First Posted: 3/13/2015
Sally DeLuca has had a field hockey stick in her hand since the day she was born. Her mom, along with her aunts, all played the game.
DeLuca has taken her game to the next level.
A 2014 Wyoming Area graduate, DeLuca finished a strong freshman season with Bloomsburg University’s field hockey team this past fall. In the process, she realized how difficult the NCAA Division 2 game can be.
“It was very different from high school — getting used to the atmosphere,” DeLuca said. “I knew it would be a lot more intense and it was a rough start. But as time went on, it got easier for me. The team pushed me.”
DeLuca played in 15 games in her freshman season, starting in eight of them. She scored her first collegiate goal in a 13-1 win over Newberry in September.
As a defenseman, DeLuca doesn’t get the opportunity to put the ball in the cage as much as an offensive player; however, the Huskies utilized DeLuca in the corner game. The goal against Newberry when DeLuca scored on a corner was the icing on the cake.
“Coach put me up there because I have a strong hit on corners,” she said. “At first, I was really excited but it was nerve wracking. Scoring that goal was a nice moment to start my career and let me know I was supposed to be there.”
According to Bloomsburg head coach Nikki Rhoads, DeLuca used her field vision and her physicality to get things going on the other end for Bloomsburg. Deluca led the team’s counter attacks that led to offensive success.
“She sees the game really well,” Rhoads said. “She’s not always fancy but she can eliminate and get the possession out start our counter attack.”
The Huskies are known for being a powerhouse in NCAA Division 2 field hockey. Bloomsburg has 11 Division 2 national championships since 1993. Those teams were coached by Jan Hutchinson, who spent 32 seasons on the sidelines for the Huskies. She was replaced by Rhoads in 2010.
Rhoads won two national titles while playing for the Huskies in her junior and senior seasons in the mid-2000s.
Playing for such a storied field hockey team is one of the reasons why DeLuca found herself on the Bloomsburg campus.
“I came here knowing the history,” DeLuca said. “I felt like I had to live up to that potential. I like the sense of people looking up to you to withhold that name for the school. It’s really heartwarming knowing that the team can do so well and be at the highest potential.”
Other than the history at Bloomsburg, DeLuca felt right at home the first time she was on the campus.
The Wyoming Area graduate had Division 1 schools such as Rider, Rutgers and Siena on her final list but found the Huskies offered something different.
“It was a great experience the first time I was on campus,” DeLuca said. “I knew I loved it here. It really had that home feeling. Coming here made me realize that this was the program I wanted to play for.”
This season wasn’t as kind to the Huskies as the past has been. It was the first season since 1975, the Huskies finished below .500. Bloomsburg finished the season 7-10 overall and 5-9 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. The Huskies did not make the playoffs.
However, Bloomsburg lost four games in overtime – three on penalty strokes. The Huskies took No. 1-ranked Millersville to overtime where they lost on a penalty stroke.
“It was frustrating,” DeLuca said. “It opened our eyes to how hard we actually have to play and not take anything for granted. The smallest things add up.”
Bloomsburg will lose just four seniors to graduation heading into this fall’s season. For DeLuca, it will be her offseason conditioning and strength training that will help guide her into her sophomore season. As a team, she said, a competitive edge will help the team get over the hump.
“I think it’s having that competitive sense of urgency inside of us,” she said. “We know we can do it. We need to keep our heads in the game.”
DeLuca is the daughter of Ree Ree and Carl DeLuca, of West Pittston. She is currently a double major in Business Management and Art Studio.
