It was announced last night on the radio that former Villanova star guard and current Los Angeles Clipper will have his jersey retired and hung from the rafters during a ceremony at the Pavilion on Feb. 12th.
This will be part of the College GameDay festivities that day and should happen at around 11:00am ET. If any of you are going to head to the Main Line for this one, be sure to get there early enough to honor one of the greats.
Clarification: While Foye's jersey and number will hang above the student section of the Pavilion (like all of the others), his number will not be retired in the traditional sense. There are too few numbers available in college basketball (only digits 1-5 may be used) to actually retire numbers from future use.
Maalik Wayns will therefore be able to continue wearing #2 for as long as he likes and future players may also choose to wear that number.
Official Villanova Release (2/7/2011)
VILLANOVA, Pa. – Randy Foye, who helped lead Villanova to a 52-13 record and appearances in the NCAA Sweet 16 and NCAA Elite Eight in his final two seasons as a Wildcat, will have his No. 2 jersey retired this Saturday morning at the Pavilion in ceremonies during the nationally televised ESPN College GameDay presented by State Farm broadcast. Foye, named a consensus All-American and the BIG EAST Player of the Year as a senior in 2005-06, becomes the 18th member of the Villanova men’s basketball family to be honored in this way.
"I'm honored to be joining the elite company of Villanova Basketball players with their jersey retired," stated Foye, who currently plays for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association. "My four years on campus were extremely memorable and I appreciate everyone in the Nova Nation for their support. I'd like to thank Coach (Jay) Wright, my teammates and the entire staff who were instrumental in creating successful seasons during my career. Villanova Basketball is built on a tradition of hard work, togetherness and pride, and I've carried this positive attitude with me throughout my NBA career."
Foye came to Villanova from Newark, N.J., where he rose to prominence at East Side High School. Along with Jason Fraser, Allan Ray and Curtis Sumpter, the 6-4 guard was a cornerstone of Wright’s first full recruiting class in 2002. After failing to reach the post-season as freshmen, the group helped lead Villanova back into the national rankings in 2004 following a seven-year absence. Foye established himself as one of the Wildcats’ all-time greats, scoring 1,966 points over his four seasons.
"Randy’s impact on this era of Villanova Basketball entitles him to be listed among the all-time greats at Villanova," stated Wright, now in his tenth season as head coach. "I know how much Randy reveres the tradition of Villanova Basketball and how much it means to him to have his jersey hang in the rafters."
The ceremony will take place during the second hour of ESPN’s live broadcast from the Pavilion Saturday morning. Foye will also be saluted at halftime of Saturday night’s game against Pittsburgh (9:00 p.m./ESPN).
There will be a full day of activity on Villanova’s campus on Saturday. Doors to the morning show in the Pavilion will open at 8:30 a.m. to ticketed fans. Later in the day, "Winter Jam", a basketball carnival, will take place in Jake Nevin Field House from 4-7 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. It will include an appearance by the men’s basketball team and an array of games for young fans and food options for all.