(New Haven, CT) – Albertus Magnus College Director of Athletics Michael Spinner has announced the hiring of Darryl Delia as the college’s first-ever Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach. Delia, a resident of East Haven, comes to Albertus after more than a decade working with three of Connecticut’s finest Division I men’s lacrosse programs.
“We’re making a major statement at Albertus Magnus College regarding our commitment to lacrosse with the hiring of Darryl Delia as our Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach. Not only is ‘Double D’ one of the most recognizable lacrosse figures in all of New England, but having known him for the last decade as a friend and colleague, I am bringing on board not just a fantastic coach, but a true professional, gentleman, and somebody who lacrosse players simply love to play for. Having worked in the past at institutions where academic success comes before athletic victory, I think Double D is going to be the perfect fit for Albertus Magnus College, and he is going to build a very successful program,” Spinner said.
“When we decided to add men’s lacrosse, I set the goal to build a program with 40 young men who are outstanding members of the campus community, true student-athletes, and compete at the level where we are in the hunt for a conference championship every year. I believe Darryl Delia is the perfect Head Coach to make this vision a reality. It is an honor to have somebody who has accomplished so much in this sport start our program, and I am thrilled that Double D has chosen to continue his coaching career as an Albertus Magnus Falcon.” Spinner added.
Delia spent the last three seasons as an Assistant Coach at Sacred Heart University, a Division I member of the Northeast Conference that competed in the Colonial Athletic Association – one of the most competitive lacrosse conferences in the country – for two of Delia’s three seasons on the sidelines. At Sacred Heart, Delia served as both offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator for the Pioneers.
Prior to Sacred Heart, Delia helped patrol the sidelines at Division I Fairfield University from 2004-2008 as the Stags competed in the Great Western Lacrosse League with conference members such as Notre Dame and Ohio State. While working at Fairfield, Delia served as offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator, and also managed the team’s equipment, fundraising efforts, and all elements of travel and video exchange. With Delia running the offense, Fairfield won the GWLL Championship during the 2005 season, and competed in the NCAA Tournament.
Delia also spent five seasons at Yale University where he served as the top Assistant Coach at the Ivy League power, and then Interim Head Coach during the 2003 season. During the 2003 campaign, Delia led the Bulldogs to a 9-5 overall record competing in arguably the nation’s toughest lacrosse conference. Twice during Delia’s tenure at Yale, the Bulldogs’ offense was ranked in the top-10, nationally. While at Yale, Delia was one of only a handful of coaches nationally to serve as a selector for the United States World Team in 2000.
Delia’s ties to lacrosse in Connecticut date back to 1994 when he began a two-year run as Assistant Coach at Hamden Hall High School. In 1996, Delia took over his own program when he accepted the position of Head Boys’ Lacrosse Coach at Guilford High School, a position he held for two seasons. He also served as the Head Wrestling Coach at East Haven High School from 1991-2004. Currently, Delia is the Executive Director of Progression Lacrosse, a clinic/camp program based out of Weston, Connecticut, and also a Director of the Run & Shoot Lacrosse Camps.
The Falcons compete in all sports in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC), which will sponsor men’s lacrosse for the first time in 2011. Albertus Magnus will renovate its game field with a turf playing surface during the summer of 2011 to accommodate the addition of men’s and women’s lacrosse.
