Daria Delfino highlighted her competitive nature as a four sport athlete in high school, playing field hockey, basketball, softball and golf. As she ends her sophomore season as one of Loyola’s top golfers, she still says she would do more.
“Field hockey was super aggressive, that’s why I loved it. If I could play football, I would totally play,” Delfino said.
That aggression and competitive spirit has helped Delfino stand out from the rest of the pack as she is the only member of the women’s team to medal during an event this spring season. On March 21, Delfino took first place and at the TWU Bojangles Spring Invitational in Loudon, Tennessee. She shot 149 (+5) while helping Loyola secure the team victory, marking the second victory in her short collegiate career.
“The win at Tennessee really felt good,” Delfino said. “That second win really put me to the top, and I said, ‘You know what you’re capable of.’”
The business management and marketing sophomore also finished inside the top 17 in all of the tournaments she competed in this spring.
Delfino even received all-conference honors and was featured as a conference Athlete of the Week for her exceptional play in the Southern States Athletic Conference this season.
“I think my greatest accomplishment thus far would be making all-conference this year. It was really nice because I didn’t make that last year when I made the all-freshman team,” Delfino said.
Delfino entered the conference tournament riding the momentum from her solid spring season, but she failed to meet her expectations and was set back by a neck injury.
“I really wanted to go to nationals, and I knew if I placed well in the tournament I would have been able to go, but I had to play better and I didn’t accomplish that. It’s definitely a learning experience. I’m going to try and use it for motivation for next year,” Delfino said.
While Delfino was upset at the outcome of the tournament, she realized the lessons she can take away from the competition.
“I really wanted to go in there guns blazing, but golf is like life. Everything is so unexpected and you just got to roll with the punches,” Delfino said.
Delfino looks to come back even stronger next season and is implementing specific training aspects into her routine over the summer so she doesn’t have to second guess her capabilities.
“This year I’ve taken fitness into account for sure. Going to workouts has really taken my game to a different level and I think I’m going to really start focusing in on that, and instead of working out three or four times a week, I’m going to try working out every day,” Delfino said.
“I’m definitely going to improve that ball striking and short game; that’s where you lose strokes. It doesn’t matter if you can hit the ball 300 yards off the tee and it doesn’t matter if you can hit it 100 yards off the tee. As long as you can make that up and down at the end, that’s what’s going to put you ahead of the rest of the field.”
Although Delfino knows what she can improve upon, losing the senior class’ leadership and camaraderie is something she said can’t be replaced.
“The seniors leaving is really going to hurt me. Not only are they my teammates; a couple of them are a few of my best friends. To go out there everyday and get to go play a game that you absolutely love with people that you absolutely love, I can’t even describe the feeling to you,” Delfino said.
With the seniors leaving, Delfino knows she has to step up and lead the next generation of recruits to meet the departing senior class’ standard of play, and she has already set the bar high for the incoming freshman.
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“If we motivate those freshmen, there’s no way in hell that we’re not a top 10 team,” Delfino said.
