Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/27/24 – From Press Release
Eastern University head coach Colin Piper today announced that Tommy DeLuca will join the Eastern University Men’s Lacrosse staff as the Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator for the 2024 season.
DeLuca comes from across Eagle Road at Cabrini University, where he served as the team’s head coach in their final season. He led the Cavaliers to a 15-5 record and captured the program’s 23rd consecutive conference championship. During his time at Cabrini, DeLuca coached 14 USILA All-Americans, 30 All-Conference, and 7 Conference Players of the Year. DeLuca also led the Cavaliers to the second round of the NCAA tournament in each season.
As a player at Cabrini, DeLuca was a four-time All-Atlantic East Conference performer and two-time Conference and National Defensive Player of the Year. DeLuca moved into the coaching ranks after a career that saw him earn 12 All-America honors.
The Apex, N.C. native capped off his playing career as the nation’s top defensive player as he was named the 2021 William C. Stiles Most Outstanding Defenseman by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA). DeLuca finished that season with a remarkable 37 caused turnovers and 58 ground balls. The honor came with a USILA All-American First Team nod, making DeLuca just the program’s seventh First Team All-American.
In 2021, DeLuca, a two-time captain for the Cavaliers, broke the program’s record for caused turnovers, closing his career with 173, while his 255 ground balls and 83 games played rank second.
In 2019, DeLuca helped lead the Cavaliers to a 22-2 record, was named IMLCA National Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-American, and won the 2019 National Championship at Lincoln Financial Field in front of 25,000 fans. During the Cavaliers’ championship season, DeLuca also set the program’s single-season caused turnover mark with 61 and owns three of the top seven single-season performances in that category.
DeLuca also lent his voice to Cabrini’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) as a four-year participant, including two years as one of Cabrini’s two representatives on the Atlantic East SAAC.
During DeLuca’s prep days at Apex High School, he led the team to state titles in 2013 and 2015 collecting three all-conference, all-region, and all-state honors.
DeLuca also coaches with the Team TEN Lacrosse Club out of Berwyn, PA.
DeLuca completed his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in sports management in 2020.
