Submitted Photo – Courtesy of CABRINI ATHLETICS At Cabrini, lacrosse is a family affair. From left: Sean Neary, Jake Neary, Jackie Neary, Thea Neary, eldest daughter Jackie and her husband Joe.
RADNOR — For the dedicated athletes competing in this final season of track and field at hallowed Cabrini University, which in a few months will become Villanova West, the farewell story was far from appealing.
For many, including the opposition, it’s unbelievable that Cabrini and its proven sports program would be taken off the schedule.
Five years ago, Cabrini was at the top of the Division III sports world, with the men’s lacrosse team winning the NCAA national championship at Lincoln Financial Field against an opponent with twice the enrollment in Amherst. .
Villanova signs will begin appearing on campus toward the end of June, as this small university and its beautiful grounds have been purchased by a nearby neighbor. The clocks were running for Cabrini’s men’s and women’s lacrosse and baseball teams, and both were in action for the weekend’s tournament scene. Several students and athletes have already left the campus, which one student-athlete described as a “ghost town,” and the point of no return looms larger than ever.
“It’s like the nuns here at Cabrini said, ‘We’re smiling on the outside, but we’re crying on the inside,'” said Jackie Neary, who has coached women’s lacrosse and field hockey at Cabrini for 28 years. ” he says. “That’s what we’re doing. We’re trying to be very stoic, but it’s hard and it’s hard. On my long walk today, one thing that went through my mind was, this weekend, my daughters… It was about how do we manage the emotions of, you know, every year it’s either you win or it’s over. We want to not put too much weight on the end this time. We talked about the elephant in the room, and now the elephant is bigger than the room. This is going to be one of my big coaching stories. I just want them to take a deep breath. I want them to do this every year, but this year the emphasis has increased considerably.”
Neary, the ultimate competitor and healer, wiped his eyes with a tissue while being interviewed to listen to his players.
The Dear John letters that Cabrini students received last June informed them that the place would be sold to Villanova and that if their severance package was accepted, they would essentially have one more year of school/athletics. I received it in the form of an announcement that I would be transferring schools. That’s something very few 18, 19, 20, 21-year-olds are equipped to handle. Many were able to overcome this challenge thanks to the career guidance provided by Cabrini administrators, coaches, and staff.
What was quietly spectacular was how so many Cabrini student-athletes worked through what was essentially a suspended sentence with their coaches, all while dealing with emotions they had never felt before. As any athlete or coach would say, I stayed for one last lap.
Don’t get me wrong, this announcement was a terrible punch for student-athletes. No athlete these days transfers without a guaranteed role or taking advantage of her NIL, but for a student in this situation neither is unthinkable.
“We found out about it on Friday and we had a meeting that day,” junior midfielder and Garnet Valley graduate Morgan McClintock said. “I think everyone was in that meeting, but that meeting was really emotional. I was there thinking, ‘Oh my God, this is actually happening.’ I remember. I was very angry. I got irritated. So I decided to stay. And I don’t think we were going to turn it into anything just because this was really special. These girls are my best friends. my sister. “
Shea Neary recalled the mini-town hall meeting being filled with student-athletes, coaches and various adults.
“Some people are very angry and show it, while others are just upset, crying and screaming,” Shea said. “There were so many questions. Her mother said, ‘Look, I belong here,’ and I think that speaks to her character. She also opened the door, “…and I’m here to help you no matter what.” I’m here to help you get anywhere if you want. I don’t think a lot of coaches would say, “Look, it’s your decision.” Selfishly, the coach wants you to stay. So she thinks it’s a huge thing for her to say she’s going to help you no matter what and it shows what kind of person she is as a person. ”
Of course Shea stayed because she had experienced the aura of her mother, who grew up to be an All-American in field hockey at Ridley High School and Temple University. Coaches in Cabrini’s other sports also stepped up and showed their individuality.
Cabrini men’s lacrosse coach Tommy DeLuca, a star on the title team and an All-American who is the most decorated defender in program history, has a slightly different take on continuing the mission of athletics. Indicated.
