Former Penn Lacrosse Player DeLuca Honored by NJ Sports Writers Association

In the mind of former University of Pennsylvania women’s lacrosse player and 2006 Hillsborough High School graduate, Ali DeLuca the last of the accolades of her illustrious college career had been awarded.

However, the 2010 unanimous Ivy League Player of the Year and three-time all-Ivy League player was unaware that she would receive one more award.

DeLuca will be one of 16 current and former athletes and coaches to be honored by the New Jersey Sports Writers Association on Jan. 30 at its 75th anniversary banquet at Pines Manor in Edison. DeLuca will be honored as Women’s Lacrosse Player of the Year.

 “I was surprised,” DeLuca said. “To be honored is unbelievable.”

DeLuca will be celebrated along with other highly celebrated former professional and collegiate athletes from New Jersey. Former New York Giant Leonard Marshall, Rutgers University baseball head coach Fred Hill, former Seton Hall University basketball head coach Anne Donovan, former Rutgers University basketball player Geoff Billet and former Providence College and Somerville-native Eric Murdock will be among those enshrined into the Hall of Fame.

“It is a huge honor,” DeLuca said. “It’s surreal to be honored and to be seated next to so many worthwhile people ... I’m sure it’ll be a great afternoon.”

DeLuca, who is Pennsylvania’s all time leading goal scorer and who was an academic all-Ivy League performer and a Tewaarton Award finalist her senior year, graduated in May and has been working in pharmaceutical marketing and sales in Princeton since August. DeLuca has tried to stay active in lacrosse, coaching and teaching at clinics whenever the opportunity presents itself.

“I’m trying to stay around the game as much as I can,” she said. “But I’m working and starting a new chapter of my life.”

 She insists that, while her collegiate career is over, her career as a lacrosse player may not be. She was on the US Developmental Team her sophomore year in college, and is looking to try out for the USA Women’s National Team when tryouts come around in August.

“Whenever I pick up a stick, I start to miss it again,” DeLuca said. “I’m hoping it is maybe something that I can get back into in the near future.”

Whether that works out or not, DeLuca is still honored and excited to have at least one more chance to look back fondly on her lacrosse career.

“It is really is a great honor and a pleasant surprise to look back and see all that you have done,” she said of attending awards banquets. “It’ll be really nice to re-live it one more time.”