Acclaimed Coach Carol Daly Cantele ’83 Announced as Commencement Speaker
Coach Carol Daly Cantele celebrating with her team. (Photo courtesy Gettysburg College)
By Vincent DiFonzo, Editor-in-Chief
Carol Daly Cantele ’83, longtime Gettysburg women’s lacrosse coach and National Lacrosse Hall of Fame member, has been announced as the class of 2025 commencement speaker.
Cantele has been described as one of “the most decorated coaches in the history of college lacrosse.” As a student, Cantele played on the women’s lacrosse team that she later returned to coach. She worked at the College as coach of the women’s lacrosse team for 30 years.
As a coach, she led her team to 446 total wins, including 13 Centennial Conference titles and three NCAA DIII championships. As a student, she studied health and physical education while becoming an accomplished student-athlete.
“I am humbled and thrilled to be named the commencement speaker for Gettysburg College’s class of 2025,” Cantele told Gettysburg’s Communications & Marketing office. “As an alumna and a coach for the past 30 years at Gettysburg College in both field hockey and lacrosse, it’s truly a full-circle moment for me to return to the place that helped shape who I am today.”
In a campus-wide email announcing Cantele as commencement speaker, President Bob Iuliano wrote that Cantele “[embodies] the values of leadership, perseverance, and service — both on and off the field.”
Iuliano praised Cantele as a role-model for students: “As one of the most decorated coaches in collegiate lacrosse history, she has inspired generations of student-athletes to push beyond their limits, to lead with integrity, and to embrace the challenges that shape their personal and professional journeys.”
Beyond her success as a coach, Iuliano wrote that “what truly sets Coach Cantele apart is how she uplifts everyone around her.”
“She is a mentor, a motivator, and a champion for Gettysburg College students, instilling in them the confidence to embrace new opportunities and to pursue their goals with courage and tenacity,” wrote Iuliano. “Her legacy is measured not only in the trophies she’s raised, but in the many lives she’s touched through her wisdom, dedication and kindness.”
The 190th Commencement is scheduled for Saturday, May 17.
