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Winner & Leader
Dan DeLucia's decision to focus on baseball has Buckeyes focusing on a Big Ten championship
Dan DeLucia
Oct. 28, 2006
By Todd Lamb
A three-sport athlete at Bishop Watterson High School in Columbus, Dan DeLucia had many options after graduation. He excelled not only on the baseball diamond, but also on the football field and on the basketball court. DeLucia, now a senior pitcher for the Ohio State Buckeyes, had a decision to make during his senior year of high school.
DeLucia was being recruited by several universities to play quarterback. He gained much attention after leading the Eagles to the Division II state championship as a junior in 2002.
"Dan DeLucia was absolutely an outstanding high school quarterback," Jim Tressel, Ohio State's head football coach, said. "We had him in youth camp and I really felt he could be a successful college QB. We often suggested that if he wanted to do it, there would always be a spot for him on our roster."
Other universities, mostly in the Mid-American Conference, had taken particular interest in DeLucia as a football player, but he wanted to be a Buckeye. He could have walked on to the Ohio State football team, but there was no guarantee he would have played, especially then with Troy Smith and Justin Zwick battling to replace Craig Krenzel as the Buckeyes' starting quarterback.
Instead, DeLucia decided to pursue opportunities to only play college baseball. After all, he was 16-1 with a 1.08 earned run average and 162 strikeouts in high school and showed great promise. Still, with several offers from baseball coaches, he had to make a decision - one that really was not all that difficult.
"I thought playing baseball was my best chance to get to the professional level," DeLucia said. "Playing football would have been great, but Ohio State had the best baseball program for me. I always thought Ohio State was the best place for me. To be able to stay home and contribute to a baseball program at a school like this is great."
DeLucia was an appealing prospect to Ohio State baseball coach Bob Todd because of his athleticism. Todd's teams have always showcased student-athletes who played and excelled in multiple sports in high school.
His athleticism and competitiveness is what has helped mold him into a winner.
DeLucia was 9-8 with a 4.22 ERA his first two seasons as a Buckeye. He began to turn the corner toward the end of his sophomore season and earned third-team All-Big Ten honors.
"The work I did over the summer after my freshman year was crucial in my development," DeLucia said. "I really worked on getting more physical and worked on my mechanics every day. I started to have a little bit of success toward the end of my second year and then really took off last year."
That is when his hard work began to pay off. He became the school's first 10-game winner since 1999. As the team's Friday starter, which pitted him against an opponent's ace, he finished 10-2 with a 3.25 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 108.0 innings to earn first-team All-Big Ten kudos and was 6-1 in conference action to challenge for the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year award.
"Pitching No. 1 in the Big Ten Conference is tough for anybody and to pitch Friday nights and to end up winning 10 games for us is remarkable," Todd said.
DeLucia's success last year turned a few heads.
This past summer, DeLucia was invited to participate in the Cape Cod League, the premier collegiate summer baseball league. Along with Ohio State teammate Matt Angle, he played for the Cotuit Kettleers and was named the league's pitcher of the week after just his first start.
The experience was incredible for DeLucia.
"It's a lot about the people you meet out there," he said. "Every time you play with different players you learn something different about the game. I just learned so much from playing around all those great players. The competition there was unreal. Seventy-five percent of those guys go on to play at the next level and that is something I would like to do.
"You have guys out there that are going to be first to third round picks and to go out there and say you played against the best in the country is pretty cool."
His success last year also garnered the attention of the Italian national team, but not even its invitation to represent Italy in the 2008 Olympic Games could sway DeLucia away from the Buckeyes.
Instead, DeLucia decided to return for his senior year at Ohio State, where his team has some unfinished business to tend to.
The team's goal every year is to win the Big Ten's regular-season championship, something that eluded the Buckeyes since 2001. DeLucia was part of a Big Ten tournament championship in 2005, but this year, the team has bigger goals.
Each locker has a poster in it that clearly spells out those goals: win the Big Ten championship, win the Big Ten tournament championship and participate in the College World Series.
With all four of the team's weekend starters returning and a good core of freshmen coming in to add to the bullpen, DeLucia sees nothing but good things for the team when it takes to the field in February.
"I really think we have the tools to win the Big Ten this year," he said. "We have a lot of players who haven't won a Big Ten championship yet. On our first day of fall practice when we came in and saw all of those posters and pictures of the Ohio State team that was the Big Ten tournament champion in 2003, we knew we had to get right to work."
DeLucia, who was elected a co-captain for the second straight year, will again be counted on for his leadership, both on and off the field. His character and his leadership in the locker room have helped bring the team together.
"He's a great teammate," Angle, a junior outfielder, said. "He is someone who's going to be positive all the time. He's one of the most dedicated guys I've been around in any sport. He is always there for everybody and is always involved in everything he can and is always willing to help."
That dedication can only be a plus for the Buckeyes.
"We certainly hope Dan improves on what he did last year and he's got the capability to do that," Todd said. "But knowing him, what he wants is to win a Big Ten championship and to have the team perform at a high level."
When he graduates with degrees in accounting and business next summer, DeLucia, a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, hopes people do not remember him just as a baseball player, but they remember he was a leader on and off the field.
"I hope players after me will take the advice I've given them and put it to good use," DeLucia said. "I also want people to remember me for my leadership and work ethic and that I left everything on the field every outing."
