VILLANOVA, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — For years, Villanova, Temple, St. Joes, Penn, and LaSalle were the teams that made up the Big 5 women’s college basketball rivalry, but now Drexel is joining the gang, said Comcast Spectacor CEO and Big 5 ambassador Dan Hilferty.
Much like the men’s teams did last year, the women’s Big 5 teams will also play in their own round robin early season tournament that will culminate in a championship day, not at the Wells Fargo Center, but at Villanova's Finneran Pavilion.
“Ultimately we hope to bring that up to the Wells Fargo, but this season it will be right here at the beautiful Villanova campus and arena,” said Hilferty.
Drexel Women’s Basketball Head Coach Amy Mallon is coming off a season that saw her lead the team to the NCAA tournament, and she said this new competition adds more fuel to their fire.
“We’re the new kid on the block, so I think that’s going to be a little motivation for our team,” she said.
Hilferty added that with so much attention on women’s collegiate basketball and the WNBA this year, it is the perfect time for the women’s Big 5 to also take the next step.
“This year, I believe the NCAA women’s tournament rated TV, radio and throughout the highest ever. You have people watching the WNBA on a regular basis, going to games,” he said. “So it’s a perfect time for us to showcase the incredible six programs in Philadelphia.”