PHILADELPHIA — Villanova freshman Matthew Hodge has been ruled academically ineligible by the NCAA, and an initial waiver to change his eligibility status has been denied, leaving the school and Hodge with one last resort: an appeal, and a final decision is expected on Wednesday, the school announced in a detailed news release Friday afternoon.

If the appeal is denied, Hodge will be unable to play this season and will take a required redshirt year.

Hodge’s eligibility status is in question because the 6-foot-8 forward attended high school initially in his native Belgium before moving to New Jersey in 2022 to go to school and play at St. Rose in Belmar, N.J.

The NCAA, according to Villanova, “reviewed his transcripts from both his time in Belgium and the United States and ruled that Hodge was deficient in meeting its qualifier requirements. Under NCAA rule, student athletes must complete 10 core courses, seven of which must be in English, math and science, before the start of their fourth year of high school. Hodge spent four years in high school in Belgium, taking English, French, ethics and a general studies class that encompassed subjects such as math, science and social studies. St. Rose considered all of his classes from Belgium and upon review, deemed Hodge a high school junior upon his arrival in New Jersey.”

The NCAA initially ruled Hodge as a nonqualifier, but Villanova retained the services of an Indianapolis-based law firm, Church Church Hittle and Antrim, to file a waiver. They resubmitted other coursework for consideration. But the NCAA ruled that Hodge still fell short of the 10/7 standard (highlighted above).

Villanova’s appeal also argued that:

— “Hodge’s ability to pass advanced math and science courses in New Jersey (including Algebra II and biology) that proved he had received the educational foundation necessary in Belgium to be a successful high school student in the United States.”

— “Hodge has no say in determining his standing in the U.S. high school system, and that the New Jersey school system deemed his Belgium coursework and grades good enough to make him a junior in good standing.”

— “COVID severely disrupted Hodge’s studies in Belgium, as schools there shut down for a long period of time and later went to online courses.”

But those pleas did not result in the NCAA changing course. The appeal, and its decision Wednesday, are all that remains.

“We have been working with Villanova for a few months to answer every question about my school in Belgium three years ago,” Hodge said in a statement posted on social media. “My grades improved at St. Rose, I graduated on time and am off to a good start in my classes at Villanova. I’m genuinely frustrated and the uncertainty weighs on me when I’m not on the court. I respect the NCAA process. I just hope this is resolved soon.”

Hodge is still allowed to practice and travel with the team, both now and if the appeal is ultimately denied.

He was expected to be a contributor right away, a versatile piece in a four-player recruiting class that was ranked 24th nationally by 247Sports.

The Wildcats are 1-1 to start the 2024-25 season after losing Wednesday at home to Columbia. Villanova’s season continues Friday night with a home game vs. NJIT. The Wildcats then play at St. Joseph’s Tuesday, and the decision on Hodge’s future is expected the following day.

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