Winner & Leader
Dan DeLucia's decision to focus on baseball has Buckeyes focusing on a Big Ten championship
Dan DeLucia
Oct. 28, 2006
By Todd Lamb
A three-sport athlete at Bishop Watterson High School in Columbus, Dan DeLucia had many options after graduation. He excelled not only on the baseball diamond, but also on the football field and on the basketball court. DeLucia, now a senior pitcher for the Ohio State Buckeyes, had a decision to make during his senior year of high school.
DeLucia was being recruited by several universities to play quarterback. He gained much attention after leading the Eagles to the Division II state championship as a junior in 2002.
"Dan DeLucia was absolutely an outstanding high school quarterback," Jim Tressel, Ohio State's head football coach, said. "We had him in youth camp and I really felt he could be a successful college QB. We often suggested that if he wanted to do it, there would always be a spot for him on our roster."
Other universities, mostly in the Mid-American Conference, had taken particular interest in DeLucia as a football player, but he wanted to be a Buckeye. He could have walked on to the Ohio State football team, but there was no guarantee he would have played, especially then with Troy Smith and Justin Zwick battling to replace Craig Krenzel as the Buckeyes' starting quarterback.
Instead, DeLucia decided to pursue opportunities to only play college baseball. After all, he was 16-1 with a 1.08 earned run average and 162 strikeouts in high school and showed great promise. Still, with several offers from baseball coaches, he had to make a decision - one that really was not all that difficult.
"I thought playing baseball was my best chance to get to the professional level," DeLucia said. "Playing football would have been great, but Ohio State had the best baseball program for me. I always thought Ohio State was the best place for me. To be able to stay home and contribute to a baseball program at a school like this is great."
DeLucia was an appealing prospect to Ohio State baseball coach Bob Todd because of his athleticism. Todd's teams have always showcased student-athletes who played and excelled in multiple sports in high school.
His athleticism and competitiveness is what has helped mold him into a winner.
DeLucia was 9-8 with a 4.22 ERA his first two seasons as a Buckeye. He began to turn the corner toward the end of his sophomore season and earned third-team All-Big Ten honors.
"The work I did over the summer after my freshman year was crucial in my development," DeLucia said. "I really worked on getting more physical and worked on my mechanics every day. I started to have a little bit of success toward the end of my second year and then really took off last year."
That is when his hard work began to pay off. He became the school's first 10-game winner since 1999. As the team's Friday starter, which pitted him against an opponent's ace, he finished 10-2 with a 3.25 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 108.0 innings to earn first-team All-Big Ten kudos and was 6-1 in conference action to challenge for the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year award.
"Pitching No. 1 in the Big Ten Conference is tough for anybody and to pitch Friday nights and to end up winning 10 games for us is remarkable," Todd said.
DeLucia's success last year turned a few heads.
This past summer, DeLucia was invited to participate in the Cape Cod League, the premier collegiate summer baseball league. Along with Ohio State teammate Matt Angle, he played for the Cotuit Kettleers and was named the league's pitcher of the week after just his first start.
The experience was incredible for DeLucia.
"It's a lot about the people you meet out there," he said. "Every time you play with different players you learn something different about the game. I just learned so much from playing around all those great players. The competition there was unreal. Seventy-five percent of those guys go on to play at the next level and that is something I would like to do.
"You have guys out there that are going to be first to third round picks and to go out there and say you played against the best in the country is pretty cool."
His success last year also garnered the attention of the Italian national team, but not even its invitation to represent Italy in the 2008 Olympic Games could sway DeLucia away from the Buckeyes.
Instead, DeLucia decided to return for his senior year at Ohio State, where his team has some unfinished business to tend to.
The team's goal every year is to win the Big Ten's regular-season championship, something that eluded the Buckeyes since 2001. DeLucia was part of a Big Ten tournament championship in 2005, but this year, the team has bigger goals.
Each locker has a poster in it that clearly spells out those goals: win the Big Ten championship, win the Big Ten tournament championship and participate in the College World Series.
With all four of the team's weekend starters returning and a good core of freshmen coming in to add to the bullpen, DeLucia sees nothing but good things for the team when it takes to the field in February.
"I really think we have the tools to win the Big Ten this year," he said. "We have a lot of players who haven't won a Big Ten championship yet. On our first day of fall practice when we came in and saw all of those posters and pictures of the Ohio State team that was the Big Ten tournament champion in 2003, we knew we had to get right to work."
DeLucia, who was elected a co-captain for the second straight year, will again be counted on for his leadership, both on and off the field. His character and his leadership in the locker room have helped bring the team together.
"He's a great teammate," Angle, a junior outfielder, said. "He is someone who's going to be positive all the time. He's one of the most dedicated guys I've been around in any sport. He is always there for everybody and is always involved in everything he can and is always willing to help."
That dedication can only be a plus for the Buckeyes.
"We certainly hope Dan improves on what he did last year and he's got the capability to do that," Todd said. "But knowing him, what he wants is to win a Big Ten championship and to have the team perform at a high level."
When he graduates with degrees in accounting and business next summer, DeLucia, a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, hopes people do not remember him just as a baseball player, but they remember he was a leader on and off the field.
"I hope players after me will take the advice I've given them and put it to good use," DeLucia said. "I also want people to remember me for my leadership and work ethic and that I left everything on the field every outing."
