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How Notre Dame basketball’s trip came about to play Villanova in Rome — and potentially meet Pope Leo XIV

Maria Gonzalez
Maria Gonzalez
Maria Gonzalez
Sports Reporter · Bloomington, IL

Born and raised in Bloomington, Maria is a passionate sports journalist with a degree from Northern Illinois University. She has covered the local high school sports scene for over 8 years and previously wrote for the Peoria Journal Star, bringing a fresh energy to sports reporting in the area.

More from Maria →
Sports Reporter · Saturday, October 31, 2026 at 1:15 AM · 1 min read
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How Notre Dame basketball’s trip came about to play Villanova in Rome — and potentially meet Pope Leo XIV — Bloomington Sports news

When Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Niele Ivey first heard the idea, she was thrilled. With the election of Pope Leo XIV as inspiration, college sports event organizers wanted to host a pair of men’s and women’s basketball games in…

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