Villanova players return to applause on mostly empty campus

No movement disturbed the graying crosses of Villanova University's Augustinian cemetery.

Pale pink magnolia petals drifted slowly to the green campus lawn. No students clogged the walkways to the library or the dorms. The pews of St. Thomas of Villanova Church held no prayerful souls in the early afternoon.

The school is closed for Easter break and most students were at home Sunday, not to return until classes resume on Tuesday. But across Ithan Avenue and down a drive to the front of the university's Davis Center for Athletics and Fitness, one actually could find . . .

People!

Former students, school officials, and many reporters all clustered together, like explorers in a vast desert, to greet the college basketball team, victorious over the University of Kansas on Saturday night in Louisville and headed for Houston and the NCAA championship tournament semifinals later this week.

It marks the first visit the Wildcats have made to the Final Four since 2009.

March Madness, it's called.

But in Villanova on Sunday, the madness seemed a still, quiet affair.

Chris Massaro of Wayne was waiting. He remembered waiting for the 1985 national championship team when it returned to campus after a victory over mighty Georgetown.

"It was unbelievable," he said. "It was my freshman year. The place was packed. It was mobbed."

This time?

"We came up last night and no one was here. Everybody was on break. It was surreal."

A few small children ran around and through Massaro's legs and darted off. He said he's followed the team all year.

"It's such a family kind of team," he said. "It has a great coach, a family atmosphere."

Sheila Sweeney of Malvern is a big fan, too.

She waited patiently for the team bus to arrive, becoming an expert in media interviews as the minutes ticked by.

"We were at Mass today and my husband said, 'Why don't we run down?' " she said. "We're here to hope."

"It was awesome," husband Doug Sweeney said. "We're here just to welcome them back."

Easter dinner would come later.

By the time the first bus pulled in at 12:30 p.m. - carrying the school band - the crowd of well-wishers and reporters had ballooned to about 40. No students. Definitely an older crowd.

All applauded the band.

"You were great!" someone shouted.

Father John Stack, the university's vice president of student life, applauded loudly. He graduated from Villanova in 1971, the year the Wildcats lost to UCLA in the championship game. His brother played for the 1976 team. Their father graduated in 1939, the first year of NCAA championship play and the first year Villanova made it to the Final Four, losing to Ohio State. His sister graduated in the championship year of 1985. And he has a nephew who is a senior this year.

"There is a family interest," he said, standing in front of a giant sign proclaiming Dunkin' Donuts coffee as the "Official Coffee of Villanova Athletics."

A few minutes later, the bus carrying the team arrived to cheers and applause.

Players autographed T-shirts and cap brims with Sharpies. They stood patiently for alumni photographs. Star guard Ryan Arcidiacono allowed that the whole experience was "awesome."

Coach Jay Wright spoke of his pride in the team.

"It's like being a parent with these guys," he said. "You think your kids are great, but other people don't know it."

Now they do.

"Villanova people just packed downtown Louisville," he said.

"Then we were up for 7:30 Mass this morning."

ssalisbury@phillynews.com

215-854-5594@SPSalisbury