Wildcats Climb to No. 4 in Polls

Championship at O'Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Classic Lifts Villanova

Antonio Pena was named Most Outstanding Player at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off

Nov. 23, 2009

VILLANOVA, Pa. - A title at the O'Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off helped Villanova move up in the national polls. The Wildcats (5-0) are ranked fourth in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls this week.

That represents Villanova's highest regular season position in the two polls since 2006, when the Wildcats reached No. 2 in February of 2006.

VU spent the first two weeks in the No. 5 spot in the AP poll and No. 6 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll.

In other news, Puerto Rico Tip-Off Most Outstanding Player Antonio Pena was named to the BIG EAST honor roll for his efforts over the weekend. Pena scored 17 points and collected a career-best 16 rebounds to help Villanova down Ole Miss 79-67 in Sunday night's title game.

Villanova returns to action on Saturday for a Philadelphia Big Five match with La Salle at the Pavilion (3:30 p.m./ESPN2).

Villanova University