John "Jake" Nevin served as trainer for Villanova University

Villanova University

Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...

 athletic teams for over 50 years until his death in 1985. Nevin, then using a wheelchair and suffering from Lou Gehrig's Disease, inspired the 1985 Villanova Wildcats

Villanova Wildcats men's basketball

This is the article about the men's basketball team from Villanova University. The team has competed since the 1920–21 season. Nicknamed the "Wildcats", Villanova is a member of the Big East Conference and the Philadelphia Big Five. The Villanova Wildcats have appeared in the NCAA...

 basketball team during their run to the NCAA Championship. In 1985, Villanova renamed the Villanova Field House

Jake Nevin Field House

The Jake Nevin Field House is an arena-auditorium at Villanova University in Villanova, Pennsylvania. The arena, built in 1932, is the former home of the Villanova basketball program prior to the construction of The Pavilion in 1986...

in honor of Nevin. Villanova also retired basketball jersey number 1 for Nevin.