a football member," Colgate University President and Chair of the Patriot League Council of Presidents Brian W. Casey said. "Villanova brings a tradition of athletic excellence that aligns perfectly with the League's core values. This is a momentous step forward—one that brings new energy, deepens our competitive landscape, and reaffirms our shared commitment to academic and athletic distinction."
 
"The addition of Villanova as our 10th football member represents a significant and exciting moment for the Patriot League," Patriot League Commissioner Jennifer Heppel said. "Villanova has consistently demonstrated excellence on the field, establishing itself as a premier FCS football program while also upholding a strong commitment to academic achievement. Combined with the recent additions of Richmond and William & Mary and the continued strength of our current members, this expansion solidifies the Patriot League's standing as one of the strongest in the FCS." The Patriot League's membership within the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) expands to 10 teams with the addition of Villanova. They join charter members Bucknell University, Colgate University, The College of the Holy Cross, Lafayette College and Lehigh University, along with associate members Fordham University, Georgetown University, University of Richmond and William & Mary.

Before adding Richmond, William & Mary and Villanova, Georgetown was the last football program to join the Patriot League, arriving for the 2001 season. The Patriot League never had more than eight football-playing institutions (2001-03) before the recent additions of the Wildcats and the Tribe.
 
With the expanded membership beginning in 2026, eight of the 10 programs have finished ranked in the Stats Perform and AFCA FCS Coaches Poll since 2015. During that span, the 10 programs have combined to win 17 games in the FCS Playoffs, advancing to the quarterfinal round eight times, including two apiece by Colgate, Richmond and Villanova. Holy Cross and William & Mary have both advanced to the quarterfinals once.
 
The Patriot League will continue to feature a full conference schedule to determine the League champion and automatic bid to the NCAA DI FCS Championship when the League expands to 10 teams in 2026.

Colgate and Villanova Series History
Colgate and Villanova will meet for the third consecutive year in 2025 when the Raiders visit the Wildcats on Saturday, Sept. 6, for the final non-conference meeting between the two teams. The Raiders are 1-6 all-time against Villanova, winning the first head-to-head game in the series back in 1978. Colgate held the fifth-ranked Wildcats to seven points at halftime, eventually dropping a 28-3 decision in the most recent matchup last September at Andy Kerr Stadium. 

Patriot League Football Building on Success
In 13 months, the Patriot League has added three programs with a strong tradition of success at the FCS level. Richmond, William & Mary and Villanova have combined to receive 41 berths in the NCAA Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs. The aforementioned schools have 39 postseason wins, 21 quarterfinal and 11 semifinals 11 appearances. Richmond claimed the 2008 FCS National Championship with a 24-7 win over Montana. In 2009, Villanova defeated Montana, 23-21, to claim the national title.
 
Patriot League Football in the Pros
Since the League's inception in 1986, 12 Patriot League football student-athletes have been selected in the NFL Draft, with Holy Cross offensive lineman C.J. Hanson most recently being a seventh-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024. During the 2024 season, nine former Patriot League student-athletes spent time on NFL rosters, including Fordham All-American Chase Edmonds (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), who ranks fifth in FCS history in career rushing yards (5,862).
 
Patriot League Football Academic Prowess
The Patriot League has been among the premier academic football conferences in NCAA Division I. According to the most recent data released by the NCAA in December 2024, the League's seven football programs recorded the best Graduation Success Rate (GSR) score (96) and top Federal Graduation Rate (FGR) score (91) among all NCAA DI FCS conferences. For more than a decade, the Patriot League has ranked among the best NCAA Division I conferences in GSR and FGR, posting the top FGR and ranking in the top two in GSR since 2020.

About Villanova Football
Villanova begins its 128th season of varsity football in 2025 and marks its 40th anniversary of becoming a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) member in 1985. During their FCS tenure, the Wildcats have reached the FCS playoffs 16 times and advanced at least to the quarterfinals in 10 of those seasons. Villanova won its first national championship in 2009. On an individual level, the Wildcats have had three Walter Payton Award winners, one Jerry Rice Award winner, 31 first team All-Americans and 22 major conference award winners. Villanova football student-athletes have been Academic All-Americans 14 times, and the program has compiled a multi-year NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) score of 983 as well as an average NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 90 percent over the last 10 years.

About the Patriot League
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League's athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.