Danielle DelPonte begins her first season as head coach of the DWC softball program. She was named to the post on November 30, 2011.
DelPonte is a 2009 graduate of the University of Connecticut where she played four seasons with the Huskies in the Big East. She joins DWC after serving previously as an assistant coach at Boston College of the Atlantic Coast Conference and the two previous seasons as assistant coach at traditional Division III regional power Springfield College.
“I am extremely grateful and excited to be part of the Daniel Webster College Athletic community,” Said DelPonte. “From the minute I stepped onto campus, I had a sense of home with the small campus atmosphere. It is evident that Daniel Webster has a history of tradition and determined student-athletes. As a program, we will strive to contend at the highest level and bring in the best student-athletes to represent this institution. Every year, we hope to challenge every team in the NECC not only for a conference title, but work our way to the NCAA tournament and bring national prominence to the program.”
At Springfield, DelPonte was part of a coaching staff that helped guide the Pride to a pair of 23-win seasons that included capturing the New England Women’s and Men’s Conference (NEWMAC) tournament championship and a NCAA tournament appearance that included three NCAA wins in 2009.
DelPonte was a regular starting catcher over her four-year career at UConn, finishing with a .305 career average which included a career best .343 average as a junior, and retired in the top five all time in career RBI (106) and home runs (20) and in the top 15 all time in total bases and fielding percentage.
The team leader in both RBI and home runs in both her junior and senior seasons, DelPonte also was a strong performer in the classroom. She was a four-time member of the UConn Dean’s List, a three-time Big East All-Academic Team honoree and was a two-time NFCA Academic All-American.
DelPonte was part of a Husky program that three-straight 20-win seasons from 2007-2009 which included three straight Big East tournament appearances. She was a Big East all-tournament selection in 2008.
DelPonte, who also holds a Master of Education degree in Sport Management and Recreation from Springfield College, resides in her native Tewksbury, Mass.
