Like Loyola, Villanova blessed with a clerical leader, too
Loyola-Chicago isn’t the only team in the Final Four with a charismatic spiritual leader.
Meet the Rev. Robert Hagan, OSA, associate athletic director and team chaplain for the men’s basketball and football teams at Villanova.
The 52-year-old Delaware County native is Villanova’s counterpart to Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt, BVM, the 98-year-old nun who, like the Ramblers, has become the darling of the NCAA tournament.
“I think it’s great,” Father Hagan said of the attention Sister Jean has received during Loyola-Chicago’s magical run to the Final Four. “As we all know, March Madness and college basketball is an incredible spectacle and with it comes the opportunity to highlight how hard these student-athletes work and the mission of a lot of the institutions that participate. So, in this case, two Catholic schools in the Final Four on Easter weekend, that’s really special.
“I think that the values that we espouse are not unique to us; team and teamwork, coming together, building a brotherhood, work ethic, these are the kind of things that we preach day in and day out and it’s nice to see it kind of getting highlighted on the world stage.”
And if you think Father Rob, as he is affectionately known around campus, will try to steal some of that attention from Sister Jean, think again.
“No way,” Hagan said. “As I said before, 16 years of Catholic education, you don’t mess with the sisters. It’s `yes sister’ and `no sister.’”
Hagan grew up in the Drexel Hill area of Upper Darby and is a Delco guy through and through. He attended St. Dorothy’s, Cardinal O’Hara (Class of 1983) and Villanova (1987). He has a law degree from Widener (1990) and worked at Gillin & Associates, a law firm in Media, as a criminal defense counsel for seven years. He also served as assistant counsel for the Delaware County Solid Waste Authority and the county Registrar of Wills before answering the call to enter the Order of St. Augustine in 1997. Father Hagan has been at Villanova since he was ordained in 2003.
“To work at my alma mater, in Delaware County with family and friends as an Augustinian, I am blessed,” he said. “To have an opportunity to have this platform, the Villanova basketball platform, to highlight the values and the things that we hold special as Augustinians and Villanovans, it’s really, really special.”
His roots also run deep in the local basketball community. His younger sister, Meg, played at O’Hara from 1982-86. She is married to former Monsignor Bonner All-Delco and ex-Friars basketball coach Jim “Goose” Welde.
“My niece and nephew both played in the Palestra for the Catholic League championship,” Hagan said. “My niece, Erin Welde, played for O’Hara and cut the net down, and James was a freshman on the Bonner team that lost to Roman on the last play of the game. So I had a niece and nephew playing in the Palestra on the same night. That was special.”
As an associate athletic director, Hagan oversees the sports medicine and strength and conditional programs. He also serves as administrator for the golf and tennis programs. In his capacity as team chaplain, a post he has held since 2004, Hagan sees his role as a spiritual advisor and a someone offering a shoulder to lean on.
“These guys have so many people telling them what to do, whether it’s their coaches, their professors, their parents, everyone is telling them what to do and so I feel in a lot of ways I can be someone that listens,” Hagan said. “I don’t have to tell them to do anything, and to be an opportunity to voice what is going on in their head and heart. They’re under a lot of pressure. They have to juggle a lot academically, physically, the travel, the study, all the time management that’s involved here, just to be an open door. It may be a stroll in the office. Maybe you catch them coming out of the training room. Maybe you’re in line with them at a buffet or sitting next to them on the bus. It’s an opportunity to see how they’re doing.”
That support is greatly appreciated. That was evident after Villanova’s 71-59 triumph over Texas Tech in the East Regional final Sunday. There were two net-cutting ceremonies after the game. The first was for the players and coaches. The second was for support personnel. Hagan was given the honor of being the last one to cut down the net during the second ceremony.
“How about that,” he said. “That was something special.”
“Father Rob does a lot for us,” guard Jalen Brunson said after the win over Texas Tech in the East Regional final. “(He) just finds ways to make sure we’re always thinking about each other, day in and day out. It does go unnoticed to the outside, but for us, he means a lot, and we’re just glad — we’re happy we have him.”
“Father Rob is the best,” guard Phil Booth added. “We can go to him at any time if we have problem or just need to talk. He’s always there for us.”
He’ll be in San Antonio for Easter weekend to provide whatever support, spiritual or otherwise, the team needs. For a member of the clergy, what better-case scenario can there be than a national championship showdown on Easter Monday between two Catholic schools, one run by the Jesuits (Loyola-Chicago) and the other Augustinians (Villanova)?
“It won’t be the first time we’ve done battle,” Hagan said. “It’s kind of like fighting with your brothers and sisters. We’re all in the same family. We’ve done it before and we’ll do it again and what a wonderful way to spend Easter weekend.”