Whew, it’s been a while, hasn’t it.
A lot has changed since my last post. Like, a whole lot. That’s another story for another issue.
But it’s now mid-March, and March Madness is here again, and I figured I should write my annual capsule preview of the Catholic colleges and universities that have qualified for the big dance.
This year was a fairly anemic showing for Catholic schools, with only seven making the field of 68.
In 2022, there were 11 schools dancing. The year before, eight. In 2020, there were none, but in their defense, there were also no non-Catholic schools in March Madness either. In 2019 there were eight schools, and in 2018, the first year I wrote this guide, there were nine.1
As per usual, I have no idea what I’m doing and this is for entertainment purposes2 only. If you decide to actually make predictions and put actual money on teams based on what I’m saying here, that’s on you, not me.
South Regional:
(6) Creighton University
Catholic affiliation: Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
Nickname: Bluejays
Conference: Big East
Star players: Ryan Kalkbrenner, Baylor Scheierman, Trey Alexander
Tournament outlook: The Bluejays play NC State in Denver on Thursday, March 16. They should win, but Denver is a weird place and the altitude can do weird things to athletes, and NC State is coming off of a fairly brutal loss in the ACC tournament.
Assuming Creighton gets by the Wolfpack, they will be up against the winner of Baylor/UC Santa Barbara (so, Baylor) in the round of 32. I love a good Baptists vs. Jesuits battle as much as the next guy (what?) but I just don’t see Creighton getting into the Sweet 16.
East Regional:
(2) Marquette University
Catholic affiliation: Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
Nickname: Golden Eagles
Conference: Big East
Star players: Tyler Kolek, Kam Jones, Oso Ighodaro
Tournament outlook: Marquette is annoyingly good.3 They won the Big East tournament, and if they don’t beat Vermont in the opening game, something is terribly, terribly wrong with the universe.4 Heck, I'd even go as far as to say that if Marquette doesn't make the Sweet 16, something is terribly wrong with the universe.
Second-year coach Shaka Smart was named the Big East coach of the year. Tyler Kolek was Big East player of the year. Marquette comes into the tournament on a wave of success and momentum. While they probably won't win it all, they are in conversations as a potential dark horse pick.
(11) Providence College
Catholic affiliation: Order of Preachers (Dominicans)
Nickname: Friars
Conference: Big East
Star players: Bryce Hopkins, Jared Bynum, Devin Carter
Tournament outlook: [Full disclosure. I went to Providence College. I love Providence College. That being said, PC Athletics has broken my heart and possibly damaged my vocal cords more times than I can count.]
Providence College opens up its tournament against Kentucky, the former school of star Bryce Hopkins, who played there for one year. The storyline writes itself.
Kentucky had a rough season, and the pressure is on. (Mostly to not be embarrassed by losing to a former player.) Kentucky is the heavy favorites, but Providence does have the x-factor of playing the game on St. Patrick’s Day, an unofficial-but-kind-of-official holiday on campus. Hopefully the crazy energy of thousands of reveling college kids in Providence is able to somehow make its way to Greensboro.
Midwest Regional:
(3) Xavier University
Catholic affiliation: Society of Preachers (Jesuits)
Nickname: Musketeers
Conference: Big East
Star players: Souley Boum, Colby Jones, Jack Nunge
Tournament outlook: Xavier kicks off March Madness on Friday against Kennesaw State, a school from Georgia making its tournament debut.5 Xavier shouldn't have too much trouble against KSU, but March is made for Cinderella stories, so who knows.
Assuming they get by the Owls, the Musketeers will be up against the winner of Pittsburgh/Iowa State, a game they should also win. Xavier could go as far as the Elite Eight if all the cards fall correctly.
West Regional:
(3) Gonzaga University
Catholic affiliation: Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
Nickname: Bulldogs
Conference: West Coast Conference
Star players: Drew Timme, Nolan Hickman, Julian Strawther
Tournament outlook: It seems as though every year I write “this could totally be Gonzaga’s year to win it all!” and then they don’t win it all. So I’m not going to say that this year. Gonzaga begins its tournament on Friday against Grand Canyon University, a school I genuinely did not know had sports.6
People who are better at stats than I am say that there's a little more than 20% chance Gonzaga makes it to the Final Four, but they likely won't make it to the final. Or maybe they will. Reverse psychology, anyone?
(5) Saint Mary’s College of California
Catholic affiliation: De La Salle Brothers
Nickname: Gaels
Conference: West Coast Conference
Star players: Logan Johnson, Mitchell Saxen, Aidan Mahaney
Tournament outlook: Saint Mary’s should have little trouble with Virginia Commonwealth University on Thursday, and afterwards they face the winner of UConn/Iona. The Gaels are somewhat of a wildcard, and some people think that this team has potential to go far.
I think their potential matchup against UConn could prove interesting, and has the potential for an upset.
(13) Iona University
Catholic affiliation: Congregation of Christian Brothers
Nickname: Gaels7
Conference: Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC)
Star players: Walter Clayton Jr., Nelly Junior Joseph, Daniss Jenkins
Tournament outlook: Iona makes a return to the tournament after missing it in 2022, having earned an automatic bid after winning the MAAC. Unfortunately for Iona, they are up against UConn on Friday. UConn is very, very good.
Iona hasn’t won a tournament game since 1980, but as we saw last year with St. Peter’s…March is a funny month.
Good luck to all teams, but mostly Providence College.
Our Lady of Victory, pray for us!
I can’t find a link to that piece, as the blog section of the website I was working for at the time no longer exists.
Is this presumptuous?
I say this as someone with family members who went to Marquette and Creighton, and I hate being ranked below them. I’m jealous, what can I say.
I wouldn’t be mad though—my little brother went to UVM.
Back in my day, Kennesaw State had a really good cheer team. That concludes everything I know about Kennesaw State.
In my defense, Grand Canyon University has a large online program.
Yes, another Gaels.