“On paper, I think coming back probably wasn’t the right decision for anyone, myself included,” DeLuca said. “You come back to a place that looks like it’s going to close, right? Why don’t you go to another school where you can play and coach for more than a year and everyone can graduate? Can we get a good job and career? But it wasn’t about what was right. It was about what was right for us. It didn’t make sense on paper. It made sense to us. And we knew we had to get this out the right way.”
With a combination of veterans and young players, the Cavaliers won the Atlantic East Conference championship again this season. The players believe because of DeLuca.
“I could have gone elsewhere, but it was great to stay here and play with my friends,” Springfield sophomore middy Brett Googler said. “The venue was packed last week for the conference championships. They came to see us one last time. Everyone rushed on the field and it was really great. We want to go all the way and aim for a national championship. We’ve worked hard to get here. It’s going to be a hell of a story.”
Despite having lower numbers than previous years, the baseball team set a school record for conference wins with a league season record of 14 wins and 4 losses. That’s just part of what players remember.
“I would say this year has had a lot of ups and downs,” said pitcher Hunter Kleiza, a Haverford High School graduate. “There are definitely challenges we’ve had with having fewer guys than usual. We were used to having over 40 guys and now we only have 20. It’s definitely tough on the body. It’s taxing. But it’s definitely brought us all closer. We’ve fought together. I’ve always been around these guys. At first I was upset by the news. I’m so excited now. We’re going to be the last team for Cabrini Baseball.”
Nick Weishaiple, the only coach in the eight-year Cabrini baseball program and a baseball veteran, said he has never had a more enjoyable season.
“This is their team and they are responsible for what we do and how we do it,” Weishaipur said. “It shows a good program, a sense of ownership within the membership. We had no control over what happened, so I didn’t have time to be angry because it doesn’t change anything. So what I did was I looked at the program and the people who chose to stay and the two new players who chose to come in and be involved and the assistant coaches who have been in the program since. I just changed my lens on how to enjoy myself.”
Garnet Valley catcher Christian Strickland praised Weishaipur for showing “courage” amid the tumultuous news of an impending shutdown and, in doing so, helping him grow as a person. .
“He took care of everything,” Strickland said. “He helped everyone. If you look at it, we don’t have as many players right now, but at the same time we have almost the entire lineup back. All of our key pitchers are back. I think it kind of put a chip on my shoulder and it helped me work a little harder and play a little harder.”
There has been much discussion about how Cabrini may have fallen into such financial difficulties that the board decided it was best to sell. Enrollment in schools has declined. Participation numbers in the sport have always been strong. Two years ago, President Cabrini resigned. Nine months later, reports surfaced that they were looking for a partnership due to financial difficulties.
John Dyke, Cabrini’s winningest coach in history, who led the basketball program to 483 wins and 16 conference championships, also served as the school’s athletic director before his retirement. At least he thinks there are two big unanswered questions.
“It’s really unfortunate to see Cabrini slip up,” Zyk said. “From my perspective, it felt like the administration didn’t give the graduates the real story about finances and say, ‘Is there anything you want to do to save the school?'” to the graduates. didn’t really have a chance. They have largely accepted the fact that schools will close by the end of May.
“Our big concern right now is what will happen to sports memorabilia? What will happen to the banners, plaques and trophies? No one has an answer to that yet. It’s also a concern for alumni, former coaches and everyone involved in athletics: What will happen to the history we’ve built? When you’re ready, I hope you’ll tell me to take your bags with you. If they don’t, we’re going to take our stuff back anyway…in a friendly way. ”
For administrators, coaches, students and student-athletes, it’s time to say goodbye. They don’t get any tougher.
Athletic Director Kate Corcoran, then a mean basketball player, used to escape the madness of lame duck years by going to the school gym. Even that was in jeopardy.
“You try to reset your mind,” Corcoran says. “But when you walk into our gym, you look around at the success you’ve had. Championship banners and tournament banners are up. You walk in there and you see what’s being dismantled. It makes me realize how special this place has been and the experiences we’ve been able to provide our student-athletes over the decades. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to come back.”
