While the focus right now for No. 2 Villanova is on repeating as national champion, plans for the future of the program took a major step forward on Tuesday.
The university's board of trustees formally approved a plan to renovate the 31-year-old Pavilion, the Wildcats' on-campus home. Upon completion, the building will be renamed the Finneran Pavilion after alumnus Bill Finneran, who donated $22.6 million to Villanova after last year's national championship victory.
The $60 million renovation will be completely funded by donor support.
“With the renovation and opening of the Finneran Pavilion, Villanova will have an on-campus home that embraces the incredible tradition of our University and its basketball programs," Wildcats head coach Jay Wright said in a release Tuesday. "The Finneran Pavilion will be a gathering place in which the Nova Nation can take great pride, and its impact will be felt on our program for years to come."
Construction on the project is slated to begin in June of this year, and while a timetable for completion was not released by the university, Tuesday's release stated the university intends to play the "majority" of its home games in 2017-18 at the Wells Fargo Center, the 'Cats home away from home for the last several seasons.
Villanova played four times at the Wells Fargo Center this season, including a thrilling 61-59 victory over then-No. 12 Virginia on Jan. 28 thanks to Donte DiVincenzo's tip-in at the buzzer. The 'Cats are 17-2 at the Wells Fargo Center since 2013. The women's basketball team will play its home games on campus at Jake Nevin Field House next season.
Final details of the renovation, including final design elements and season-ticketing options, will be released by the university at a later date.