Villanova football to leave CAA, join Patriot League in 2026

Villanova football will leave the Coastal Athletic Association following this season and join the Patriot League in 2026, the conferences announced Thursday.

The Wildcats are the third team to join the Patriot League as football associate members since May 2024, joining former conference rivals Richmond and William & Mary.

“The addition of Villanova as our tenth football member represents a significant and exciting moment for the Patriot League,” Patriot League commissioner Jennifer Heppel said in a statement. “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.”

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Villanova will join Patriot League charter members Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette and Lehigh, along with associate members Fordham, Georgetown, Richmond and William & Mary.

CAA Commissioner Joe D’Antonio said Villanova’s move is “disappointing,” but “has become an unfortunate part of the landscape of college athletics during a period of unprecedented change.”

“The administrators, coaches and student-athletes in the CAA remain committed to competing at the highest level of FCS football, achieving multiple playoff bids on a yearly basis and contending for national championships,” D’Antonio said in a statement. “The CAA has a long history of excellence in FCS football and the desire to build on that tradition has never been stronger.”

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 conference expands to 10 teams in 2026.

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.

“We are excited to join a conference where the member institutions share similar values, both athletically and academically,” Villanova coach Mark Ferrante said in a statement. “The geographic alignment makes sense for our program and our student-athletes, and we believe this move will foster strong regional rivalries while maintaining our commitment to excellence on and off the field. It’s a natural fit that positions us well for the future.”