Villanova’s Matthew Hodge feels like basketball at his ‘dream school’ is being ‘taken away’ by NCAA ruling

Matthew Hodge walked off the practice floor inside Finneran Pavilion Monday evening drenched in sweat like the rest of his Villanova teammates. It was the eve of a game, a key Big 5 matchup vs. rival St. Joseph’s, and there was more in store for Hodge on Monday night. The Wildcats were going to get a meal and then planned to settle in for their final scout and game prep to get ready for the Hawks.

Hodge, a freshman, will partake in all of that, just as he does every other activity with the basketball team.

But when the ball gets tossed in the air Tuesday night on Hawk Hill, Hodge, a 6-foot-8 forward who was expected to be a contributor right away, won’t be wearing his basketball uniform. He still doesn’t really understand why.

The NCAA has ruled that Hodge, who spent his entire childhood in Belgium before moving to the U.S. in 2022, failed to meet the requirements needed to be deemed academically eligible for his freshman season at Villanova. It’s a confusing decision for Hodge, a student in good standing at Villanova who graduated from St. Rose High School in Belmar, N.J., earlier this year.

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“Once tip-off starts it’s kind of hard sitting there knowing that I can’t suit up with my guys because I grinded with those guys the whole summer, the whole preseason,” Hodge said. “We worked our [butts] off to get to where we’re at right now and I can’t suit up with my guys and that’s just so hard because I want to be there for them and play my [butt] off for them. I guess that’s the hardest part.”

The NCAA, according to a Friday news release from Villanova, “reviewed his transcripts from both his time in Belgium and the United States and ruled that Hodge was deficient in meeting its qualifier requirements. Under NCAA rule, student athletes must complete 10 core courses, seven of which must be in English, math, and science, before the start of their fourth year of high school. Hodge spent four years in high school in Belgium, taking English, French, ethics and a general studies class that encompassed subjects such as math, science, and social studies. St. Rose considered all of his classes from Belgium and upon review, deemed Hodge a high school junior upon his arrival in New Jersey.”

The NCAA initially ruled Hodge as a nonqualifier, but Villanova retained the services of an Indianapolis-based law firm, Church Church Hittle and Antrim, to file a waiver. They resubmitted other coursework for consideration. But the NCAA ruled that Hodge still fell short of its 10/7 standard.

The university submitted an appeal for reconsideration to the NCAA Division I Initial-Eligibility Waiver Committee last Wednesday, which is expected to render a decision on Hodge’s future Wednesday.

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The school has argued that Hodge passed advanced math and science courses at St. Rose, which proved he had the necessary foundation in Belgium to begin with. Villanova argued that Hodge had no say in the New Jersey school system that “deemed his Belgium coursework and grades good enough to make him a junior in good standing.” Lastly, Villanova said that given Hodge was in Belgium during the COVID-19 pandemic, his studies were disrupted, too.

Hodge was 17 when his family decided that he and his younger brother, Jayden, would move to the U.S., where their father, Odell, was born. They settled on St. Rose and head coach Brian Lynch, a Villanova alum. The Hodges lived with Lynch and his wife, former tennis star Kim Clijsters. The brothers led St. Rose to its first state championship since 1977. That was earlier this year, but Hodge said things weren’t as easy when he first moved to the U.S.

“It was hard because that was such a big step,” he said. “Everything was sort of set in my life. My brother was a little different because he was younger so it was easier for him. But I had to really let a lot of people go, which was not easy, but it was for the bigger picture. I was happy, and I’m still happy I made that decision.”

Even despite his confusion. Hodge remains puzzled how courses he took and passed three years ago could have the impact they’re having on him now.

When the news first came, he said his family all got on the phone together and had a meeting of sorts. Odell now coaches at his alma mater, Old Dominion, after playing and coaching professionally in Belgium, where Matthew and Jayden’s mother, Sofie Cyssens, still lives.

“We as a family made that big step two years ago to pursue an academic and athletic career, and now that I’m finally at my dream school it’s kind of getting taken away from me,” Hodge said. “That was very hard at the start.”

It’s not as bad now, Hodge said, though Wednesday’s looming decision has Hodge thinking about it more. It’s possible Wednesday could bring more uncertainty, perhaps more delays in the process. Hodge said he isn’t getting his hopes up. But there is a clock ticking. The longer this goes, the more likely it is that Hodge will end up redshirting, either by NCAA force or logic. He’ll have already missed four games after Tuesday. The more they pile up, the more likely the 2024-25 season becomes a developmental one.

Hodge said he’s gotten good advice from older players on Villanova’s team and his coaches about keeping a positive attitude. He’s heard all the Villanova redshirt stories, too, and mentioned Mikal Bridges by name.

“If I stay negative with it, if I blame the NCAA, it’s not going to help anything,” Hodge said. “In my case, I can still have a year where I can get better. If I can play, great, I’ll be ready to play the next game. So I got to stay positive with it.”

The NCAA, for now, has given him no other choice.